The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-06-13
Hundreds Of Persons Caught In
the Blockaded Trains In
The City.
CONSIDERABLE DAMAGEDONE
Men. Women and Children In the Cars
Thrown into Panic and but for the
Prompt Action Of the otiiceu Aysrted
Loss Of Life Among Passengers

New York, June l2.--Train service in
The subway was suspended throughout
the night NJ result Of the flood from
a is'inch water main Sunday afternoon
The flow OF water continued unintcrupt,
edly four and onc half hours while sub.
aterns Of the city water department
wandeHed about In the vicinity Of Park
avenue and Forty first street turning of
one gate after another In a futile search
for the proper Ahut.oH 70 stop the de.
atr1ctive 1ood. Officials Of the subway
frantically tehphoncd In all directions
but say they failed 10 find any one In
authority with thr requisite. knowledge
of the mains, The damage was finally
checked through information furnished
by private citizens employed by con
tracing Arm.
II IL estimated that the loss to the sub
way alone will be 100000. Hundreds Of
persons were caught In the blockadcd
trains and almost smothcred before they
were able 10 reach fresh air by wading
through II inches Of water to the nearest
station. Many women had their cloth.
ing practically ruined by water which
spattered through the open windows.
There were thousands Of persons wait
along the entire line for trains and much
time elapsed before news of the blockade
reached them. Consequently many trav.
elers bound for the Grand Central and
other railway stations missed their
trains out OF town.
There we're scenes Of considerable dis,
order at the Brooklyn Bridge station.
Coming from the beaches and other re-
sorts great crowds poured into the un.
der ground stations and for half an hom
after the trains stopped they continued
to gather, tickets being sold as usual.
Then the agents began giving out "block
adc tyunsfcrs"and guards were stationed
at the entrance to warn away the would
be passengers, but the crowds from Co.
ney Island brushed them aside and con.
tinued To enter. After much delay
short train service was established as
far north as Fourteenth street. To fur.
ther complicate the situation n ear jump
cd the track on the spur from the city
hall TO Rector street and blockaded traf.
ilc on that section. II was then found
necessary 10 close the stations south OF
the city hall,
Unfortunately, for the travelling pub.
lie, the subway tracks just where tho
water mains loosed its torrent are de.
pressed four or five feet beneath the av.
erage grade and this quickly filled, max
ing II absolutely necessary to pump out
the tunnel, as there was no outlet. A
big steam pump was quickly rigged and
at an early hour this morning was slow.
ly gaining on the water with the promise
TWELVE q" :. -. .,."...
that the third rail would be free in time
TO permit operations during the morning
rush down town.
Persons who were caught In the trains
near the food when the power failed
had terrifying experience, All lights
were suddenly extinguished, following a
series Of loud explosions, Men, women
and Children who filed the ears were
thrown into a panic of dread as the tun.
mel suddenly became intensely dark.
There was rush for the doors when wat |