The evening world., 1891-03-26
VENqILATE IT.
The State Railroad Commission Re-
ports on the Tunnel Disaster.
Smoke and Steam Should be Cleared
Out Of II at Once.
A Daily Menace 10 the Lives Of Passen.
gers Riding Through the Tunnel.
Mayor Grant and Commissioner Gill
roy in Favor OF Lighting
and Ventilation.

The report Of the State Railroad Commits
sion on the cause OF the Fourth avenue tun-
mel accident is completed and has been made
public. II finds that the tunnel in its pres.
ent condition 10 dangerous to life and
that immediate remedies should be ap-
piled. 1t asserts that artificial ventilation !s
necessary and suggests plan. 1t takes the
New York Centrals view Of lighting IL. and
has the old fashioned and refuted idea that
lights will prevent the seeing Of signals.
Perhaps. however. it refers to lighting In
the present condition of things. In such
instance It is not wrong. But with ventila-
ton lights would be additional safety.
As regards the ventilation Of the tunnel,the
Board thinks plan both feasible and de-
sirable is to entirely close the openings be-
tween the centre and side tunnels and con-
Etruct ventilatinR towers at certain points
| from the side tunnels in such manner as
to produce q strong draft through the side
tunnels. riddinR them Of smoke and steam.
The subject is such an important and diff
| ficult one that hasty conclusion 10 undesir-
able. The Board is carefully considering
it, and is in consultation with the railroad
authorities and others as to the most prac-
| tcable method OF solving the difficulties.
| The most competent people that can be re-
tanned are now employed by the railroad
| companies in considering what methods
can be adopted to improve ventilation.
light, signalling and other means OF operat-
ing trains in the tunnel.
| In the mean time. however, the Board
deems that certain measures should be
adopted. and that Immediately. to prevent
the possibility of @ recurrence of such an
accident. 1t recommends tina. every means
be adopted by the railroad companies using
the tunnel to improve the audible signal at
the home signals. to insure Its sounding
under all circumstances IL q train passes
such home signal while set At danger. and
approves OF the companies sgain adopt
ing the torpedo in addition there
to; that additional measures be
adopted to constantly inspect the
lights and wires moving the signals to in
sure their being in proper order; and that
an electric device be adopted to show to
the operator in the cabin the position Of the
signals: that no engineer or fireman be per-
mitted by the railroad companies to run .
locomotive through the tunnel until such
engineer and fireman shall have a certificate
of perfect eyesight and perception Of color;
that no train be permitted to pass through
the tunnel at greater speed than fifteen
miles An hour. the rate to be reduced un-
der unfavorable conditions to rate slow
enough to insure the engineer and fireman
seeing the signals, until improved methods
shall have been adopted which shall demon
strate to the satisfaction of the Board that
| such reduction in speed is no longer
| necessary; and that the railroad companies
investigate and consider the best methods
to be adopted to ventilate the tunnel and re-
| port to .he Board their conclusions with .
| view of recommending to the Legislature
| legislation necessary to carry the same into
effect.
Subsequent to the accident the Board
made personal examination of the tunnel.
| After passing through the centre and side
| tunnels upon q locomotive and carefully
watching the conditions obtaining there.
the Board is satisfied that the present sys-
TEN of signals is insufficient to secure
safety. Indeed. the wonder ia that no
serious accident has happened before. 1t is
| difficult enough to distinguish distant and
home signals in the centre tunnel. where
there are number OF openings, under the
most favorable conditions of weather. In
the side tunnels the dangers and difficulties
are increased many times.
The Coroner's jury recommended that a
uniform rate of speed should be adopted
through the tunnels. On consultation with
| the railroad officials the Board is of the
opinion that this would be i'm mpracticable
and that a uniform rate cannot be main
tanned. 1t is quite proper, however, that
the maximum rate should not be exceeded.
| The Coronera iury also recommended IN At
there should be two operators in the cabins
where signals are set. The Board IL OF the
opinion that two men are more likely to
create confusion than one careful man
with an lnterlocked electrical system IN
|