The Washington times., 1901-09-28
AFFAIRS OF The DISTRICT.
A Suburban Railroads Request to
Substitute Pilot for Tenders.

An Adverse Recomm G dation on the
Application Removal of Tcic-
phone Wires Strung for the In
auguraI Ceremonies Insisted Upon.
]. Colvin, Superintendent of the Wash
ington. Alexandria and Mount Vernon
Railway recently addressed the Commits
sioners in behalf of his company. asking
permission to dispense with the wheel
guard on their cars and to use in its place
a pilot The pilot described by Mr.. Coivin
is similar to that employed upon locomo-
tives and he says would ride about four
inches above the rail. With reference to
his request Mr.. Colvin says:
THE front fender could be used with
this pilot Our line is but seven-eighths
of a mile in Washington and about fifteen
miles outside Of the city, most of when
distance we operate on our own right OF
way at very high speed, making our con-
ditions very near those of steam rall-
road entering the city. The streets we
traverse in Washington are very little
used by pedestrians, and during five years
of operation we have never had an acci-
dent to pedestrians in Washington, while
on the outside of the city We have had
several accidents by striking stray stock.
as to injury to person and as damage to
property, and in one case the accident re-
suited in the loss of life. The use of
pilot such as is described would be safe
guard against horses or cattle. when
struck, from getting under the trucks and
derailing the car
Mr. Colvin states that If the Commits
sioners desire any additional information
relative to the type of pilot it is desired
to use, he stands ready to furnish such
a statement
L. P. Bradshaw, of the Engineer De-
partment made an investigation of the
matter and has reported as follows:
1.-The use of pilot. as proposed, would
not only be in conflict with section 90
Article Y. of the Police Regulations,
which requires a clearance of fifteen
inches above the rails in front Of the
wheel guard fender. but it would wholly
defeat the design of this fender in the
performance of its function of preventing
a PROSTATE body from going to the wheels.
Since, therefore. the present combination
OF the front pickup and wheel guard
fender was adopted after an extended trial
of a number of full size models upon the
local railways, and an examination of
lenders used in other cities. as the most
efficient device for the possible saving of
life or of preventing personal injury to
a person caught in any position, erect or
PROSTATE, in front of a moving car, and
experience having borne this out 1t is
not deemed advisable 10 sacrifice this i'm
portant feature of the fender combination,
r which must necessarily result from the
use OF the proposed pilot. 1t is recon-
mended that the request be denied"
The Commissioners have approved the
foregoing report. and Mr.. Colvin will be
The removal of certain wires strung by
the Baltimore and Ohio Railway Company
for their convenience in connection with
the inaugural ceremonies last March is
the subject of two communications from
the Electrical Department to the Commits
sioners. c. G. Harris, inspector, writes
in reference to the matter:
Il have the honor to report that the
two wires strung by the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company on their
poles from Brentwood Road and Florida
Avenue to the passenger station of the
Baltimore and Ohio Company, at the cor
ner Of New York Avenue and Florida
Avenue, under permit dated March 2,
lsol, have not yet been removed, though
the railroad company has been repeatedly
notified TO that effect
Inis matter has taken up considerable
time, andr II seems to me- has caused
unnecessary trouble and work for this
department, and l would respectfully in
Viee your attention to the advisability of
requiring reasonable deposit from the |
company or individual wishing to avail |
themselves of this sort of temporary con-
strnetion In the future, and thereby |
ensure the completion of the work by the |
removal of the wires within the time |
specified by the permit
waiter G. Allen. Electrical Engineer |
mas also written to the Commissioners /
Of
statlns that he has notified the company
10 take them down, and that UP TO the |
present time nothing has been done He |
5uSgests that letter be sent to the COM
9any by the Commissioners notifying
.neIn that the wires must be removed with |
n torty-eight hours OF The serving of the |
IN the District courts.
Ihese suggestions have received the aD- |
proyal OF Commissioner Macfarfand and |
- y, Is expected that the board will concur
IN them and that the company will be
informed by formal notice TO take down
the wires.
The Commissioners have received from
w I. Powell and others. protests against
the erection of q guy pole at the south
east corner of Thirty-first and u Streets
northwest The complaints were referred
10 the Electrical Engineer, who has now
reported:
The guy pole erected at the corner
of Thirty-frst and L Streets northwest is
necessary to maintain the main line
poles on the opposite side OF Street at
a point where the line makes a consider
able angie This department has seven
wires now on these poles which would
be In an unsafe condition ii the guy pole
were taken down Upon the completion
OF other pole work in Georgetown We will |
string two or three other wires along |
this same line, which VIII render the ne |
cesslty OF the guy pole all the more urg
ent.
4 would recommend that the complain |
ants be informed that this pole is abso-
lutely necessary for the maintenance of |
the pole line mentioned, ard cannot be
removed II in no way interferes with
their premises
These recommendations have been ap-
proved by the Commissioners and the
compiainants viii be so informed
Walter C. Allen, the Electrical Enei-
neer, yesterday forwarded 10 the Commits
sioners the following report concerning
the transfer of certain District poles on
the Rock Greei. Church Road:
This department has abandoned its
poles on the Rock Creek Church Road. be-
tween Whitney and Brightwood Avenues.
The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company desire 10 have six of these poles
turned over to them. between Whitney |
Avenue and the Spring Road. The com
pany now has wires on these poles. They |
are old and worn cut and of no value to |
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II A ODE EDC