New-York tribune., 1896-04-03
BROADWAY CABLE CRASHES.
PRESIDENT vREELAND ON THE ACCl-
DENT OF WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
HE SAYS THAT THE FREQUENCY OF TROUBLE ON
BROADWAY AS COMPARED WITH OTHER

BROADWAY AS COMPARED WITH OTHER
LINES Is DUE TO THE CURVES.
THE accident of night before last on the Broad
way cable road was caused by stranded cable,
said President H. r. Vreeland last night TO Trb-
une reporter. Mr.. Vreeland was found at his nome
No. 223 West hundred and hfth-st. and the
question was asked which has been botherlng a
good many people since the muddle below Four
teenth-st occurred Mr.. Vreeland went on;
How the strand was broken or just when or just
where we have not been able to discover. whether
1t caused by contact OF the cable with the
broken edge Of a fiange wheel or the broken Jaw or
grip we do not know. We do know that 1t was
not caused by any fault of either machinery or men,
but by one OF those things against which no human
ingenuity can guard You Will ask me now, know
about the cable Itself, as 10 whether 1t was old or
new Well, the travelling distance for cable IS
%. miles. This cable has been used Just week.
and had travelled only 500 miles. All OF our cables
are made OF the very best o5tainablo material
They are carefully inspected for defects before they
are laid down for use In fact, every possible pre-
caution Is taken to discount accidents OF th5 Sort
Yet they will occLr IN cable systems just as they
occur on steam and electric roads Some people
may complain about the length OF time elapsing be-
tween the moment the break occurred and the stop
page o. the machinery AS soon as the car was
found TO be unmana ageable one OF the gripmen ran
TO one OF the electric signals which are placed
every 800 fee; along the line. He threw back the
plate which covers II and pulled hook. The Big
nal was received In the powcr-house 1t Is not
necessary fer the engineer to stop the engine the
machinery is disconnected and stops OF It's own
weight Now the stoppage was so quickly accom-
pllsheI that the cable was broken In another place
by the sudden strain. When cars are running only
ten seconds apart IL the case at that time IN the
evening YOU readily understand how. "nen one
OF them becomes unmanageabe, there can occur
series Of collisions Some may ask, why not
.,I Iaff q 70
why not shut down the cable and no; run al all
one proposition is just reasonable as the other
when the volume Of traffic is considered.
Mr Vreeland asked as to the radice! diner
enccs Il any. exist be,weeH the grips on 'he
Third-ave line and the Broadway road. lie re-
Piled tha, the difference simply exists IN the use
Of the lever Instead OF the wheel. The mechanical
constructor OF the grips IS the same except that
IN clutchng the cable in one case the under Jaw
moves upward. and In the other the upper Jaw de-
sc,nds The comparative freedom from annoyance
and delay on the Thrl-ave. road he terseiy at
frhutci to the fact that II Is a straight ine:
or dalays On the Columbue-ave division OF our road
Ever since the Lexngton-ave. llne has been IN
whaic'er From Twenty -nfih-st. to onc-hundred-
and Flfih-st the Lexngton-aNe. ROAD is operated
ON a singh cable out ana return. 1900 feet In
length IL 10 the longest piece OF cable IN the worn
Yrt IL has novcr gwen any trouble. Why simply
nrincple II construction IN cable roads Is that they
shall bc puilt straight lines. Inc strain on 'he
the curves. -. .,- .
AS TO the possibility " change from cable 70
urdrrgronnd Electric ! believe Il Will Do made In
time ,hen TN system has been perfected. The prime
a!fNcuy 20 be overcome Hes IN thy mcchanical ap-
system In Broadway the cable ttere would not be
running more than TWO weeks longer. l woud pu,
IN. trolley system In at once for have never looked
unon the cable as a permanent motive power IL
hns alnays seemed to me 10 be a transition agent
I.,r..u the horse and the electric fud The elcc-
,ricl,y would infinitely safer for the reason that
1, gives assured control Of each individual car An
other thing there much IN tho cable that Is out
OF reach of the eye. The cable runs for long dis
f,nces under ground and can be seen only biz by bt
as IL masses the vaults wherein men are always sta
TONED or passes through the power-room. In The
electric system and In horse and steam cars the
factors Of power always In sight ana so rnuch
the NOR. obcient 70 immediate control We are
money has never been considered when an Improved
device. has been presented whose adoption would
tend 10 that end No, the road has never shown
any weakncsscs In It's original form Whenever the
street has been opened has been 10 make changes
that experience had suggested wise and for the
IMPROVEMENT Os the system az n whole