Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-15
STEAM RAILWAY CROSSINGS
REPORT CONCERNING METHODS
PROVIDED FOR PUBLIC PROTECTION
Some Points of Danger Privided with
Watchmen, Others Not
Absence of Gates.

| Major Sylvester, the chief of police has
transmitted to the District Commissioners
several reports of his lieutenants regarding
| steam railroad crossings, and the manner
| in which the crossings are managed.
Lieutenant Moore of the sixth precinct
reports that at the North Capitol and d
| street crossing there are gates but no gate
men, Two men are stationed at the Del
aware avenue and E street, Delaware ave-
nue. and Massachusetts, avenue and the Del
aware avenue and F street crossings,
spectively. the first man coming duty
at o'clock am. and being relieved twelve
hours later by the second man, who serves
for twelve hours These gatemen. states
the lieutenant, are not permitted to leave
their posts of duty to obtain even their
meals.
From the eighth precinct. Lieutenant
kenney reports that the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad has fourteen crossings in his
precinct on its Metropolitan branch. At
Chestnut avenue, Takoma Park, there is
grade crossing, provided with electric bells
to signal the approach of trains but
gate. At Carroll avenue, Takoma Park
grade crossing, there gates worked by
the station agent and his assistants be-
| tween o'clock a m. and midnight From
mldnlghf to Il O'Clock am. the gates
not lowered and there is no bell provided
at this crossing. The crossing at Lamond
has an electric bell, but no gate. The Sligo
Mill road crossing is above the grade of the
railroad, and has a foot and wagon bridge
over the tracks. At Stotts station the
tracks are elevated above the roadway,
gates and bell being unnecessary. At Ter
ra Gotta there is a foot and wagon bridge
over the tracks, no bell or gate being nee
essary. but at the Bates road crossing,
which is on grade, there is neither a gate
nor bell.
BrOOkIand Crossings.
ha
road. Brookland, gates are provided and a
warning bell rings. day and night, before
the approach of a train. The gates are OPP
Grated from the office of the telegraph OPP
orator from o'clock am until 8 clock
pm. by regular gatemen, and from
O'Clock pm. until midnight by the tele-
graph operator At the Central avenue
crossing, South Brookland. which is on
grade, neither bells nor gates are provided
and this is true of the crossings on T
street between 4th and 9Th northeast. and
on street between 4th and 9TH, both being
grade crossings. At Randolph street the
tracks are just above grade. 1t cannot be
used as crossing by vehicles and there
are no gates or bells. At the r street
crossing, between Sd and 4th streets north
east, there are gates operated from a
tower by air pressure. There is a gateman
here from am to midnight. but the gates
are not operated after midnight and there
| Is no warning bell at this crossing. All
| this is true of the New York avenue cross
Ing. except there is -gateman there every
hour in the twenty-four All gates. ex-
| plains Lieut.. Kenney, have bells attached
| to warn persons while the gates are being
| lowered, and the other bells referred to
connected with the tracks several hundred
| yards north and south of the crossings
The Ninth Precinct.
Lieut.. Daley of the ninth precinct reports
| that the following crossings in his pre-
| cinct: Delaware avenue and G street,
Delaware avenue and H street, Delaware
| avenue and l street, list and II streets, LIST
and |, list and X, Ist and L, Ist and NJ. 4th
and !, 9th and l. 9th and X. 9th street and
| Florida avenue, the "Y between l and Il
| Delaware avenue and LIST street, all of
| which are in the northeast section Of the
city, and the Benning and Ivy City cross
| ingS.
All of these crossings, states the lieuten-
| ant, have safety gates and gate tenders,
| who are employed during the twenty-four
| hours every day, except at the 9TH and L
and Ivy City crossings, where the gate
tenders are not employed between mid
| night and o'clock am. The Baltimore
and Ohio single freight track at the Ben
| ming crossing, about fifty yards east of the
Pennsylvania railroads Benning crossing,
| has no gates but is equipped with bell,
which is sounded before the approach of a
| train. About four freight trains pass over
| this crossing of the Baltimore and Ohio
| road every day. The Baltimore and Ohio
crossing at Langdon has alarm bell,
but no gates
| AS to the crossings on the Pennsylvania
| railroad. Policeman L. A. Latchford re-
| ports that the one at South Capitol street
| and the one at New Jersey avenue are pro-
| tected day and night by watchmen and
gates AT I'd street there are two men from
am. until pm, and none after the lat
| ter hour. At Sd street, two men day and
night. At 4th street, two men from
| o'clock am until midnight, and none after
| midnight, the same being true of the cross
| ing at 9Th street
Neither Men Nor Gates.
| The following sidings are protected by
| neither men nor gates: 1 street at Half
street; 1 street at list; K street between
| Sd and 4th; New Jersey avenue between G
| and 1; South Capitol street between H and
L. 9Th street near X; l. street at 9Th and
NJ street at 9th.
The following crossings on the Alexan-
| dria branch of the Baltimore and Ohio road
are protected by neither gates nor watch
men: Pennsylvania avenue Carroll street
and Nailor road, Twining City; Monroe
street, Anacostia private road fourth of
a mile south of Monroe street Anacostia
| on the Talbot estate; Howard, Sumner and
Stevens avenues, Hillsdale; Giesboro Farm
| and private roads to Roland's, Buffers
Sanford'S and Victor Byers gardens and
| to Belvue Magazine.
1t Is understood these reports We're re-
quested by the Commissioners and that
| they will be used in their expected con-
sfderation of the question of better pro-
lection of the public at steam railroad
crossings in the District.