Evening star., 1905-11-05
PLEA FOR VIGILANCE
PROTECTION OF LIFE AT RAIL-
WAY CROSSINGS.

Not satisfied with the fact that the grade
crossings in Southwest Washington will be
abolished when the terminal project is COM
pleted. Indications have become more and
| more manifest during the past week that
the authorities and the citizens OF that
portion OF the community will unite to de-
wise some means of protecting life and limb
at the dangerous crossings on the line of
Maryland and Virginia avenues until the
more extensive work of putting the rail-
road tracks either below or above grade
is finished.
Twice within the week which ended with
the closing of the District building yester-
day afternoon have notices come before
the Commissioners of the exceeding danger
OF the existing arrangement of tracks and
crossings. The first was in the form of
formal protest from the Southwest Cit-
zens Association against the unlawful
practice of the steam railroad companies
parking cars on Virginia avenue southwest.
between 9th and 7th streets; making and
breaking up trains on Virginia and Mary
land avenues. between 9th and 9th streets,
and shunting cars on Virginia avenue over
7th street southwest etc. The second pa
per came through the regular channels of
the police department, beginning with a
report by the man on the beat" of an ac-
cident at the 7th street crossing and ending
with recommendation by Commissioner
West that the railroad company be imme
diately advised of the facts alleged in the
police report and that the Capital Traction
Company be asked to have their motormen
and conductors be sure that the tracks are
clear before crossing.
Alleged Results of Inaction.
In their formal protest the citizens asso-
citation declares that 1t has frequently
voiced it's objections on the same score
but that "for some inexplicable reason
nothing has been done, and a result
property values have been decreased, home
comforts and enjoyments have been greatly
fnterfered with, street crossings are OBJ
structed and life and limb daily. placed In
jeopardy"
The association inclosed clippings from
The Star of October 6 and October 25 tell
ing of an engine plunging into street car
at the corner of 1th street and Maryland
avenue and about metorman escap ing
from a similar accident by putting on the
full force OF the electric current and RAM
ming his car through the safety gates. The
association demanded that the temporary
permit giving the railroad company the
right to lay tracks on reservation lib be
revoked alleging that the railroad com
pany. instead of confining use of the tracks
to handling cars carrying material to and
from the new government buildings, for
which the permit was issued, prac
tically making the reservation an addition
to its freight yards. brief was submitted
in connection with the protest, the citizens
association declaring that it therein pre-
demands.
In one of the police reports Lieut.. Mat
thews of the fourth precinct, in comment
ing on the numerous accidents and equally
numerous narrow escapes at the crossing
of 7th street over Maryland and Virginia
avenues, suggested that the Capital Trac-
tion Company have it's conductors run
ahead Of cars and see that the way Is
clear before risking the safety of it's
patrons on the crossing. Superintendent
Carll of the traction company. to whom
this suggestion was referred, replied with
the statement that the rules of the COM
pany placed responsibility upon Its mo-
tormen for ascertaining that the tracks are
clear before putting on power to cross any
railroad, and he regarded this requirement
as sufficient
Third Accident Noted.
It happened that third accident oc-
Cured on the 7th street crossing day or
two after Superintendent Carlfs letter was
received by the police department, and on
that occasion Lieut.. Matthews wrote in
part as follows:
Nothwif hStaDdjne anvthfDP the
officials of the Capital Traction Company
may say to the contrary, its conductors
and motormen, from their positions upon
their cars, must rely almost entirely upon
the gateman and fiagman, who are not in
the employ of the Capital Traction Com
pany, to see them safely over this crossing.
At any rate, three times since October
it's motormen and conductors have testi-
fled to what amounts to the same thing
that they Ghe motormen and conductors)
were unable to see from the street
the trains that ran them down approaching
the crossing
Following this report Major Sylvester and
Commissioner West advised that both the
railroad company and the traction company
see to it that greater vigilance is exercised
haa ciyo