The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-25
THE GRADE CROSSING

The cornpie,io1 9: I'D elazs "a: she Richmond,
Fredericksburg AMI FseQEaAs A&alsuAd for he
double tracking AMI Improvement Of its belt line
from Acca to tire James River Bridge contem-
plates the doing away with all If its present grade
crossings In some instances the road will pass
over, and in others under, the highways. In
either instances the old-fashioned menace of rail
road tracks across streets and roads used by the
public will be obviated. The result will be safety
for the public economy and expedition in the
handling of business by. the road. The several
grade crossings of this line within the municipal
limits detract greatly from the city-likc char
acter Of so large place as Richmond. 1t is
pleasure to know that the time is coming when
they viii have gone to increase the lumber pile
of history.
All the trend is away from the grade crossing,
whether 1t be III country or cities. From the
beginning it was a makeshift and mistake
based upon false economic premises. All rea-
son is against the continuation of such a constant
danger to the public by railroads, Every track
that crosses a road at the highway level not only
puts the public to constant danger not only takes
its inevitable toll in lives, but in the long run
costs the road maintaining it more in damages
than the cost of abolishing il. The the
grade crossing must 60, however, is not money
reason, nor one based upon economy OF opera
ton, but one concerning life The railroad toll
Is far too heavy In the lives of its employees and
passengers sacrificed TO longer justify in addition
danger to those who merely citizens. There
is acceptance of risk constructive other
wise, on the part Of the public that the high
ways with respect to railroads, That public and
the sentiment it is rapidly creating will serve
before long to put all grade crossings in limbo.
1t is said that in England and ON the Con-
tinent, there is not known such thing as the
American grade crossing The laws do not per
NIT the maintenance of so evident danger. The
older countries have learned to place an en-
phasis on human life, which the American peo-
pie have apparently not yet learned the value of.
Precisely because this nation is especially rich
in strong and vigorous lives it has seemed to
squander them. We kill in every occupation,
on every prtext--to pay dividend, or to make
holiday, it matters not. Railroads, mines,
buildings-the way in which laws protect homi-
cides all combine to total vital loss that grows
every year more appalling To stop this drain
is of the great countrywide duties opening
. up to people apparently just beginning to learn
the economic value of the human life. As a
prolific source of loss in life as constant
menace, and as an anachronism in the light of
modern standards, the grade crossing is doomed.
The more quickly it is abolished the better on
every CONT. Already the laws are beginning to
take notice of it, the courts to draw it closer 70
the principle where its maintenance shall Be
negligence per Sc. When this last principle shall
be fully established, the grade crossing will cease
to exist, because its loss in money will then be-
come apparent to the dull as well as theoretically
obvious to the thoughtful