Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-09-27

of Accidents John
P. Dohoney gives 1t as his opinion that
"a complete separation of the grades
Is the only means of insuring safety
to the crossing traveller" He strongly
urges continued enforcement of the
| commissions adopted policy of doing
away with grade crossings as rapidly
as possible SO that there may be no
delay for their elimination altogether
The report gives the number of
grade crossings in Pennsylvania as
11,176. only 1,794, or approximately
10 per cent. are In any manner pro-
tected. More persons, however. were
killed and injured at protected cross
ings than at unprotected points and
Of per cent of the victims at pro-
tected crossings crawled under the
gates.
Whether it be by the carelessness
or the traveller or the negligence of
the carrier, the fact Is that the acci-
dents are increasing" says Mr.. Doho-
new "and particularly is this the con-
dition with respect to automobiles.
During the fiscal year 1914-1B, twenty
nine occupants of this class of vehicles
were killed and 104 injured; but dur
Ing the year ending June 80. 1915,
fifty-eight were killed and 1873 were
| injured"
| Commenting upon this report,
Chairman Ainey, of the Commission.
to day gave out this statement:
plete the work of abolishing the grade
crossings in those cases now pending
before the Public Service Commission.
This does not include the crossing
! cases from the city of Philadelphia,
as, according to the best approxima-
tion which the Bureau of Engineering
is able to make. abolishing the grade
crossings in the State might cost one
billion dollars. The law contemplates
(Act 1919 that the expense of aboli-
ton shall be borne by the municipali-
ties concerned, the railroads and the
commonwealth In such proportions as
the commission may consider proper,
but. as no appropriation has been
made to take care of the States share
that feature of the law is in part in
effective. There has been a marked
increase of grade crossing accidents.
Five hundred and eighteen persons
were killed or injured this year as
against 853 last year, and the fatali-
ties increased from 104 to 161. of
which fifty-eight were in autom obiles,
thirty-three In wagons and seventy
were pedestrians. The carefully pre-
roads, made by the chief of the Bu-
reau of Accidents, John P. Dohoney
shows that out of this number 165
were killed or injured at crossing pro-
tected by warning bells. gates or
watchmen, and fifty-eight of these
were automobilists. Over half the pc
destrians killed at protected crossings
crawled under the gates. A further
disclosure of this report is that the
so-called less dangerouS country
road crossings exacted a heavy toll
| of killed and injured.
Crossing and crossing accidents on
interurban street car lines are not in
| cluded, but these have, because of
the increased speed of cars operated
over them, become a serious problem"
Departments Cooperate. = ]. w.
Morgan, deputy fire marshal. was
to-day appointed a member of the
Industrial Board Committee on APP
prevails, which passes upon the worth
of devices for the prevention of ac-
cident and fire submitted to the State
for approval. The appointment fol-
| lowed conference between Commits
sioner of Labor John Price jackson
and Fire Marshal G. Chal Port, who
are endeavoring to have their depart
ments cooperate on all points in COM
mon. The committee meets to-day to
examine a number of the devices
named.
Public Service Opinions. - In an
opinion handed down to-day the
Mountain Water Company of Milton,
is ordered by the Public Service Com
mission to continue to supply Edward
Weidenhamer, of that place, with
water because of the non-payment of
disputed bill. The complainant
showed that he was responsible for
only half the bill presented, which he
paid. The commission ordered dis
missed the complaint of Doughten
and Son. operating a stone quarry at
East Conshohocken against the Phila-
delphia and Reading and the Penn
sylvania Railroad companies. The
complainant failed to show evidence
of his charge of discrimination in the
freight rates.
Bliss Appointed. - A twood l..
Bliss was to-day appointed engineer
to assist the director of wharves and
docks of Philadelphia, vice Richard
A. McFadden, resigned.