Evening star., 1902-09-04
Regulate the Trolleys.

The details of the accident at Pittsfeld,
in which President Roosevelt came close
to death. emphasize even more sharply than
did the first news the suggestion that steps
must be taken to protect the public from
the trolley cars in and near the centers of
habitation. The place where the crash oc-
CURED seems to have been particularly
dangerous The car line, as is often the
case In New England cities and towns,
crossed from one side of the road to the
other at the point where the carriage was
struck. Sometimes this device is neces-
STATED by the failure of the transportation
company to obtain right of way along the
straight course Such turn in the tracks
makes the most dangerous kind of cross
ing, for the ordinary road traffic proceeds
parallel with the car line on both sides Of
the intersection and misunderstanding are
easily possible.
In this case there was apparently no at
tempt on the part of the motorman to
check his car. On the other hand it Is said
that he was under instructions from his
passengers to reach a certain point ahead
of the presidential party One report states
that his car had been chartered by spe-
cial party. Other accounts indicate that
a group of passengers. eager to overtake
the President, had offered the motorman
a heavy tip If he would enable them to do
this. The mounted escort gave ample
warning to the car crew that the carriages
were crossing. and Mr.. Craig. the secret
service guard, waved his arms in final
warning just before the carriage was
struck. But despite the plain fact that
there was grave danger that the car would
strike the Presidents carriage the motor
man continued his reckless pace.
If such a disaster can overtake care
fully guarded a vehicle that conveying
the President of the United States. what
show has the average citizen for his life
at dangerous crossing? The rule OBJ
tafns in practice that the pedestrian or
driver must take all the precautions and
run all the risk. The dashing car must
never be checked. save to accommodate
passengers. Scores of people are annually
killed in consequence of this unfair prac-
tice. The streets and roads have become
primarily the running places Of dangerous
machines, which, however much they may
accommodate the public nevertheless are
in equity bound by the rule that the road
belongs TO all the people. The burden of
greatest precaution should be laid upon
the operator of the more dangerous vehicle.
1t should be run only at a speed which will
cies.
The evolution of the electric car has
caused a great change In the average
method of travel In and near cities. The
interurban line Is rapidly developing and
the day Is not far distant when trolley
lines will span half the continent In un-
broken series Precautions should be taken
now by city councils and state legislatures
| to keep these swiftly extending lines under
! control and to prevent them from beeom-
| ing the menace to life that the steam rail-
| roads have been in the past. By writing
| wise laws now. requiring the guarding of
| the tracks and the safe operation Of the
! cars and heavily penalizing reckless motor
| ing. the great problem of regulation will be
materially simplified- If neglected until
| the trolley menace has spread In all dfrec-
| tions and far into the rural districts, the
| task of protecting life will become NEST
| difficult of accomplishment