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.
LOCK TURNTABLES
Turntables should be locked (that is what Rule 31 says), and yet they are often left unlocked. The result is that children are attracted to the place, and sooner or later one of the little ones gets hurt as did the following, which are cited as examples:
Anthony Young, a ten-year-old boy, had his foot caught at Grandison, March 30, while playing on turntable which was unlocked.
Phillip Chartres, eight years old, injured at Alvin, August 14, 2:30 p.m., while playing on turntable, which is about 1,400 feet north of roundhouse. Turntable was not locked.