The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-14
OUR STREETS CHARMED HOUSES

OUR STREETS CHARMED HOUSES.
Two fatal accidents to children in large cities
on the same day emphasize the need for greater
parental watchfulness and the necessity for pub.
lie Fairgrounds.
In Cincinnati the life OF a hve-year-old girl
was crushed out under tie wheels of giant au-
tomobile. in which sat a wealthy woman, her
daughter and her maid. The child was playing
in the street wherein whizzed and raced the ST.
lent, horseless vehicles OF rich men and women,
who lollered in luxury, gazing out upon the
other side of life with no thought of the Unequal
tiles Caught under the heavy machine, her
pedestrians charged upon the occupants of the
death-dealing vehicle, the defense was made
that 1t the child's fault Her griefstricken
mother tenderly gathered up the corpse, rushed
to physicians Office. and became raving
maniac when informed that her offspring was
dead.
The result of the inquiry into the death of
this child and driving fond mother to insanity
has not yet been made public. An inquest will
be held, and the verdict win doubtless be that
the child came to its tragic death while playing
in the street, and no Is responsible
The life of an eight-year.old girl was snuffed
out by the iron wheels OF street car in New
York maddened mob attacked the motor.
man, they often do in New York when a
child is killed. and cries of Lynch hint" filled
the air. The lips of the PROSTATE and bleeding
girl were struggling for speech Bending
low, member of the crowd attracted by the
accident. heard her lisp Don't hurt him 1t was
all my fault"
But was 1t her fault? ard was the child in Gin
cinnati to be blamed for her own death? Chill
dren must play. 1t is the nature of the young
1t is their heritage. Balmy breezes of spring
Gods fresh air. after being eooped up in houses
perhaps novels. throughout the winter While
seeking pleasure and the gifts of Menus, the
grim and tawny hand OF death was laid upon
them
These but two of the pitiful countless in.
stances of tragic and horrible deaths melted out
to children who play in the streets. Spectators
who witness such accidents and the mothers OF
the little victims have but one thought and that
is that the operator of the automobile or street
car, the driver of the truck or buggy should
be lynched. The motornan the chauffeur and
the driver are perhaps IS deeply affected by the
tragedy the parents and spectators but
they always have the thought that had the child
remained out OF the path of the rapidly moving
vehicle the sad denoucment of a game would
have been prevented
There is something to be said for the motor
man, the chauffeur and the driver. While there
may be those among them who have a reckless
disregard for the lives and safety of adult and
youthful pedestrians, or rompers in the street it
would not be fair to say that more than an in
fnitesimal number of them are so heartlessly
and brutality organized.
Responsibility for the appalling number of
tragic deaths among children in this country
lies primarily with mothers who do not keep
their children off the busy. crowded and clang-
orous streets, and upon the municipalities which
fail or refuse to provide the boys and girls, who
must play, with proper and adequate recreation
grounds