The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-02-01
TO DISPLAY SAFETY SHIELD
Warning Signs Are to Be Installed
Within Three Hundred Feet of Grade
Crossings Not Only In Cities But
Also in the Rural Districts.

The barber pole railway crossing gate
is invading Racine and Kenosha coun-
ties, and as fast as crew of men can
complete the work, all crossing gates
in these two counties will be all of the
new design recommended by the Ameri-
can Railway association as a measure
of safety. The Chicago & North
Western Railway following the October
meeting of the national association at
which safety measures were discussed,
began at once to equip it's entire system,
not only with the new type Of gates,
but also with the new type of circular
Stop disc, agreed upon by the asso-
citation as uniform crossing signal.
Every grade crossing in the United
States will be made safe when the con-
centrated efforts that are now being put
forth by the railways of this country,
cooperating with the public service
commissioners in the several states are
carried out, and persons residing in
cities and towns along the Chicago &
North Western railway will be among
the first to witness the installation of
the latest devices.
The recommendations Of the special
committee Of the national association
were IS follows:
l. The adoption of a circular disc,
Is inches in diameter with the word
"STOP" painted in black upon white
L. ~ y L 4La
crossing guards in all parts of the coun-
try, instead of the red and green
flags formerly used.
2. The installation of, uniform color
Of lights for night indications all
lights displayed towards the highway
at grade crossings to be red.
5. Uniform painting of crossing
gates with alternate stripes of black
and white in order to make them visible
to travellers along the highway at a
greater distance.
The members of the American Rail-
way association further agreed TO pro-
pose in each state legislation which
will enable the erection of uniform
circular warning signs at points on the
Highway 800 feet on each side of every
grade crossing. These signs would have
OR. r., painted in black on a white
background together with a black cross.
The railroads cannot erect these uni
| form signals at present because they
do not own the ground on which these
signs must be placed.
| Already the Chicago & North Western
Railway company has equipped its
crossing watchmen with the signal discs
prescribed by the committee and discon-
tinued the old Style vari-colored mean
ingless flags. The Gates at grade cross
ings are being painted as rapidly as pos
sible with the conventional barber
pole' stripes of black and white. These
changes have met with popular favor,
because the black and white combina-
| tion makes the warning signs readily
perceptible to people approaching the
crossings for some distance on either
side of the tracks.
The railroads are particularly anx-
lCuS TO SECURE Inc luSJdlldblUu VI bHS
warning signs on che highway 800 feet
from each side of the tracks in order
| to reduce the risk from automobile acct
dents. Automobiles so far outnumber
horse-drawn vehicles today that the old
style warnings do not serve to prevent
accidents.
| The Chicago & North Western Rail
way, while being the pioneer line west
ard northwest of Chicago, was also the
pioneer railway in furthering the Safety
First movement.
The Chicago & North Western rail-
way continues to be ever alert in pro-
noting everything that will, insure
greater security to the public and feels
| certain that the residents of the towns
along the line with support most heartily
these new measures to promote Safety
First! Lastl and Always!