New-York tribune., 1901-11-19
BLOCK AND JAM ON BRIDGE
WOMEN FAINT IN CRUSH AT MANHAT-
TAN END
A MAN SEVERELY INJURED-BREAKDOW
OF CAR AT EROOKLYN TERMINAL
CAUSES SUSPENSION OF TRAFFIC.

A MAN SEVERELY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
OF CAR AT RROOKLYN TERMINAL
CAUSES SUSPENSION OF TRAFFIC.
Traffic was completely blocked on the Brook
lyn Bridge for nearly an hour last night and
seriously impeded for about four hours by an
accident which occurred at 80 p. on the
Tifth-ave elevated railroad. Motor car No
Ill drawing four cars f1lled With passengers,
jumped the track at the curve from the brioge
yard into Adams-st. and crossed over TO the
down track. completely blocking both sides or
the elevated road. The heavy motor under the
motor car, which is said to weigh three or four
tons Jared off and fell on the track. 1t would
have been matter of an hours work to replace
the car on the track. but the motor was more
serious problem and it was about 10 o'clock
before the wreckng crew. by hard work, sue
ceeded in temporarily replacing 1t so that the
car could be lifted into place. In the mean
while the elevated cars had been pling UP
behind the stalled train, and before long the
line of cars extended far into the bridge termi-
nal and beyond the loop used by the shuttle
trains on the bridge. This put a stop to all
traffic on the bridge, with the exception OF the
trolley cars About this time feed wire on the
south roadway of the bridge broke and the
trolley cars were unable to proceed. II was
half an hour before the wire was repaired
reached the Manhattan end Of the bridge and
fnund that all traffic was blocked Immediately
decided that sornethinE must have happened to
rha bridge Many had read the stories in the
Afternoon raperS which told of serious buckling
and twisting Of the girders on the bridge ana
the greatest excitement prevailed. IhousandS
Of peonle were compelled to walk over the
structure and others boarded empty trucks ana
rode over When the trolley cars again started
they were unequal TO the task of Transporting
rho thousands who had congregated at the Man
haitian te-raiuol The cars never carried sLch
heavy loads Standing room was at a premium
tho front and rear platforms were crowded. ana
men and boys clung to the handrais Thou
sands Of peopIe walked over the big span
Fv a series of switching al the Brooklyn TER
r1nal the bridge loop Tas hnaily cleared anu
~. sh,ttlo trains were once again put in opera
+,op They we're run on short headway. and IL
was a long time before they made any iiiipieS-
sior 4, tho crowd at the Manhattan end that
was fuming and fretting TO get home Wheh
the ncope reached Brooklyn they were no bet
ter off. Those who lived uptown had no posi-
BILE means of reaching their destination Inc
,-o,,s, cars that came over from Manhattan
xyere filled to their capacity, and many OF 'he
waiting ones clenched their teeth ana ueciueu
to foot 1t for home
It required some skilful engineering 10 replace
the motor that had dropped from the derai'eo
rrctar car Heavy beams were run through the
window. of the car. and Ions screws at elther
ora paarns were also placed underneath the
motor and to these the long screws were az
tarbai Then the screws We're slowly turned
with long iron rods, and the motor was S,oWls
roiead until II was in position. This work oc-
o,,,i.a several hours and when 1t was COM
i1Irted and the car replaced on the trachs' II
VAS drawn out to the East Newly ork yards iof
rhn t notice reserves both in Manhattan and
R,ooklyn were called out to Quel any disturb
ance that might arise as result o, .ne 49,
in the motor car which contained some klnd OF
acid. broke when the car jumped the t,ach, a.u ~
rho acid dripped through the floor or the car :"
The street below, spelling the clothes of num-
Der of pedestrians , +, 49, ,,
one man severely injured IN the crush
and at the Manhattan end several women rant NJ
cd When the dispatcher called out that trafnc
had been suspended the Bridge the crowd
made a rush from the platform ALREADY crowns
=, era nusbins their way up the stairs TO the
Mat form to take Brooklyn trains. but they were
forced back by the Struggling men anu "oiiieii
irving to rush for the surface cars
The sale of the elevated train tickets was
stopped and finally the police were compelled
to harricade the entrances to the platform
Meantime the crowds at the loops were s@e.i-
ing TO thousands, who fought and pushed 10
board the incoming cars :
ITor more than an hour there was a scene or
wild disorder on the Bridge platform. and many
nersons narrowly escaped being crushed TO
death John Wagner. thirty-slX years Old a
ct Rrooklvn. was caught in the jam on the
pla atform and severely injured He was on
nc y,av home and when he heard that
Bridge trains would be run he attempted TO
push his way from the platform to take sur
face He was hemmea @ IN oe'Weeia suis
ing mob and carried off his feet He struggled
to get down the stairs. but he was forced
against the railing around the staircase His
1eft shoulder was disocated He screamed and
then tainted. .,,
Several men went to his assistance ana nnauy
cot him from the platform. He carried to
the Emergency Hospital, and DR.. Johnson was
called from the Hudson Street Hospital de
found that Wagner. in addition to a dislocated
shoulder had sustained severe bruises about
the body DR.. Johnson dressed the mans m
iuries and he was sent home
caDar.l women hemmed in the platform
bv the crowds tainted. They were carried to the
Emergency Hospital but on reVivlns went away
ar,ah1 arrived.