The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-04
UP ON THE IRON Stills.
Cold Cars and Deteations the East side
Boiler Pipes Frozen.

Cold Cars and Detentions the East Side
Boiler Pipes Frosen.
"Stop lively now This train right through
to Harlem" was shouted almost in unison by
the two brakemen and the conductor on an east
side elevated train arrived at the Fulton street
depot at Q p. NJ. yesterday Tho words were
addressed TO a multitude Of men and women
huddlcd together on the platform. SILVER
ing in tho fierce. piercing wind from
which there was no protection. The ad-
moniton to bo lively was not needed. Before
the train had fairly stopped the mass Of human
beings surged toward the entrances to the cars.
and strugged-almost fought their way through
the narrow passageways Women were hustled
hither and thither as great burly men crowded
their way In. An rightp shouted
tho brakomen and the train moved
on. At the Franklin square. Chatham
square and Canal street stations were the same
scenes with the exception that those stations
are better protected from the wind, and conse-
duently passengers seemed not TO havo
suffered 80 much from tho cold as those
who boarded the train at Fulton street
From Canal street to Harlem the plat
forms OF many OF the stations were almost
packed with persons waiting to board tho cars.
but, although the regular stops were made and
passengers allowed to quit the train. at only n
You can't come aboard. the train is full" was
| tho answer given by the brakemen to tho
leaders, OF tho throngs that rushed for. the
ed that a car will hold only ninety five per
| sons sitting and standing. and tho orders nro
% tod The The bratemen S @ and and the he conductors S
| had hard tme OF II. Angry men, who had
been standing for ten and in some cases fifteen
| minutes on the platforms. swore roundly at the
railroad employees and seized hold Of the gates
and tried TO force their way through.
1 A ti.l f.r.lu huf 81 NAo
| cast side trains were heated. In the majority
| OF the trains tho temperature WAS the same as
| that without The tubes under the seats belong
| TO a patent system OF heating. that. according
| 70 tho railroad mon. has proved an utter failure;
| The steam introduced into them soon cools. and
| the water running down into the pipes extend
| ing from one ear TO another soon freezes. and
| tho tubes are choked. SO cold was 1t yesterday
| In tho through trains that many persons were
| compelled 10 alight at stations before reaching
| Harlem. and after warming themselves at tho
| IRE resume their journey. thus being COM
PEELED to pay an extra fare. The officers OF tho
| company say that they are making arrange
mcnts 10 put stoves In the cars.
| On Thursday evening. when the thermometer
allowed TO stand unprotected on the track. As
water in the tubes had frozen. Many pipes
burst The detentons yesterday were
Sis SSiSo IN retns %sh S%sss %ssr Tor tS aSo 59H 6S
ers from, tho mains. many Of them being
tions had Just enough ice on them TO make
| them slippery and unsafe. and there were
ppyc i oa hS sdes at the a sanrs sn
| uon and was injured internally,
| No trains ran below the Franklin square sta
tion toward noon yesterday, The tfcke; men
and the conductors said that II was because the
track was blocked below by engines waiting for
water. while at the Office OF the company Il was
| said that these trains were not Intended 10 70
below Franklin square. that having been made
one OF the tcrmini ~ the road.
On the Metropolitan Elevated Railway tho
cars were generally heated but tho road being
| so much shorter than the New York road. even
| In tho unNRNtel trains there not much
| Tho slight effect OF the extreme cold weather
| on the trcsteways Of both the elevated roads
| was thought by their officers to be a fair tx
ponent 9i their solidiy, Both have been con
the extremes Of heat and cold The Metropoi-
tan is built on what is known as the
| table plan" Every foriY-hye feet OF the
| structure has been built IN tho form Of "A table.
| with four pillars representing the legs. The
| table is Joined TO another table forty lyo feet
distant by two girders; ln extreme cold
weather the contraction OF one OF these tables
has the effect OF drawing the tops Of It's four
| pillars toward common centre. AS this draw
| ing takes place the girders lust spoken o.. that
connect II 70 the next table slide on the
| tops OF the pillars They are enabled 70 DO this
| BY reason Of tho huge bolts that connect them
| with the neighboring cirders being fastened in
elongated apertures. and having large heads on
their outward faces that prevent their Slipping.
eirders is only, tho one thousSndth part
ono thousand inches, tho, contraction Is almost
road are so arranged that they have one tight
and one loose end arranged in somewhat the
| same manner The rounding OF curves on
trestleways during the extremes OF contraction
and expansion is the CHIEF obstacle IN the safely
the opinion that II this is accomplished at
minimum rate OF speed. as ls the rulo on both
the roads there is no cause i9r alarm: should ND
The Weight % a'Si' an u'I elevated railway
incommensuratc is this weight with the pom
| derous construction OF the curving. The snap
ping OF rails that sometimes occurs on surface
| roads in extreme cold is due TO tho rigidlty
| OF the ballast OF tho roadbed. n condition that
The The Metropoiitan Elevated Railway trains
| were delayed in consequence OF the freezing OF
| tho pipes leading TO the water supply tanks at
| motives and cars extended from the Cortlandt
| street station To the down town terminus Of the
in consequence OF the uncoupling OF
the steam hose connecting the cars, when
tho trains went around curves. longer
length OF hose IL required in going around
curves than in straight running. and IN order
TO meet this requirement the hose Is bent IN tho
form OF loop whore It runs from ono car TO
another. The Intense cold hardened the rub
ber hose, rendering II less flexible than usual
and when tho trains rounded tho curves tho
couplings between tho lengths, OF hose Were
pulled apart. In consequence OF thls dlnicnty
tho sharp sounds OF tho dimnutlvo whistles
were frequently heard. sometimes startling
The difference i'm temperature between tho
inside and the outside OF the cars was sum cent
to cause the breath OF the passengers 10 CONCEAL
on the winow panes. Late in the day, when the
sun shone upon the windows only as the trains
passed tho cross streets where there
were no obstructing buildings. a singular
and very beautiful effect was produced by tho
sunlight coming through the frosted panos:
The Inside surfaces OF the windows offered
tempting opportunities to casual artists and
scribblors who happened 10 be in the cars.
Koys and pointed articles were drawn from
| pockets and various designs were made to ap-
pear ON the frosted glass. Here I childlike
| lace OF curly-haired cherub sni"ed on the
grim features OF an evident rui1ian. figure
with spindle legs and hook nose was marked
Snort" One individual wrote, No m9nu-
ment for Andre" and another tried MS follows
to improve upon Shakespeare: Now is tho
winter Of our discomfort made glorious sum
mer blythe elevated railway" From beneath
tho tracks OF tho elevated roads the peculiar
cracking sound given out by tho frosty iron was
noticeable The trains on tho enst side line
were kept running all night. SO that the Wator
In the engines might not freeze.