New-York tribune., 1904-10-19
DEAD RAIL RECHARGED.
HEDLEY,S EXPLANATION.
Hayes, Not Satisfied, to Refer IL
Fire TO Railroad Commission.

Frank Hedley. general manager Of the Inter"
borough Rapid Transit Company. declares that
the recharging OF a dead rail by Second-aVe
train was responsible for the dire peril Of the
Arernen who had 10 fight both DANES and cleo
tricity at the collision and FIRE on the Third
ave elevated railroad at one-hundred-snc-
tR,elfth-st. on Monday night
Al least, Fire Commissioner Hayes told
Tribune reporter yesterday that this was the
reason assigned by NJ. Hedley. who added that
This vas the first occasion on which such
thing had happened on the elevated road since
fl was equipped with electricity. The Commits
sioner added that he was not sausned, ana
should take the matter up with the railroad
authorities The State Railroad Commission is
making an investigation.
For long time the hremen, under Acting
Deputy Chief Dougherty. found IT impossible TO
reach the burning cars because of the electricity
playing round them. There was danger not only
from the charged live rail-. but from the track
rails ana every scraF, OF nearby metal Finally
the power was shut of.
Scarcely had the hremen begun to be able 10
fight the IRE at close range. however. when the
current returned. Before the frenen realized
that this was the case there was loud report
Instantly the fremen were knocked in all direo-
tions their rubber coats and boots alone pre-
venting their being burned or shocked 70 death-
~ had Mr.. Hedley come up and see me" said
the Fire Commissioner. and. as understood
him. although the power had been shut on at
the scene of the accident. a northbound train
from Ninety-eighth-st. on the seeond-ave. line
not only charged it's own rail- but for some mys-
serious reason the electric current crossed the
connection at One-hundred-and-twenty -hfth-st-
and actually recharged the Third-ave. rail-
Asked whether he was satisfied with Mr.. He'd
leys explanation the Commissioner said:
No. am not although / am only layman in
such a matter. / am going 70 take the matter
up with the railroad authorities Ny men were
cornered like rats.
At AGr. Hedley's Office yesterday callers were
told that Mt. Hedley was too busy to see re-
pOrters.
A similar state of affairs apparently was
cansed at a fire in q 1--WE story building at No.
2e0 Pearl-st. early yesterday morning. The fire.
men ha6 to fght the blaze standing on the ele-
vated structure from which the power was not
withdrawn, except after repeated orders. Their
danger was increased BY the attempts Of the
railway officials to run trains past the spot.
They did succeed IN getting money train past
the place. and the hremen were nearly brushed
OF the structure. Not until half an hour after
the blaze started did the hremen have the
structure 20 themselves in safety.
This FIRE had gained great headway when 1t
was discovered The fre1nen declare that the
police were late again IN discovering the blaze
and giving the alarm.
The Third-aNe express tracks were cleared
about las p. m yesterday. A number Of the
Ties were burned ana broken. and the tracks
were warped by the heat Il Is said that there
7yiIl probably be no express trains the Third
ave. line for several days. as new ties will have
70 be put in and, in all probability. new rails
viii have TO be substituted for those warped.
NJ. Hedley. in q statement regarding Mon
+. day nights accident. said:
The empty train was in charge OF two COM
petent men, taking it for storage to the middle
track II waE brought down from the upper
end of the line 70 Ninety-ninth-st. and was
stopped on the southbound main line. The sig
nal was set for the train TO be TO the
middle track, going north. The second switch
man was then operating the train going north
He passed the ne-hundTed-and-siXth-st. sta
fioIl. and continued on, running right into twen-
ty-eiEht or thirty cars standing empty. There
vas a red light showing distinctly on the plat
form Of the car into which the train ran. The
men operating the train were experienced and
competent II is to be regretted that the mar.
who caused the accident is dead.