Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-16
MOST DANGEROUS CORNER.
Tragedy Predicted for Some Day at
9th and p Streets

Some day there Is going to be a bad ac-
cident and somebody will be mangled or
crushed to death at this corner which is
the most dangerous street car intersection
in town." said bright conductor on the r
street line to Star reporter, as he pointed
to the hurrying crowds Of transfer passen-
gers at the corner of F and 9th streets
northwest during one of the busy hours"
of the day.
And the trainmen will be blamed for it.
Of course, though in all probability 1t will
not be their fault. There isn't motorman
at one of the half dozen intersecting lines
at this point that does not approach and
leave it with more than usual care. Both
Of these thoroughfares are among the
busiest in the city, the corners are sharp,
the streets are comparatively narrow and
the Anacostia cars swing around at such
an angle that 1t is a wonder that accidents
are not of more frequent occurrence.
New look at those people running diago-
nally across the interlocking tracks to catch
the 9th street uptown car. The 'restbound
F street cars, by stopping on the east side
Of 9th street, at which corner many pas
senger thoughtfully get off to take the up
town 9th and 18th street cars, unload
goodly share of their passengers and lessen
the general danger, but those who dodge
around these cars at this point to eaten
the Anacostia car on the run going down
struck by the oncoming F street cars 60
ing east. 49, 49,. ;,
throw over their starting crank to get up
Sufficient momentum to get their heaNy
cars over the interlocking track sections,
where the current is momentarfly cut on,
and they cannot handle the cars at these
particular moments with the quickness ana
ease that they can on a level, clear stretch.
The result would be that II one of these
running passengers were unfortunate
enough to slip, or to miss his footing while
on the tracks; nothing short OF miracle
would save him from being ground 10
nieces II he missed the fender. and If he
happened to strike the fender 1t might
catch his body at such an angle as 10 throw
it directly under the wheels OF the car strik-
ing him, or another approaching III the up
posite direction.
This is the way accidents on these BUSY
corners happen, and they occur so quickly
that they are over and the harm done be-
fore we are aware of it, Passengers gauge
their distance in cutting across the tracks.
but often err In their judgment, or as 10
the speed of the car which they may plain
Nv see approaching them in the opposite d.
rection. or what is still more dangerous. are
forgetful of the possibility of the car on
the other side of their own striking them
as it pulls out.
Passengers in this city are also prone to
show undue haste in alighting from the
cars at points other than the dangerous In
tersections, of which there are several. This
is the reason why you will hear US call
out so frequently, Wait until the car stops,
please if any one takes the trouble to OBJ
serve that trainmen endeavor to safeguard
the lives and the limbs of their passengers.
though some people are so busy at these
critical times in finding fault with the mo-
torman or the conductor, because the car
isn't run exactly to suit their Individual
tastes, to do little else but to get angry.
enough our admonition may have been the
means of saving them from serious injury
Il not death"