The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-25
RIG RUSH OUT OF TOWN.
oyTGOIyG TRAINS ENLtRGRD AND
SIM CROWDED.

crush at the Grand Central STATION tterccr
Tbnn in Years and the Facilities Not
Improycd by the Changes in Progress-
commuters Rage Behind Locked Doors.
The rain yesterday morning was eItraor-
,,,rly grateful to the railroad folks Tho
c,owds OF people going out OF town for the holi-
dovs are always larger when two holidays come
COS other. as when Christmas this year. is
,,neIIately preceded Ivy Sunday. All
,Iov Yesterday trains left the Grand
Ccn,ra station. each with one or two cars
moro than usual and all OF the cars comfort
.hly filled. The station officials said that Il 1t
had been clear day the cars would have gone
ou, crowded to the platforms.
saturday was the hardest day that the
station people or the regular travellers
have experienced In long. long time.
Tho rcnalrs TO the New Haven end Of
tho station have made it necessary to shut
of the whole waiting room. eide entrance
from Vanderbilt avenue. cut through to the
New Haven train platform. admits travellers to
a temporary waiting room OF about the
c,rocity OF station in third-class
ci,y nm the State. Even under the
orIinary traffc this room Is quite
Inadequate for tho business that has to be
transacted there. The Saturday crowds
,a,,med IL full and made II the scene OF con-
tinuous riot from early morning until late at
nIeht.
Tho average commuter Is held by railroad
people to be n somewhat captous person. II
things don't suit him he IL never at
nil bashful about 80 proclatmng and
EXPLAINING his reasons. The gatsmen
and the ticket punchers and the red
canned assistants about the station had
been nghting and praying and pushing
and coaxng the crowds out to their trains all
day long when the commuters. who used to
MI the hig waiting room chock full appeared.
The commuters refused to submit meekly to
being ordered around and couldn't under
stand why they were not able to get their
regular trains in the regular way: or. at least.
they said they couldn't unders tand.
After their appearance the rush became so
bad that train after train went out while pas
sengers who desired to get on board stood in the
waiting room and waved their arms in despair
At O'Clock on Saturday evening. for instance.
there were two trains due to start. The watt
ins room doors had not been opened for either
train. People in the station, led by the com
muters, surged from one door TO the other
demand ng to be let out Al 800 door in
Which eI none o, the people had had paid any
attention. was opened. There was a regular
Sa ooE Eps S or he E qme T TSGss p Tso
i al door. got through in safety and
altogether different train were carried along
with the crowd. too. and they were unable 10
ireaS out OF the human torrent nn,i tRey were s
worked their way back into the waiting room
It was too late, for them to 20 on their own
train and they had to wait FOR another hour
with an equal chanc" OF getting lett again.
The one exleency of the situation that reused
a' H The aoSts Tor the trains we're opened and
closed again. the gatekeepers refused to unlock
% fE Er asa Or neS S mnuss after thu
door was locked. The cOmmu'cra beat upon
~! ihsta-S2-.. =; SSS.
the platform cam" ard shouted at them
through the glass. Stop ~!
TO get it, replied the raging commuters with
When does your train leave2" the station
map s? !SH aS tIR9 ,a NsM Rochelle replied
the commuters in angry chorus. ,.,n
road man. as II the incident was closed. and
rapidly retired out OF hearing. while inside the
commuters waved their tickets in the ar and
raised shouts OF Break down the Doors
Tear EN- down. after the manner OF the
populace in mel drama.
over on the New YORK t,eptral aide OF the sta
ton the railroad people did not have the same
confusion ana cramred quarters TO comp!icate
~, task Of handIiaI tho crowd. hut they found
people who came, Staten Agent Downer.
The only man in the world who can do his
grace ami dignity Of Bishop at a millionaire
Wedding, found that h- troubles began az
early Us tHt departure OF Ins Empire CtulS EA-
press on saturday morning Ten minutes
before It was time for the train 70 leave the
staten a sS'S i possap IN se %as
The ticket punchers to admit no more people tc
the train unless they distinctly understood
wiling 70 stand IN in the nisles, as far a:
albany, 4 70; !arther ! hundred or NOR.
GS at or 's si 'S Or 'f hung s care b hS
eye lids % long as they travelled or
i p,, tr9 No. and we're psrmi,isd 10 go ABOARD ar,
announced that thereafter only those who re-
served seats upon the parlor cars would be pc
m.tted 10 70 aboard the train.
Mr. Downor mounted the benches along the
side Of The waiting room and ANNOUNCED I'M
There was trcmcndous rush for the Wagne
ticket office. following the announcement, bu
II was AZ IN VAN. ipr every seat In n.
Down'r observed % his dismay. however. tina
eFG were about ten seats In 1ne MSsR hs
through the crowd shouting:
Is Their" any one here who has wagner CO
se.'s snGased on the Empire state EIpress1hI Z,
sI,EIcated them from the crowd and sent then
through the gates Three minutes after IN
four vacant seats in, on. OF the Wag
ger cars, once more the station agent mad
ton A. he ask.d II positively, for the las
time woman standing near, him put ne
NHnas to her ears as if the sonnd hurt her; hs
she aid her hand on his arm and asked:
s,Ml!! youtell me please. when tho Empir
Madam sail SIR. Downer. Have you wag
Eer car tckctsf"
Yea there are four OF US here who have.
said the woman.
ParhaT, four women have travelled 200 fee
AMI iOund themselves paced IN their seats i
wagner " quicker than those four wone
.ii il the next few seconds. but 1t IL hardl
Ikrly.
A. the day wore on and the crowds grey
larger II beram" impossible to extend 80 muc
consideration to individuals and sometime
trains that went out fifteen and twenty min
nios late left passengers who had come int
The station on time. struggling in the crowt
AMI iOlrd in wild attempts to get aboard IN
grocery store across the street rom the static
goors and the barrooms Of the neighborin
notes w"r" almost rs crowded as tn" static
Tor half an hour or more after the departure
ehch tran. The people who couldn't trav'
seemed 10 feel that their disappointment gay
them license Tor internal physical balm
feature OF the work Of tho station poop
Yesterday afternoon was the sending ont
SPECIAL cars with parties going TO COUNT
tg1-", t. spend the holiday. One such az
which started last evening was loaded Wit
three wagon loads OF cut flowers. intended II
mo decoration Of church for tho SERVED
to-day.