Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-06
CITIZENS GIVEN HEARING.
Brookland Association srl Wants Grade
Crossings Abolished.

REPRESENTATIVES of the Brookland Cii-
gems Association appeared before the Com
missioners this morning to urge the abolf-
ton of the grade crossing over the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad tracks where the
Bunker Hill road crosses the tracks Pend
ing the construction of a bridge over the
tracks, the citizens urged the Commission
ers to require the railroad company to erect
gates on either side Of the tracks.
The Commissioners announced this after
noon that in order to relieve unsafe condf-
tons at present they will request the rail
road company to Immediately erect gates
on either side of the tracks. as suggested by
the citizens. The matter OF the construc-
ton of the bridge will be given further con-
sideration.
Among those present at the hearing were
Mr.. A. F. K1nnan, president of the assOcia-
ton; DR.. T. Y. Hull, DR.: M. J: Holmes. DR..
A. Patten, Charles Lynch. L. K. Bergman,
E. Southall, ]. L. Sherwood. F. A. Harri-
son, Stuart Mcnamara, Judge Pennybaker
James Banner. E. c. Ford. j. B. Lord and
Rev. Father Bede, who represented the
Franciscan monastery in Brookland.
DR.. Hull, the first speaker, stated that
something should. be. done to relieve the
dangerous situation at the point where the
Bunker Hill road crosses the railroad
tracks He stated that four people have
been killed at this point by the trains. and
that it is daily occurrence that some one
narrowly escapes being killed or fatal in
jury. This morning." said DR.. Hull, "a
few minutes before the arrival Of train
at the crossing, little child caught her
foot In the tracks. and would have been
struck by the train had there not been some
one there to extrlcate her foot
He declared that .the tracks there are
crossed $50 times a day by the Brookland
people, ana that the trains pass the place
at the rate OF sixty miles an hour. The
schedule of the Baltimore & Ohio Company,
he said -shows-that only thirty-four trains
pass the crossing daily, but that an actual
count by people near the place showed that
every day f1fty-nihe trains pass, twenty
eight west bound and thirty-One east bound.
The speaker maintained that such a con-
dition Of affairs imperiled the lives of
citizens unnecessarily and that something
ought to be done at once to, give Brookland
relief from the danger. To accomplish this,
ing. by lowering the railroad tracks at least
ten feet would be necessary. He pointed
out that suchiact46n would enable the street
railway to cross 1.-The Isteam: railroad tracks
and thus enter the central part Of Brook
President Kinnafni explained to the c ~
missioners the citizens plan for bri G
the cfossingc dtnwas estimated that &c
cost of constructing a bridge over the
tracks would DO an the neighborhood Of
$4,000 or $2a,OO0bt This structure. it was
stated, would probably have. to be con-
structed by SECURING an appropriation from
Congress forfale purpose. Mr. Kinnan ur9-
ed that the elimination Of the grade cross
ing would insure the safety of persons pass
ing along the road and besides would be
benefit to the railroad company and that
the movement wds IN the interests OF all
parties and for the general good
Father Beds also, spoke briefly in favor of
the proposition.