Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-09-03
D. c. GIRL KILLED
AS DEATHS ROAD
CLAIMS ANOTHER
New Defense Highway Fa-
tally Occurs Near Scene
of Recent Tragedy.
CAMPAIGN is CARRIED
TO NICE AND TABLER
Strong Criticism of Route Ex-
pressed as Leaders Call for
Improvement

Death Highway" claimed another
victim yesterday.
Miss Ida Schartner. 81. Of 1923 II
street, died in Emergency Hospital,
Annapolis, Of a fractured skull re-
ceived in an automobile accident on
the Defense Highway near Mitchell
vile. Three other persons were
slightly injured in the crash.
Miss Schartner Is the fifteenth per-
son killed on the highway in Is
months. Her death is expected TO
add impetus to the rising tide Of pub
lie resentment against the constant
menace to public safety caused by
the narrow, winding, slippery highway.
Mayor Preparing to Act.
It bore out official predictions that
fatalities could be expected on the
highway over Labor day. and came
at q time when the Mayor Of the
town in which she died was prepar-
ing to call on the State Roads Com
mission TO widen and straighten the
road at once.
Police said Miss Schartner was rid
ing on the front seat Of a car oper-
ated by Casper T. Fogle Of Clinton,
Md. Her sister. Miss Alma S. Schart-
ner. and James M. McMichall, 500
block Of Twenty-second street. riding
on the back seat, received minor in
juries, as did Fogle.
State Policeman j. c. Gates said tie
accident occurred on a straight por-
ton of the highway near the inter
section with the Mitchellville road
He reported Fogle was attempting to
pass car occupied by colored people
on the narrow road when the other
driver suddenly turned to the left.
Drivers Bonded.
Both Fogle and Charles Brooks, COL
ored, of Bowie, driver Of the other car,
were released on $500 bond for an
inquest before Justice of the Peace H.
F. Armstrong in Annapolis next Tues
day at Z pm.
The scene of the accident is within
a mile of the place where five per-
sons. including three nuns, were killed
two weeks ago today when their auto
mobile collided with a bus.
The toll of six deaths in two weeks
will be called to the attention of Or.
Homer E. Tabler, chairman Of the
State Roads Commission, tomorrow
when Louis N Phipps. mayor Of An
napolis; Elmer Jackson, jr.. president
of the Civitan Club of that city, and
John S. White of the Prince Georges
County Federation of Citizens Assn
Citations appear before him to urge
widening and Strengthening Of the
road
1t inspired Edgar F. Cara. land
commissioner Of Maryland, to write
both DR.. Tabler and Gov. Nice today
to take steps to halt the slaughter OF
motorists.
Travels Road Daily.
Commissioner ICZarra, who lives IN
Hyattsville, and is president of the
Prince Georges County Republican
Club, travels the road almost daily.
He has seen many accidents in liz
death traps" and been caught in It's
frequent traffic jams.
LAS land commissioner of Maryland,
I want to join the other individuals
and organizations appealing to ycu
to make the Defense Highway wider
and straighter, he wrote DR.. Tabler.
sending a copy of his letter to Gov.
Nice.
II have been sharply criticized as
an official of this State for permit
ting conditions Of danger and con-
gestion, such as exist on the Defense
Highway, to continue.
The people of Prince Georges
County want the highway widened
and Strengthened. They believe the
responsibility for such improvements
rests with State and Federal authori-
ties because the road is one of tie
most heavily travelled in the East.
In the name of public safety ]
appeal to you to seek Federal funds
at once to make the highway an asset
to our State instead of a liability"
Three Hours for Is Miles.
Discussing his own experiences on
the road, Commissioner Cara said
that one Sunday this Summer he
found the traffic jam on it so great
it took him three hours to drive from
Priest Bridge to Bladensburg. o dis
lance of about IS miles.
Cara is personal friend OF Gov.
Nice, who selected him for the i'm
portant Office of land commissioner
shortly after his Inauguration last
January. The commissioner said he
would bring the highways dangers to
the attention of the Governor as soon
as he returns from his vacation cruise
on the bay.
Hits Bottleneck.
Cara believes one of the major
features Of the highway which should
be corrected is the Bladensburg bot
tleneck," and In this connection W.
r. Beattie, president of the town
commissioners of that town, today
proposed that traffic be blended about
the War Memorial Cross.
II consider the engineering fea.
lures Of the Defense Highway as
carried out around the Cross. where
it joins the Baltimore Boulevard, ex-
tremely bad" Mr.. Beattie said.
THE road should be widened on
the eastern side Of the Cross, and
trafic circled around to the right in
stead of being carried straight through
from the Defense Highway. In that
way it would blend much easier with
traffic on the boulevard. Lights
might also be installed, not only at
the Cross but at the Edmonston and
River road intersections. The town
commissioners are considering the ad-
visibility of such lights and may ask
the State Roads Commission to in