Evening star., 1942-11-23
City Heads Call
Meeting 10 Curb
Traffic Deaths
Two More Yesterday
Bring Total for
Yeor to 100
D. G. Traffic Toll
Killed in 1912 100
Killed in same period of 1941- SO
Toll for all of 1941 95

Killed in 1912 100
Killed in same period of 1941 SO
Toll for all of 1941 95
A meeting at 10 am. Wednesday
to discuss how to check Washing
tons rapidly mounting traffic toll
was called by the Commissioners
today, after the weekend deaths of
a 63-year- Arlington nurse and
Broadway (Va) farmer had in
creased the fatal accidents for the
year to 100.
At the same time the Commits
sioners directed Maj. Edward j..
Kelly, superintendent of police, to
assign additional police at once to
control traffic in the downtown area.
Traffic and transportation officials
asked by the Commissioners to at
tend the Wednesday morning con-
ference include representatives of
the Capital Transit Co., the Public
Utilities Commission and the Traffic
Advisory Council, together with
Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzer, Arthur E. Miller, police in
spector in charge of traffic. and
Maj. Kelly.
Seven Deaths in Six Days.
Seven persons now have met
death in traffic accidents in the last
six days, bringing the fatalities so
far in 1912 to five more than for
all of l94l. Thirty-two persons have
been killed this year in accidents
involving streetcar or bus.
In a letter to clergymen and
heads of civic organizations. In
spector Miller several days ago ap-
pealed for aid in halting the rapid
rise In fatalities. He asked that the
need for greater care by pedestrians
and motorists be emphasized at
meetings Of church and civic groups.
Sixty-seven deaths at that time.
1T was pointed out, involved pedes-
trians. Crossing between intersec-
tions was the chief cause of pedes-
trian fatalities.
Other causes were listed as fol-
lows: Crossing between intersec-
tions, II; stepping from one street
car loading platform to another, 8;
walking between parked cars. 7: in
toxication, s; walking against red
light, 6.
Speeding Causes 20 Deaths.
Inspector Miller pointed out that
20 OF the years traffic deaths were
due to excessive speed by automo-
biles.
] Miss Josephine T. Burger of the
21o0 block of North Randolph street,
Arlington, was killed when struck
by . Capital Transit Co. streetcar
yesterday afternoon at Connecticut
avenue and r street NV.
Police said that Miss Burger, who
had been attending a patient in the
1700 block of Twentieth street NV.
was attempting to cross from the
east to the west loading platform
when the accident occurred. She
died en- route to Emergency Hos
pital about 2:30 pm.
Operator of the streetcar was
Kermit Wood, 30, of 2OS Tenth
street Sc, who has had one year
of experience.
The Tooth traffic victim of the
year was Russell Phillips, At, who
died in Emergency Hospital at 4
pm. yesterday from head injuries
sustained early Saturday in an ac-
cident at Fourteenth and K streets
NV.
Mr., Phillips was pinned beneath
the farm truck in which he was a
passenger when it collided with an
Army ambulance, en- route to Walter
Reed Hospital with an expectant
mother.
Two Seriously Injured.
Two other persons were in
serious condition at Casualty Hos
pital today as a result of weekend
traffic accidents.
They were Velpean Tapley, 80, of
35l4 Columbia pike, Arlington. who
received skull injuries when his
automobile and a Capital Transit
Co. bus collided at Eighth street and
Maryland avenue NE, and Adam
j. Laverty, 70, an explosives expert
from Athens, Ohio, employed by the
Government.
Mr.. Laverty suffered a compound
fracture of the right leg and skull
injuries when struck by a cab at
Sixth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. NV. He lives at the Everett
Hotel, 1870 H street NV.
nvSu ~
Maurice Friedman, 1922 Maryland
avenue NE.
Six Cut in Collision.
Six persons were cut and bruised
in a collision early yesterday at
Third street and Constitution ave-
nue. NV. They were: Elmo o.
Gum, IS, of Nokesville, Va; his wife,
Mrs. Evelyn Gum, 20; Edward R.
Harrigan. "a, of 211O Connecticut
avenue NV: John BRO, 20, 1902
Ely place Sc; Elizabeth Reid, 18,
2l47 Young street NE, and Mar
garet Henderson, 81, Of 1888
LEnfant square S.E.
All were released from Emergency
Hospital after treatment. Mr.. Har-
rigan was sent to Episcopal Hospital
for further treatment of lacerated
eye.
Roy Hill, so, of HOO Seventh
street NE, received lacerations of
the scalp and face when, according
to police, he walked into the rear
door of a passing automobile while
crossing K street at Seventh. He
was taken to Casualty Hospital.
The driver of the car, police said,
was Jacob Hipp, 38, colored, of Bal
timore.
Two Other Accidents.
Two other accidents involving
pedestrians resulted in injuries to
Thornton Cromwell. So, of Brent
wood, Md, and Mrs. Bessie Bru-,
chansky, "a, of 4018 Kansas avenue
NV.
Mrs. Bruchansky suffered bruised
legs when struck by an automobile
at Georgia avenue and Upshur
street NV.
The driver Of the automobile.
30 = A~,,