Rule 27 says that cars must be placed so as not to project over
highway crossings, and yet any one going over a railroad will see any
number of them so left, and the result is that about once in so often
a wagon strikes a car in an attempt to get across, a horse is
frightened, and a runaway results, someone is hurt, and money paid to
settle the claim.
A serious case of this kind occurred at Warburton, July 9, in
which Mrs. Jansen was fatally injured, caused by her horse being
frightened by a freight car which was left standing fifteen feet
in the highway, the end of the car being on the crossing plank.
Horse ran away and she was thrown out.
When cars are left in such position they not only frighten horses and
cause accidents similar to the one last mentioned, but also obstruct
the view of approaching trains. Both the law and rules of the company
prohibit this, and the practice should be stopped.
And right here I want to call attention to Rule 32, which prohibits
engines standing within 100 feet of a highway crossing, under a
bridge, or near cars occupied by passengers, when it can be avoided,
and yet the rule is so often disregarded that one wonders whether any
one knows of its existence. Especially is this so with engines hauling
passenger trains stopping at stations and occupying half of the
highway, when they could just as conveniently be back some distance
from it.
The stoppage of trains with the rear car standing in the highway
should also be avoided so far as possible, particularly in the winter
time, when there is always more or less steam leaking from the hose,
as it is likely to frighten horses waiting to get by or in crossing
the track.
Rules 18 and 50 say that trains must not block highway crossings more
than five minutes. The failure to observe these rules is the cause of
as much, if not more, criticism and profanity on the part of the
public than almost any other one thing that train and switchmen do. No
one but the person who is waiting to get across the track, and
sometimes it is a doctor answering an emergency call, can realize how
tantalizing and annoying it is, so, for goodness sake, observe the
rules in the future.