Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-13
SK|DD|NG BLAMED
FORBR|DCE M|SHAP
Survivor of Calvert Street
Tragedy Says Mrs. Standish
Lost Control of Auto.

The car skidded and Mrs. Standish
lost control Of it"
This explanation of the cause or
the Calvert street bridge accident wa
given at Emergency Hospital ycsrer.
day in statement by Miss kathryn
Collins, 40 years old, who was in an
automobile with Mrs. John A. STAN
lsh, when il went over the bridge
killing the latter instantly and .eri
! ously injuring Miss Collins
The statement was given during 81
/ interview with Miss Collins at Elmer
gency Hospital. at which John A.
Standish. president of the Pyorrou;
Laboratories; J. T, Mclaughlin. his
assistant. and physician and nurse
were present
Bridges Are Examined.
Meanwhile, a thorough investiga
| ton Of all bridges In the District U-as
ordered today by Engineer Commits
| sloner J. Franklin Bell TO determine
| If additional barriers can be installed
to prevent automobiles from leaping
| from the structures. The examina
| ton Will be made by Maj. Raymond
A Wheeler, assistant 70 the Engineer
Commissioner, who will be assisted
gineers.
Col Bell believes that the best safe
guard would be traffic guard In
stalled just beyond the curb and Of
sufficient height to halt a machine
after it leaps upon the sidewalk
Strengthening OF the pedestrian guard
| rails would be difficult on the existing
| bridges. he said. and, moreover, II
f, would be more feasible to stop a car
AAP l.
bridge.
Maj. Wheeier's investigation. Il war
! explained by Col. Bell, will show Jus
what steps the District can take 70
prevent a recurrence OF such acct
dents as that on the Calvert Stree
Bridge. The cost of the proposed
traffic guard rails would be great -
they are placed on all bridges IN
the District, Col. Bell explained. Per
sonaily he is Of the opinion that ?
number of the older bridges should
be replaced instead of spending large
sums OF money on them at this time
for repairs. The program of bridge
improvement to which the Commits
sioners are already committed, pro
vides for the reconstruction of Chain
Bridge and the resurfacing OF High
way Bridge and these projects. Col
Bell declared. should be carried out
as soon as possible.
Ratings for Pedestrians
The Engineer Commissioner reitei
ated his statement that ratings OF
bridges were designed for the protec-
| ton of pedestrians and not TO halt
motor vehicles going at high rate OF
speed While some of the guards on
! he said. those on the Chain Bridge
! and the P Street Bridge are In worse
| condition. The bridges, he said. how
| ever, are Structurally safe, and the
ratings provide sufficient protection
! for pedestrians despite their deter1oI
| ated condition.
"If we can get appropriat tons 10
| build new bridges to replace the Older
| ones now in use" Col. Bell declared.
1--WE will put up guard rails trong
! enough 10 resist the impact Of auto
mobile collisions. In the meantime
however, we will try and determine
ii it Is possible to erect q traffic bar
rier that will stop machines before
they reach the pedestrian guard
ratings. Sidewalks on the present
! bridges We're not designed to support
| heavy ratings and even If a way
| could be found to properly brace them
| they would occpy a considerable
! portion of the walks
| hUSDdH0 Leaves LOT buuA
| Mr.. Standish husband OF the de
ceased, later left for Buffalo, y. T.
| where the funeral of his wife is TO be
! held. and he Is aid TO have the only
copies of the stenographic statement
! OF Miss Collins with him.
The statement, according to Az
| torney Elmer J. Binford. who is ..
| close friend OF Miss Collins, and who
was called by her as soon as she re
| gained consciousness, was made with
| out his knowledge and without notics
| to him. He has sought copy Of the
| statement, he said today, but was IN
| able thus far to obtain II. though he
was verbally informed that the above
| statement as to the skidding and loss
| of control of the car was the most
| important part of the stenographic
record.
Standish announced last night. il
was reported. that the full statement
| Will be made public Monday.
| A physician who was present at the
time the statement was made verified
the fact that the Information regard
| ing the skidding and loss OF control of
| the automobile was the gfst of the
| statement given by Miss Collins
The coroner's jury found an open
verdict in the case, merely stating
| after the inquest that the death OF
Mrs. Standish resulted from her auto
mobile running over the side of the
bridge.