The Washington times., 1914-03-27
BLAMES 14TH STREET
LIGHTS FOR M|SHAPS
Safety Association Head Gives
Endorsement to Columbia
Heights Fight.

1t is gratifying to know that the
Columbia Heights Citizens Association
is agitating the question or better
lights for upper Fourteenth street"
This statement was made today by
William F. Peabody. president of the
Street Safety Association. which Is sup
porting the citizens association in its
campaign for an improved lighting sys-
tenn on one Of the most important
thcroughfares in the District.
Mr.. Peabody says that, while he Is
chiefly interested in the proposition
from the point of street safety. with a
view to preventing accidents, Four
teenth street has now assumed such
importance as a business thoroughfare
that there Is no excuse for the anti
quated system Of lighting.
Faulty Lighting Blamed.
Not long since an aged man was
killed in Fourteenth street. near Spring
road" said Mr.. Peabody today. Faulty
lighting was probably indirectly respon-
sible for the accident. II another per-
son is killed In this locality, will 1t be
simply one more unavoidable acci-
dent?'
business men all along Fourteenth
street are lending their support to the
Colombia Heights Citizens Association
in the efforts to have modern street
lighting system installed.
]. Clinton Hiatt. a member Of the
citizens association and secretary OF
the Street Safety Association. has
talked with a number of the merchants
on Fourteenth street from Florida ave-
nue. to Park road, all Of whom have
promised to further the campaign.
The merchants point out that Four
teenth street is now the most import
ant business street of the city at night.
Almost without exception. the stores
along Fourteenth street remain open in
the evening. and the merchants contend
that. in view of this fact. Fourteenth
street should have as good lighting
system as any street in the city.
After leaving the neighb1rhood Oh
the Arcade, Fourteenth street and PARK
road. one finds that the lights on tne :.
sonsinssS Ssss sSe Mt stop peaboaS a. From this
street one walks in the dark along a
muddy footpath, where sidewalks
should be, until within snort instance
of Ferry place. One block beyond this
is Spring road. where 4 sign may oe
seen lin the iaytiTe) which reads:
.Speed limit twelve miles an hour south
and twenty miles per hour north OF this
point
Dark and Dangerous.
"AlI street cars must stop at this
corner whether passengers are waiting
or not. This corner therefore Is the
vi fnP
this we'll populated neighborhood.
Where the sidewalk should be. one
discovers very uninvitins ditch.
Near the curb there is i.orse trough.
q hydrant, a water msis trap. q sewer
trap and a large stone, all projecting
above the ground. Tne nearest light Is
across the street. inc.osed in red glass
to indicate a fire alarm box.
"Only q short wait and one finds
that nearly every car is boarded by
cne or more passengers at this point.
Automobiles, permitted to run at twenty
miles an hour, pass oy In large num-
bers at the limit of the legal speed.
1t is one of the darkest and most dan
gerous points in the District"
Mr.. Peabody said that an accident
was brought to his attention a few
weeks ago where a car going rapidly
down the hill from Shepherd street
ran into a wagon, threw the driver
cut and injured him. The driver was
asked why he didn't turn out when he
heard the motorman's gong, and re-
plied that it was so Dark he was afraid
of going in a ditch If he turned off the
car tracks.
Irrespective of a proposed new light
ing system for all Of upper Fourteenth
street, Mr.. Peabody saws tha: he would
recommend that n light be placed a.
Spring road Immediately, with a view
OF preventing further actions at this
point. many Of which he believes could
nave been averted he'd the street been
properly lighted.