The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-08
PARIS. SUBWAY DISASTER.
Necessity of Building Underground
Cars Entirely of Metal.

AS regards the twenty miles of sub
way that are shortly to be opened in
this city. the risk of suffocation due to
the burning OF train is claimed to be
not so great as on the Paris subway,
for the alleged reasons that generally
speaking. the subway lies very close to
the surface. the stations are closer to-
getfer, and that the openings from the
tunnel are ample for ventilation. AS a
matter of fact the provision for venti-
lation throughout the greater part of
the road is merely that which exists at
the stations where it consists of moth
trance and exit of passengers. 1t is
true that along the Boulevard there are
open wells. but below Eorty-second
street the subway will have to depend
upon station stairways alone for venti-
lation.
Certain it is that if a fire should oc-
cur, say on Fourth avenue. or beneath
Forty-second street. the smoke and
escape from the tunnel, and dependence
would have to be placed upon the
movement of the trains to effect its dis
charge at the station openings. But
when we consider that Just as many
trains will move in one direction as the
other, it is difficult to see how the much
talked of piston effect" of the moving
trains will clear the tunnel atmosphere
by promoting a circulation of pure air.
Indeed It is pretty safe to say that it
will do nothing of the kind, and in the
event of fire there will be nothing for
1t but to close the particular section of
the tunnel where it occurs to all traffic
until the fire is subdued and the smoke
and gases have had time to dissipate
1t is absolutely imperative that the
construction of the rolling stock be
such that the burning of car or train
OF cars will be rendered impossible. The
only certain way to insure this immu-
nifty from fire is to exclude from the
cars every particle of inf1ammable ma
terial; and this can be accomplished
satisfactorily only by building them en-
tirely of metal.
We are well aware that the manage
ment of the PETERBOROUGH Railroad COM
pany have stated that the new cars are
to be very thoroughly fireproofed, and it
must be admitted that on paper the
precautions that are to be taken in the
way of incombustible Innings for the
floors of the car, asbestos protection, the
use of fireproof paint. etc, are among
the most approved methods of protect
ing inf1ammable material In the pres
ent case, however, the risks attendant
upon the breakdown of this system of
t1re-proofiing are so frightful that it
should certainly be abandoned in favor
of the only absolutely sure method, of
abolishing every particle OF wood and
making the cars from trucks to venti,a-
tor, entirely of metal. Not very long go
George Westinghouse drew attention to
this question of fire risk on tunnel roads
and advocated the very means of pre-
venting it which we now urge. That
the point was well made is proved by
the fact that the most progressive rail-
road in this country, namely, the Penn
sylvania, is already constructing exper-
mental all-Steel cars for use on its
great tunnel system between New Jer-
sey and Long Island. Tt is obviously
the only thing to do, for, in the pres
enee of this Paris horror, what was for
merly expedient now becomes absolutely
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. American