Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-13
Uncle Sans S Traffic
Problem.
By Frederic J. HaskIn.

Washington, ID. g., Aug. lUs-~I ne
visitor 10 New York Is always warned
against the hazards of crossing street
without the personal assistance oi
policeman, vet the records show greater
number Of accidents per caplta ~ WASH
ngton Chan in periiotls New YORK.
From the beginning Of its history, the
national capital has held the reputation
of being collection Of parks and marble
buildings, the whole enfolded 10 lang'iid
southern atmosphere. fOr over -
hundred years this description was more
or less accurate. 80 ooo
Then, suddenly, war tore some lu1,vDO e'1
stenoprapbers and newly made ofbcers
from their peaceful homes and landed
them in the thick Of the battle at the
administrative front The onr'ish d
volunteers from New York, PIt'sburg,
and all points west, j8fnmed the eapital
to It's utmost capacity, and the city began
TO know what heavy traffic really was ~
the time suitable traffic regulations we're
worked out and put into effect the sno0t-
iuo was about over. since then, WASH
ington has recovered o little OF lts old
time tranquility, but il VIII never DO the
same. !, r
washington as the war left it IS fuli OF
traffic cops, street signs, parking regina
tions. and rules for crossing street, ~
has n crowded business section, ana its
circles which Major L'Enfant laid out 70
be emergency forts, have become modrilcd
race tracks around which automobiles
ecoot in rapid succession, while pedestrians
await a slack moment on the curb, or run
the gauntlet by hopping in and out among
the vehicles.
4 new idea for making life on the street
safer is put across every lev weeks. e'
nedestrisns continue 10 be Iay-walkers
roany autoists fail to stop at points where
! passengers are leaving street cars ana
/ accidents mount.
TOURISTS ARE CARELESS.
The city's traffic troubles are largely
H. n the character Of It's population
/ FIncks NJ tourists are perpetually wander
no about with their eyes lifted 70 tn
dcme ~ the capitol. and theiv brani
buying with plans for meeting iayort'
Then there il official Washington
| The ambassadors, Cabinet officers, Con
graasrnen and political figures hes
r,aonle with their families are Away
coming and going. Traffic rules are fairll
similar All over the country and N ~
larger foreign cities but Washington ~
local peciiliaritie8 which some dignitarie
never learn until they are about - lesav
III In fractions Of the law cornnlitted n
foreign diplomatic representatives, af
called to the attention d the state De
partment Only homegrown of1ciai- hf'
subject TO the laws.
Publicity is gwen To accidents a.
,,.ar,,rg 4. the people and the Pohc
Tooy,ar4Toer.t has started a campaign y
n
~ Cantain Albert Headlev, IF the clt,
t,afFsc denartrnent there i 2 map u n
c,t,. all dotted over with numerous eolore'
nins The map IS the captain own IDEA
and each rin shows where a street acclden
occtrred. A red pin means the death q r.
,,,tornobile passenger or driver p pm
Nm means A pedestrian killed elio'
means ininv to the driver; white, 'nluf
~ pedestrian: green, damaged property
.rd hiack. no serious consequences
saThese pins show traffic accidents onl
sor the ,ast four months. Captain Head
lev explajned. From the map we ca
tell where accidents are most ireqlen'
Then we study the cause and try ~ +
TURN TO THE RIGHT.
Washington has 50 many acute angle
due 10 avenues that run diagonal n u
streets. and motorists coming together
these angles are apt to collide before the
take account Of each other heh- theF
: are the circles, with SIX or eleAt Stree
running lsto them, ali pouring Felllel
iato the space around the clFcie. ~ q
time. vehicles could 90 ~ any airccJle
e.--',,,d +bese circles. Now. Of course, the
must bear 70 the right ana even tileh e
Il
: AT Scott Circle, for instance, ie
blocl-s IRON, The " hite House, there Is
roadway IS feet wide around the circle. :
ordinance provides that vehicles are
kaan 10 the outside OF such spaces cio.
m The curb Of the streets bordering q
CIRCLE But the temptatlop 70 take
short cut leads motorists 20 Use any Pa
az tho rs feet. 50 that people on foot are
danger every step Of the way across.
a3f this particular circle, the pedestT7s
had s4ch a hard time OF Il that We ?l
ONT r,ostS with chains between them
~ tbosa chains radlate ike spokes oI
ygbesI from the circle > feet into the ro.'
Tbev force the motorlst 20 keep Wlth
tbo IN feat lett II the outside, 50 th
+be narson on foot has smaller dang
zone 10 cross.
Captain Headley has foaaa that q
great width Of street Is as conducive
sccidents as TOO little, Tn a street 2
I00 foot wide. as many of the avenues al
a driver can be 80 feet from the cur2; AZ
sill he on the right side of the street " p
traffic is heavy and vehicles are SpFe43o p
this wav. crossing the street Is nlaoe y
necessarily hazardous for the pecestrla
Washington has marrow streets g
vvberp vehicles travelling both ways q
likely TO get into Jam But the harII
road Is an easier problem. " aStlng' -, =,
eoped Boston, Pittsburg ana thilaa
bhia. by making her narrow oo"hto'
thoroughfares ''one way streets
An sorts OF traffic novelties nave ne
tried out on the capital. Yellow TN sig
: Mounted on posts inform motorists wh(
> tbay NAV not park their cars. nite ~
; painted on the street mark on spas
ike stalls in which cars should oe park
ALL SYSTEMS ARE TRIED.
: Al some of the more dangerous crossir
+ lanes for pedestrians are Indicated
4 white nainted lines stretching from cJ
+ ~ curb Vehicles are supposed 70 81
+ down at these cross walks and pedeStrla
q are supposed TO follow the white In
4 Jav-walSing-cr street m
& middle of the blocks discouraged.
& cannot very we'll be made misdemean
-f for in some cases it IS necessary tor
4 nprson to go into the street, and then
y prohibit it would give vehicles too mU
= f;coDsa Drivers. knowing that people