Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-23
DANGER EXAGGERATED.
Report Of Army Engineers as
to Reservation No. ll3
USED BY RAILROADS
REPLY TO PROTEST OF SOUTH
WEST CITIZENS ASSOCIATION.
Gen. Mackenzie and Col. Bromwell Do
Not Think Occupation Of Park
Makes Crossings Unsafe.
USED BY RAILROADS

Acting Secretary Oliver of the War De-
partment has received reports from Gen.
Mackenzie, chief of engineers, and from
Col, Bromwell the engineer officer In charge
of public buildings and grounds. in regard
to repeated complaints from the Southwest
Citizens Association against the continued
use by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
of government reservation No. 113. between
7th and 9th streets and MARYLAND avenue
and C street southwest.
These complaints were filed at the War
Department by Mr.. r. Harrison Johnson,
chairman Of the Citizens Association, and
are to the general effect that the use of
the reservation in question by the railroad
company is dangerous to life and limb and
a detriment to the business and residential
interests of the locality. 1t was alleged that
the danger at the 7th street crossing has
been increased by the railroad use OF the
reservation and that conditions are made
worse because certain freight for govern
ment buildings, which would be ordinarily
unloaded In the freight yards elsewhere, Is
unloaded on reservation No. 113. The petit
TONERS therefore ask that the War Depart
ment license making these conditions posi-
BILE be revoked.
Col. Bronnwell's Beport.
Col Bromwell YVES instructed to inyestl-
gate the matter. In his report to the de-
partment he says that In order to get at
the actual conditions on the reservation he
detailed several United States park watch
men to continuous duty on the reservation,
every hour Of the twenty-four, for four
days from Wednesday, November s, at
points where all freight destined for the
reservation must be switched. These watch
men were in citizens dress. ana the en-
ployes of the railroad company had no In
ttnation that their movements were being
watched Col. Bromwell therefore thought
that the conditions reported might be con-
sidered the average conditions as they ex-
ist from day to day. From these reports 1t
appeared that when the observations were
commenced at 1901 am, November there
were twenty-five cars on the reservation,
and that the maximum number OF cars
standing on the ground at any one hour
during the entire ninety-six hours was
thirty. Col Cromwell invites attention to
the extremely small number Of trains
switched onto the reservation compared
with those passing on the main line, there
being of the former two trains each on
November and and four trains each on
November 10 and Ii. while the trains pass
ing on the main line numbered 240, 257, 82S
and 2s3. respectively, on the dates men
toned.
"An of the watchmen." reports Colonel
Cromwell, stated that there was very lit
tie, IL any, ringing OF bells or blowing of
whistles by trains entering the reservation,
and that most of the noise there was occa-
stoned by the unloading of coal from the
cars to wagons, and this was done in the
daytime. It Is believed that the dangers
of the crossing at 7th street are not ma
terially increased by the few trains APP
preaching from the north to be switched
on the reservation The four side tracks
on the ground are connected with the main
line by single track across 9th street. SO
that only one train can cross that street
to the reservation at any one time. Atten-
ton is further invited to the fact that
there are five main tracks crossing 7th
street and five main tracks and the one
switch leading into the reservation crossing
9th street. so that the actual increase of
danger to that already existing seems
small.