New-York tribune., 1902-03-18
JAM NEAR UPSETS POLICE.
TWO CROWDS MEET IN TERRIFIC CRUSH
AT CITY HALL ELEVATED STATION.

Owing TO twenty minute blockade of
southbound trains on the Third-ave. elevated
road last night, there was a terrific crush at the
City Hall station. Hundreds crowded on the
platform until II jammed TO such extent
that the sale of tickets was stopped and the
ticket choppers and station guards fastened the
chains running across between the ticket boxes,
and would permit no more passengers on the
platform The blockade was caused by the
opening OF the Harlem River bridge uptown 10
permit one of the huge caissons for the New
East River Bridge to pass through
When the first southbound train after the de
lay reached the city Hall station II packed
with passengers So jammed the platform
that when the train guard threw open the gates
there was but little chance for those the
train to get off. There was an instantaneous
surzing forward 10y those on the platform TO
board the train; this jam met by "a rush
on the part Of the passengers 10 get off Women
and children We're swept along in the crush
An old gentleman with gray hair and beard,
with frock coat and silk hat. borne down
in the crush and his coat almost torn off. His
silk hat was knocked off and tramped on un-
iii IL was a shopeesS mass. 4 woman with a
child In her arms was caught I'm the surge and
her outer skirt literally tom of. Several women
became hysterical and cried out that they We're
being crushed and tramIled under the feet OF
the thrOuE.
cries Of I've been robbed" were frequently
heard, but up to a late hour last night no re-
ports had been made 10 the police and no ar
rests had been made.
Station Master DAILY saw after the first train
pulled i'm that the passengers never could safely
disembark and fight their way through the
surginK mob on TN" platform. 50 he gathered
up fourteen employees about the bridge, i'm
pressed half a dozen policemen into service and
started out to clear way through the crowd
This he found he was unable To do. Then il
was decided to the train back out of the
switch on the west side of the platform and
into that ON the left side where the passengers
could be let off onto the narrow runway that is
built out over the sidewalk there This was
effcctual and the big trainluaG of passengers
was then got out Of the way.
In the mean time added delay of some ff-
teen minutes had taken place, and the crowd on
the platform had grown more and more indig-
to get out of the terrible crush. When the gates
of the train were opened to admit passengers
there was one Irresistible. sweeping rush for
ward on either side of the entrances TO the
train policemen had been stationed, but they
were pushed aside like many wooden men,
gatrmen ", r. jammed back from the doors and
the big crowd fought and struggled To get int"
the cars.
policemen tried to close the gates. They We're
powcrless to do so against the crowd that
pushed forward, and not until the policemen
took their clubs and prOdded the pressing crowd
back could the gates he closed ana the tram
pull out,
Train after train came in. and the perform
anCe was repeated. For time the chains were
kept in place at the entrance to the station. and
no tickets sold but there were several train
loads Of passengers the platform. Two
trains after the first one in, stopped on the
west side Of the platform, but the passengers
could not get off because of the crush, ana the
trains were ordered out and into the easterly
track. where the passengers could get off on the
marrow board walk