Evening star., 1940-03-24

steel structure, Is now virtually COM
pproach work, railings and painting.
Capt. Whitehurst gave assurance
today that plans for a dedication
ceremony could be completed, now
that the opening date Is settled def
nitely.
The overpass eliminates the last
major grade cross in the city limits
Of Washington-although there are
II others in the metropolitan areas
Of nearby Maryland and Virginia.
The section Of Bates road which
crosses the B. & o. tracks-from Sis
ters' College on the east to the west
ern head Of the viaduct-will be
closed shortly after the bridge Is
opened to traffic, according to Dis
trict Building sources.
Dedication Plans Made.
Plans for the dedication have been
assumed by the Michigan Park
Citizens Association, in whose ter
ritory the overpass stands, 1t was
announced at meeting Of the civic
group last week. President John J.
Hurley has appointed Joseph L.
Parkhill, who headed the Dedica-
ton Committee Of the Michigan
avenue overpass in 1887, chairman
for the occasion.
Other members Of the committee
with Mr.. Parkhill are William z.
Russell, vice president Of the asso-
citation: Floyd Bush, Miss Dorothy
Parkhill, Mai. Edward Kane, Mr..
Hurley, Franklin L. Adams and John
j. Hartke. Mr.. Parkhill said the
committee will meet in the near fu-
ture to complete plans for the cere-
mony.
Plans so far have not advanced
into definite stages, although there
was reasonable assurance Of their
finality. Mr.. .Parkhill announced.
Commissioners Hazen, Allen and
McCoach, Highway Director White
hurst, members of the Senate and
House District Committees. members
and officers of the Federation and
Of nearby citizens groups and other
prominent Washingtonians will be
invited to attend, Mr.. Parkhill said.
Bands to Be on Hand.
AS in the 1887 dedication, several
bands will be asked to play at the
ceremonies. A flock of balloons will
be released skyward when the string
is cut to permit the first Carload
ed with oficails and honor guests
to cross the viaduct.
The 1887 dedication ended un-
happily when violent wind and
rain storm arose a few minutes be-
fore ceremonies were scheduled to
begin, practically washing out the
entire affair. at which five bands, a
troop OF cavalry from Fort Myer
and huge crowd Of spectators and
guests were assembled.
The new overpass runs east and
west on a line with Taylor street
NE. approximately block south of
the original crossing at Bates road
The Bates road crossing has more
than once been the scene Of tragedy
Four deaths in the past five years
have resulted at this point from ac-
cidents involving automobiles and
trains.
One man was smashed to bits In
a rare suicide in 1887 a few hundred
yards from the crossing.
After crossing the overpass on the
Taylor street line driving west, the
motorist will turn into the old Bates
road on the west side of the tracks.
Nearby Projects Listed.
Bureau of Public Roads funds have
also been apportioned for the erec-
ton of overpasses at grade crossings
at Landover and Berwyn, in nearby
Maryland, and The Plains, in nearby
Virginia.
At Landover, where Washington
motorist was killed in September,
sl50,000 has been awarded for con-
struction of an overpass. The Bureau
of Public Roads approved submitted
plans for this structure last fall,
along with those for another project
at Berwyn, where an additional
$l50,000 has been appropriated for
elimination of crossing there. A
$33, ,708 allotment for correcting the
situation at The Plains has been
withdrawn for further study.
Nationally, figures issued by the
Association of American Railroads
last week listed 1898 fatalities from
highway-railroad grade crossing ac-
cidents last year. This was q de-
crease Of 1l9 from 1898 and ATT from
1897.
The Public Roads Administration
lists $500 crossing projects either
approved app or partially financed since
Many Crossings Eliminated.
An Interstate Commerce Commits
sion survey in 1896 reported 233, 3,o0c
grade crossings at points on the more
than 100000 miles of railroads In
the United States. In 1897 the num-
Der of crossings had been reduced to
232, 1922.
For 1899 Congress appropriated
5000, ,0O0. 900 for public roads, $50, 0,0O0,-
600 OF which was earmarked for
elimination of grade crossings
throughout the Nation. The 1910
appropriation totaled only $780,
100000, with $40, 900 900 set aside for
grade crossing elimination.
OF the IL major crossings In the
Washington area-with an inde-
terminate number of small or I'M
important crossings-eight have
been the scene Of fatal accidents.
Elimination of grade crossings
has always been foremost on the
platforms Of northeast civic groups.
For many years the Michigan Park
group, along with the Brookland
association and the Northeast Con-
ference, campaigned for erection
Of the $396, 900 overpass at Michi-
gan avenue, over the B. & o. tracks,
which was finally finished In 1887
Construction on the Taylor street
construction began May 10, 1889
The $222,433 contract was let to
the H. r. Dickens Co, of phila.