Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-03-24
BOARD SEEKS TO
STOP ACCIDENTS
SUGGESTS ORDINANCES TO
REGULATE CARS
Wants Speed Limit in the Coneested
District, Better FIagmen at the
Crossings and Use of Safe
ty Devices Forced

AS n result of it's careful investga-
| ton into street car matters the board
| of public utilities has compiled q report
which it will submit to the council next
week and ask that the suggestions 1t
! makes be incorporated into ordinances.
| The board believes that many of the
! deplorablc accidents that have occurred
at intersecting lines have been due in
a large measure to the character OF the
men employed as watchmen and to
correct this trouble the board suggests
that the flagmen be not more than 80
years old and be forced to pass such an
examination as other employees in the
| operating department must stand. The
report follows:
/. That as the result of a practical
test In a specially equipped car of the
Los Angeles Railway company, on
which trip we were accompanied by the
chief of police, city attorney, Council
man Gregory, officials of the railroad
company and others, those present
came to the conclusion that there was
no good reason why q different rate of
speed or different district speed limits
should be provided for street cars from
that prescribed for other vehicles. We
therefore recommend that the ordi-
nanCes be amended so that the pro-
visions of ordinance 1860 (new series),
as to speed limits and as to speed of
vehicles be made to apply to street
cars as well as to other vehicles. That
is to say, that in the business and con-
gested districts Of the city the speed
limit be twelve miles an hour with six
miles over crossings. and outside that
district twenty miles an hour.
We recognize, however, that much of
the phenomenal growth Of Los An
gees is due to our excellent system of
interurban electric railways and that
1t is to the interest of the city that no
unnecessary regulations be adopted
which will prevent interurban railways
from making quick time between the
city and outside points, IT, at the same
time, proper safeguards for public pro-
lection at crossings be provided. We
therefore recommend an exception to
the speed ordinance as follows:
That II do not apply on private rights
of way, the crossings of which over
public streets are protected in such |
manner as may be recommended by
the board of public utilities or ordered |
by the city council.
We believe tins proposed legislation |
will constitute a practical and reason
able ordinance for street railway cars |
and one that should be enforced by the |
police department after it is adopted; |
but we do not approve of ordinances |
that are shown by practical tests and |
experience to be unreasonable and |
would not be tolerated by the public
2. Ordinance No. 14,261 new series)
provides that street cars shall come to
a full stop at all points where the lines
intersect other tracks. There are GER
tain well known thoroughfares I'm the
city Of Los Angeles on which the
traffic Is very heavy at the present
time and is constantly increasing, at
which, We believe 1t would also be to
the interest of the public to require
street cars to come to y full stop be-
fore crossing. We therefore recon-
mend that said ordinance be so amend
ed that street cars be required to
come to a full stop not alone at inter
secting tracks but also at such streets
Or crossings of streets as the council
may by resolution or ordinance from
time TO time determine upon.
g. 1t is the opinion of this board
nat the character of men employed by
he companies as i1agmen has had con-
siderable TO do with causing the de-
1lorable accidents that have happened
by collision between steam railroads
md electric cars. We therefore recon-
mend the passage of an ordinance that
men employed as tlagmen and gatemen
shall be not to exceed so years of age ,
md must pass the same examination ,
Is to physical condition and capability :
or such employment as Is usual for :
employees in the operating department ,
If the respective companies. We have ,
discovered that some of these men are
mployed as many as thirteen or four
cen hours consecutively, and we there
ore recommend that il be provided
" ordinance that no man be employed
t such work for more than nine hours
n any day.
4. We had intended to recommend
hat no freight train be permitted to =
ack across any other track, but we
re Informed by the officials of the
team railroads that such a rule would
@ absolutely impracticable on account
[ the many spur tracks throughout
he industrial district of the city We y
elieve, however, that every reason =
BILE precaution should be taken to give 9
,arning of the approach of trains and =
nat the ordinary lantern carried by p
rainmen is not q sufficient signal. We \
therefore, recommend that the ordi- ~
ance provide that portable headlights :,
similar type to those used in switch 81
nSines be displayed at night at the -
nd of all trains of cars that are being
acked over intersecting railroads or -
treers, and that a trainman be sta q
oned, ringing a large hand bell at the II
lind end of all such trains going =,
cross such streets or tracks. ~