New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-27
THE RECENT BRIDGE ACCIDENTS
NO BLAME ATTACHED TO THE MEN PRESUMABLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM-CoNDI-
TIoNS EOp A PANIC

RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM-cONpl-
TONS FOR A PANIC.
Accidents on the Bridge have way OF happen
ing al the most inopportune times ana 'he'e 10
mysterious quality about them which Is proVokhs'
to say the least of it. Last summer II VIII DE re-
mcmbered a overturned just ou'sue ''e
Brooklyn station one afternoon. and though al
the circumstances were carefully inquired mo-
SUPERINTENDENT Martin decided that the mishap
was unaccountable; no satisfactory eXpa"a'o" "a
IL could be reached. This was an aiarih'hs "'"'o
ment, since 1t indicated that another accide'. Vi
the same sort might occur at any moment ou' "'
the same time Mr.. Martin expressed the opinion
Tho, i,s recurrence was exceedingly unlikely.
Whether his opinion was based on adequate prem
ises Is a question that will naturally arise IN an
inquirng mind.
The brace of mishaps on Monday evening are
perhaps not quite mysterious. yet 'here Is sone
thing about them that at least suggests the I'M
canny Then too they happened at the most I'M
fortunate time. and caused great ANNOYANCE 20
large numbers of people. 1t was lucky In the eX-
IRENE that the actual casualties were SO small !"
New-York all the passengers mad ahgh'eu oei''e
the switching engine came crashing INTO the i'o''
of the train. Had this occurred few seconds
sooper when the passengers were standing IN the
cars and on the point of alighting, some OF theh'
sure,v would have been badly hurt No blame Is
attached to the engineer by Superintendent MAI t
lin AS the man started his engine MS 1901
siinnadNtbe fog had made everything wet and
sjipperv-and az his hand was on the tnroaIe
isveT ne bounded forward The fireman sprang
and did his part TOWARD , r. was too
istr Had the train been twenty feet further
back haG there been ten seconds iohger u bnnn
got under control before the collision occurred; t.,
charge N9F GOES the ne , iH hat caused the Collision
the BROOKLYN station Here The sed OF Of me the . so
l hso Oe was ACCORDINGLY much diminished Had the
train been 81 the 1sa u a spsef per- Of
sons on both trains would have been severely hurt
The N Gs Marsn IN Ppn5 na S % the
clouds of Sam sent up from the engines n
the Bridge near the Brooklyn. anchorage This
steam together with the prevailing fog. formed
h ns sond d Of he second train the red
lantern which was being swung; to ana FRO from
II happened that account of the fog the trip. trips
of the erryboats were very Irregular S al 'n n from
New-York except for those who chose 70 r Wax
the Bdge as Uns delay ' on h
Rarely is the Bridge promenade so crowded as !,
"cky i0r tSa, no sccdsns happsnsd The
g Tse nneS Se,o SS to the
CROWD I'M aecdent Of Decoration Day
1889. possible Fortunately the people were al NOV
Of the multitude they were compelled TO 70 slowly
Just after the tragic occurrence OF d''s u wIs
should be divided by railing. 50 that people gong
in one direction should be separated from those
going In the other The folly OF that suggestion IN
Clearly shown by what took place on Monday. Inc
railing would simply have been an obstruction. ana
would have tended to produce the precise tnins
which those no proposed 1t wished II 10 prevent
TO the credit OF the Bridge authorities they never
selknalsy considered the idea OF such a railing:
Or9YHarily of course there is rarely crowd OF
pedestrians the Bridge and on days when mere
is reason to expect a crowd the authorities nave
provided that people going in one direction should
use one of the roadways Not until MONDAY even,
might be calculated to cause another panic IKE
that which produced so fatal results less than d
week after the Bridge opened for public use.