Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-24
BUMPERS INADEQUATE
ALLEGED CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS
AZ RAILWAY rER1HaHT YARDS.
B. and o. comaahy Required to Inn
prove tho Construction = Present
Conditions Dangerous.

The dangerous conditions menacing the
public In the vicinity Of lexington place
between Florida avenue and r street north
east, owing to the inadequacy Of the bump
ers erected at the western end Of the stub
tracks of the new Baltimore and Ohio
freight yards will be given immediate at
tention by the officials of the District en-
gineer department, and the railroad COM
pany will be notified that 1t must erect at
the ends Of the stub tracks bumpers OF the
proper construction, capable of preventing
the freight cars from rolling across the
street and the street car tracks.
The attention Of the District authorities
was called to the dangerous conditions ex-
listing at lexington place by the publica-
ton in The Star last Tuesday evening of
an article setting forth the situation and
the dangers to which street cars and pas
sengers thereon are exposed in their pas
sage through lexington place.
So far as could be ascertained today the
only reason advanced by the authorities
why action looking toward requiring the
railroad company to erect proper and sub
stantial bumpers at the ends of the stub
tracks was that they have not had knowl-
edge of the dangerous condition at the
point mentioned.
In September Of last year, it is stated a
freight train was driven in upon one Of
the tracks with such force that the bumper
WAS snapped OIL anu several cars the
train went rolling across the street and
the car tracks, and crashed into the corner
of the army quartermaster's storehouse.
The cars plunged across the street car
after a street car heavily loaded with pas
sengers passed along the street. The accl-
dent occurred after II o'clock at night.
Series of Accidents.
1t was stated by officials of the engineer
don fpoop that this xUaa
reported to the department. The yard had
but just been established, they state. and
the accident was not known to be the
beginning of series Of accidents Of almost
as serious a nature.
1t Is declared that on several other occa-
sions since the accident of September the
bumpers have been broken and freight cars
have been forced onto the street outside
the limits Of the freight yards, in some in
stances delaying the street cars.
Reports of these occurrences, 1t is stated,
have in almost every instance been made to
the police department., but according to
statements made today they have not been
brought to the attention Of the engineer
department officials.
The residents of lexington and other
patrons of the City and Suburban street
railway system have been apprehensive for
several months lest disastrous accident
might result from the conditions at Eek
fngtOn place.. inaSmuch as the bumpers are
frequently DTOheE OIL anu nave piONeu "
be unsafe 1t ST.
The District authorities will notify the
railroad company that sit must construct
bumpers of a substantial nature that will
prevent the freight cars from breaking
them off. The matter is regarded as one
in which the safety Of! the public is in
volved, and the authorities intend to have
the conditions remedfed before the neces-
sity of remedial action is strikingly en-
phasized by some. possibly appalling acct
dent,