New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-06
STORM TEST FOR SUBWAY
N1NY SURFACE BLOCKS.
Big Rush for Dry Tunnel Handled
UHk0ut a Hitch.

The first real saowstorm of the season hit this
citysoon after p. m yesterday, ana caused much
discomfort. many blockades and q test OF the
subway. II must be recorded that the subway
trains stood The test well, carrying enormous
crowds late in the afternoon without accident.
When the rush hour 2pprOa,Ie it looked
as If nearly all who could get to their
homes from downtown districts by using the
subway trains made q concerted move for the
stations. The elevated trains and the surface
cars were running. but people were fearful that
the snow might delay traffic on those lines and
they knew that the subway was warm. Cry and
unobstructed. From 4;3O to $50 2. the sub
way trains going uptown were crowded TO their
fullest capacity. The trains were run as rap
idly as possible but the halts az the stations had
TO be longer than usual on account of the num-
bers of persons entering and leaving the trains.
and therefore the trains did not make their
usual schedule time.
In the two hours mentioned about twenty
thousand persons boarded trains starting from
the City Hall and Brooklyn Bridge stations Of
the subway. This meant a revenue IF S1,Oub
from the southern terminal of the line in the
two hours. The trains were all well filed al
starting from the Brooklyn Bridge station, and
most of the express trains were so full that many
passengers were obliged 20 stand. Crowds were
waiting at all the stations UP the road. with the
result that the trains were all overcrowded be
fore they reached Forty-second-st.
The blockaGes on account Of the storm We're
restricted to the surface lines. The elevated
trains ran without delays. On the Harlem III
vision Of the New-York Central there was no
change in the running time of the trains. It
was said at the Grand Central Station that the
storm had caused trouble any division,
and that the snow up the State vas not intelfar-
<TSr rTYa 1pos Pos
it was said that the mails were not delayed by
the storm. All the Sound steamboats, started az
the usual time in the afternoon.
The blockades on the surface lines were not
due TO any trouble with the cars and tracks, but
to vehicles which were stalled in the way OF the
cars The snow was not deep enough 70 cause
trouble. but 1t made the pavement5 SO slippery
that the horses could not pull loads. and fen
frequently. Horses were falling all over the
city al the afternoon. On all asphalt pave
nants. particularly where the first snow that
fell melted. the footing was treacherous for the
horses The melting snow early III the storm
also made many sidewalks slipTery for people,
as thousands who suffered bruises and sprains
by falling could testify.
There was a particularly bad congestion Of
traffic in Duane-st., where dozen horsecars
we're stalled, along with hundreds OF trucks
headed i'm the direction of the Chamhers-SL
" an hour for the horsecars to move, and then
walked The blockade by the stalled trucks
stopped many cars OF the SiXth-ave line.
4 wagon loaded with live poultry was strand
a4 ON the car tracks in West Thirty-fourth-ct
when the horse drawing it fell and BECAME
hcpelessIy tangled in the harness, ard 70 com
plete the blockade OF the cars going east anI
west there. a coal wagon became stalled on
the tracks. Before the wreckinE wagon could
lift the blockade. long lines of cars in each di-
rection were waiting in Thirty -fourth-st. while
hundreds OF angry passengers and crowds o.
reopIe on the sidewalks were fumiug at the de
lay Some Of the people in the crowds threw
snowbaus at the chickens and geese in the
crates, ard the cackling of the frightened fowls
could be heard block away.
The storm came from the South. where heavy
rains were reported. The rain turned 70 snow
as far south as Washington u. G. The storm
was headed for New-Englaud, whe-e the
weather was cold enough to make snow a Ger
tafnty. In some of the New-Euglard States the
temperature was reported yesterday he with
in 8 degrees Of zero. In this city the tenpe-a-
ture fell to 30 degrees about the time the first
snow began to fall
The wind was rot high enough to cause much
suffering with the Temperature at 30 degrees
in the city and the chief discomfort on account
sidewalks and crossings. There was cousdera-
BILE slush in the downtown sections an hour
after the storm started.
Less than three inches of snow feu before
the snow turned TO sieet and then stopped about
p m on the street surface owing 10 the
melting. there was less than an inch Of snow.
Nh. Bradley the contractor for snow removal
gathering his forces late in the afternoon.
expecting work in clearing the streets. but late
in the evening it became apparent that his sar-
vices would not be required, as the local weather
foEeCaster said the wind was changing ?, -sc
east, and there was = prospect OF sieet or -,;.
instead Of snow. until the storm ceased a. rs.
Office of the Department OF Street Clcani.z &c
was SAID that the contractor would not be az!-ed
To remove any snow from the streets ,1rlses
there was fan OF more than three inches. Iu
the afternoon the weather prediction az the
local bureau was "s'eet and rain ,C,,.iv,,.,,,-
into Tuesday, with increasing northeast winds
becoming east"
Leave New York 5:sa T " arrive Cleveland 7.i
next morning, by New ork Central Fine service
No excess fare.-Advt