New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-01
MILLION IN THE SUBWAY.
Result of -Four Days Work-Elec-
trician Killed by Express.

From being a novelty and plaything, the
subway began to take its real place in the work.
aday world yesterday. 1t with fair adher-
ence to schedule. although express service con-
tinued TO be disjointed. No mad brushes such
as prevailed last week were noticeable in
the rush hours last night. At some few sta
TONS there was congestion, but not more, in
proportion, than has always characterized the
rush hour congestion at corresponding elevated
stations. The people seemed to realize that for
short distances they could travel about quick
ly by the surface elevated lines by the
subway, and the traffic has begun TO adjust it
self between the three systems
According to figures compiled by the manage
ment. more than one million passengers were
carried In the first four days of operation. For
Thursday afternoon and evening the first day
OF operation. there were 111oo0 paid passengers;
Tor Friday $4,000; for Saturday. $50 900: Sun
day. by actual enumeration. BOASTS. A far
LANCER number could have been carried on Sun
day II the full express service had been in
operation and the local trains run on weekday
schedules
Inc subway killed it's first victim yesterday
since 1t went into active Observation-Disclosures
Froeiich. an electrician. of No. Ais East Fifty
second-st Froech was employee of the
Union Switch and Signal Company He was
working at the Fourteenth st. station installing
signals, which are fastened to the iron pillars
at the ends Of the stations In his work he
mad TO avoid the trains as they came through
by lodging behind the pillars whenever he saw
train. Just he stepped from behind a
pillar as one train had passed. south bound
express rushed into the station, striking him
and throwing his body about twenty feet There
Is sharp curve at this station. which pre-
vented his seeing the train.
The motorman OF the train applied the emer-
gency brakes. throwing the passengers into
heaps on the floors of the cars. An ambulance
was summoned. but the injured man died while
DR.. Humphreys. OF the New-Yo Hospital was
working over him. William B. Buckley of No
7o6 East Observation-Disclosures tieth-st., the mo-
torman of the express arrested and ar
raigned in the Jefferson Market court Later
he was arraigned before Coroner Scholer who
held him in $500 bail for the inquest. Bail was
furnished by officer of the Interborough COM
pany.
AS soon as the management is confident that
the subway has reached normal conditions the
ratings which separate the uptown and down.
town platforms will be removed. General Man
aser Frank Hedey figures that there will be
little loss to the company from doubling back"
basing his opinion on the elevated roads. where
II is possible to take downtown train al many
stations where the uptown passenger has Just
disembarked. When this IS done. the passengers
who happen TO live at the station each side
OF an express stop can use the express trains
to that station. then go back continue to
their own stations local trains.
Mr.. Hedley has under consideration methods
of guarding against such accidents as have al
ready occurred through the wide space between
the and the concrete platforms. Several
plans have been discussed, among them nova
BILE platforms, like those in at the Battery
Place station Wast Side fed Iines
This would however. be mpracticable. 1t is
though that guard rails similar to those at the
elevated stations will be built, fencing back the
passengers from the edge of the platform every
where save just at the entrances to the cars.
where the space between the cars and the plat
form is narrow.
Mr.. Hedley said yesterday that the train ser
vice on the elevated roads would not be re-
duced, as had been rumored, because of the
operation Of the subway. The subway and the
elevated roads are both necessary to handle the
citys traffic, and IN rush hours operated to their
fullest capacity. will hardly suffice. The reason
for Sundays congestion that rush hour
schedule is Maintained on the elevated Sun
days II was explained.
There have been many complaints of bad air
in the subway. of which have reached
Health Commissioner DARLINGTON He said yes
terday that last Tuesday the advisory board 10
the Health Commissioner went through the
subway 10 test the air, and found that in the
TUNNEL the air was SOOOi out at the stations IL
was markedly impure. No recommends tions
had been made to changes yet. but DR.. Oar
lington thought it quite possible that addi-
tionai ventilation would be ordered for the sta
lions.
The College OF the City of New-York WILL hold
a special celebration this morning at o o'clock
on account of the opening of the subway. DR..
Finley. the president of the college. says that
The opening means much toward the upbuilding
OF the college. William Barclay Parsons, chief
engineer of the subway will make address.
Police Commissioner McAdOo announced that
he had reduced the subway detail TO two-thirds
Of It's original number, and hoped by the middle
of the week to be able to withdraw most of the
men, by that time traffic would have become
normal.
Election Day will take the services of every
man in the department" said Mr McAdoo and
the company will have to go ii alone, In spite
Of the fact that It will be a heavy day for them.
as to the permanent detail. the reports I have
received indicate that the important stations are
The City Hall Brooklyn Bridge. Forty-second-
ST. and Fifty ninth-st. stations. These will be
placed in charge Of the traffic department under
captain OBrien. and there will be permanent
details there"
HTTY HON ONE " IN" .CTITT