Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-13

5 Down Hilr' Pedestrians Growl and Grumble The Season Is at It's
 Height at Present and It Behooves Coasters and Skaters to Be Careful. A good deal of complaint is heard l from all parts of the town about the l conduct of people who are using the public streets for coasting purposes. Pedestrians complain that they use the crossings on some of the streets
 at great risk to life and limb, and teamsters say that if the reckless work | of coasters continues much longer some one will get hurt. There is nothing new in this. It has been so as long as the oldest citizen can re-
 member and it is likely to go on as l long as the world lasts. If anybody knows of plan that will stop boys and girls from using sleds during the winter season without putting them under lock and key he should make lit known at once. There is no ques- l tion about it, it is a great nuisance, but how to put a stop to the business lis something nobody pretends to say. l It is q dangerous occupation, especial fly when the children rush onto streets where the trolley cars are speeding along, and many who have no desire whatever to hinder the youngsters ill the enjoyment they derive from it, think the aldermen should prohibit coasting on all streets where the rol- Hey cars operate. There is some chance for a man in charge of q team to stop or turn to one side to save chill dren who rush in front of him from side street, but it is different with the Imotorman. When a sled shoots out before him he is not able to come to Ia standstill Gn time to prevent col Ilision. Our sympathy for the boys and girls should not prompt us to per init them to indulge in amusements in places where they are face to face with death at every move of the dou- ble ripper.
 Another kind of sport already on which should occupy the attention of parents is that of skating. While the ice is reported "safe," still it should
 be remembered that there are many danger spots under the snow and groups of children run big risks in ven
 turing on such places. A man told 3 reporter of the Democrat to-day that he came near being drowned this week while passing along the edge of
 one of the ponds. The ice was GOV
 cred with snow, but he thought it strong enough to bear him up and
 started to walk across. He had gone
 but few steps when he went down to the hips.
 Suits for damages occasioned by fall
 ing upon alleged slippery walks will
 be all the rage from now on. Of course
 it is too bad that anybody should fall
 and get hurt on the public ways or elsewhere, but it does not seem right
 that the public should be held respon-
 sible for accidents that happen on
 walks that show no structural defects
 and which are in as good condition as
 they can be kept during the winter
 season. It would be almost as unrea-
 sonable to expect the city to stop the
 frost and snow as to keep the walks
 from getting slippery i'll this kind of
 weather People should exercise great
 care in walking and make sure that the treacherous ice under the snow does not get the drop on them and put them out of business during the Christ
 mas time To be sure one may get a lITTle out or the GUY III q SulL TOT ddIn- ages for injuries received in this way. but what does it amount to? By the
 time the injured party pays his doc tors bill and settles with his attorney
 he finds that the memory of the pains and aches he suffered and that of the stars he saw when he came down are
 about all he has left to compensate
 him for time lost, so that 1t Is a serious
 matter for one to fall on an icy walk and people should think the matter over twice before yielding to the temp tation.