Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-08
BROOKLAND CROSSING
REGARDED AS A SERIOUS MEN
ACE TO LIFE AND LIMB.
Solution Of Problem Is the Bill Pro-
viding for Opening Of Mon
roe Street.


Of Brookland is the one of railroad grade
crossings. There is only one such crossing
there but 1t Is regarded rs a very impor-
tant one as 1t is the main thoroughfare TO
the central portion of the city. Practically
every resident of Brookland and of the re-
gion of country to the east and north IS
obliged to make of the Bunker Hill
road. the principal thoroughfare. 1t passes
the Catholic University from the old bound
airy of the city. Is used by the Brookland
branch Of the City and Suburban railway
and is the outlet for the new avenue which
skirts the southern bounds of the Soldiers
Home grounds from 1st street west In this
way 1t gathers practically all the travel
from the extended territory mentioned and
the only outlet is the grade crossing where
the Bunker Hill road Is intersected by the
tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company.
The daily peril of the situation has long
been realized by the residents of that sec
ton, but what to do about 1t has been
question more or less perplexlng. The C1u-
zens' Associa ton of Brookland, of which
Mr.. A. +. kinnan is president, has found
very general recognition of the danger
of such crossing. The District authorities,
the steam railroad officials, the street rali-
way officials and the committees of the two
houses of Congress have without exception.
1t is stated, placed themselves on record as
being in favor of a change.
In other words. 1t seems to be considered
that a grade crossing especially in a much
freouented section, is something that ought
rot to be tolerated in modern city On
this account everybody interested has given
time and thought to finding way out OF
the difficulty. suggestion that has been
thoroughly considered was TO build prioSe
across the railroad tracks, SO tllat an tftNei
would pass over It, but, owing to the TACT
that the crossing is near the bottom or a
dip in the land, such an arrangemeht Wouiu
not only prove very costly. II Is st,teu' W
the tall embankment erected would be I'M
slightly.
Impracticable to Go Over Tracks.
1t was also proposed that If it was inn
practicable to go over the tracks to go under.
That seemed to be good idea, but when
the problem was studied out In all its
phases it was found that to carry the road
bed under the railroad tracks a further
din in the grade would he required that
would be so steep to make such a pro-
vision dangerous for use by the street
railroad. Therefore that proposition was
abandoned.
Then it was proposed to turn the tide OF
travel that passed over the Bunker Hill
road at a point where the line of Lowell
or Monroe street meets the former thor-
ouEhfare.
side of the railroad tracks. 1t is only a
short distance from that point to the Bum
ker Hill road and its grade Is such that
bridge could be constructed with little cost
over the railroad track SO as to carry the
street cars and street traffic away from
the dangers Of a grade crossing Owing TO
the cheapness of this method OF solving
the problem and it's general effectiveness
1t has received the sanction and approval
of practically everybody concerned.
bill has been reported both In the
House and in the Senate providing for the
opening of Monroe street from Bunker Hili
1 sl>1, n-tn IA
street The street railway officials as soon
as the street is opened for trafhc VIII
transfer their tracks from Bunker Hill road
to Monroe street and extend them east or
the railroad tracks along Monroe street to
I4th street and then north on the latter
thoroughfare to a point near the monas-
terry.
1t is supposed that the cost of condemn
ing the land necessary for the open
ing of Monroe street Will be about
s11 900, and under the terms of the bill this
will be assessed against the property bene-
fitted. The bill further provides that no as
sessment of benefits shall be made on any
land lying nearer to Rhode Island avenue
than Monroe street. 1t is calculated that
this amount of benefits distributed over
the wide area which will be affected will
amount to about SO on every fifty foot lot.
1t is considered that this result expressed
merely in dollars and cents Will enable the
citizens Of Brook1and not only to get rid
cheaply of a constant menace to their
dtional street car facilities.
This latter consideration is said to be of
some consequence. owing to the growth and
DEVELOPMENT of the Brookland section of
the District. According to the last police
census there were in the territory known
| as Brookland population of about 5000.
Free From Any Menace.
When 1t Is considered there must be con-
slant communication between such center
| and the larger center of the city, no diff
| Guilty is experienced in realizing the i'm
| portance of having the principal thorough
| fare or highway connecting the two not
onlv unobstructed and provided with every
| facility of modern travel, but free from any
menace to life and limb.
| The people OF Brookland say tney are IN
| earnest about this very grave matter. They
are resolved to do away with grade cross
| inps on steam railways as something which
| has no place in the life OF a moderh com