The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-11
ITS WORST SMASH-UP IN YEARS
ALARM CAUSED ny INCREASE OF
MISHAPS on E5EIATED


I'm Nearly ~ Hours on Duty-Light'
or No Lights Issue Is sim Unsettled
The cause Of the accident on the elevated
railroad in The Bronx on Thursday night
in which forty or more persons we're in
nIred was still matter of conjecture
Yesterday The motorman Of the hind
most train, Daniel Mcmahon. when ar
raigned In court reiterated bis statement
that there were no lights burning on the
, rear OF the train which stood at the i4oth
street station and which his train struck.
John Dooley, the guard Of the rear car Of
the first train. swore that tho lights were
burning, that he had examined them, as
the rules require. on the trip uptown, the
last place being at 14lst street. Mcmahon
was held until to-day to await the result
of the injuries OF Victorio Zingora, the only
victim Of the ccident who is likely 70 die.
The railroad officials made the usual
Investigation Yesterday. Supt Smith ques-
toned members OF the train crew and some
platform men Of stations which tho train had
passed He said the testimony was all 10
the effect that the train had lights and that
besides the red lanterns Of the brakemen
there we're also The red electric signal lights
on the roof 10 show where the train was
These lights he said must have been shin
ing az long as the electric lights inside the
car were. and the latter did not go out until
the collision took place.
General Manager Hedley gave out type
written schedule showing the hours of duty
Of thc rnotornan This was all Mr. Hedley
bad to give out. it was said Although
Mcmahon had gone 10 work az 6.55 A. NJ.
and the accident occurred at 6:07 p. NJ, the
schedule showed that, with his various
swings" he had worked only four hours
and twenty-four minutes and that this
included a rest Of twenty-one minutes and
another OF six minutes at terminals. In
addition to this there was volunteered the
information that Mcmahon had been en-
ployed twenty years with only two minor
charges in that time and had, on Aug. rs
last passed a physical examination with
flying colors.
The accident was the worst that has oc-
CURED on the elevated railroad system in
many years, judged by the number Of per-
sons injured. If Zingora, whose skull
wac fractured, should die. the proud boast
OF the old Manhattan Elevated Railroad
Company before it was gobbled up by the
Belmont concern. that in eleven years of
It's history j. had hauled billions Of people
without losing the IFS of passenger in
tra It. will cease to hold good. People re-
called yesterday that within tho past
year four serious accidents have oc-
CURED on the different elevated lines, not
counting a lot Of minor ones.
On May last there was an accident SIM
liar in some respects TO that Of Thursday
hight, although less serious. It was caused
by downtown train on the Third avenue
line running into the train ahead OF IL at
Fifty-seventh street. A motorman was
killed four passengers were seriously in
jurcd and traffic was completely tied up
FOR overall hours.
Four days later. on the same road. an
other rear end collision occurred at Ninety
ninth street. Eight people were hurt in that.
a few weeks ago occurred the accident
at Gansevoort street on the Ninth avenue
line In which a car was pushed over until
part Of II hung over the street. An EN-
poyee was killed and the passengers were
badly shaken up.
Another accident occurred at tho Second
avenue bridge. when a train ran into the
one ahead OF II and pushed car partly
of the structure.
Charles r Barnes, the electrical inspector
of the State Railroad Commission who
Investigate accidents on he elevated lines
was asked what explanation. II anv. could
be given for this remarkable increase in
accidents.
Il should prefer 10 have the commission
answer that question said Mr. Barnes
at would be well TO remember for one thing,
that under the old management Of the roads
the Roadway Of trains during the rush hours
was three minutes To-day. on the line on
which last nights accident occurred, the
headwav "a fifty seconds
Mr. Barnes's statement that trains were
running at that point OF any other point on
the elevated system at such headWay will
be apt 10 make a lot OF people sit up and
laugh. Not In years have complaints been
30 numerous regarding poor trtlin service.
So great has the volume of complaints
become regarding the service on the Third
avenue line, on which the accident of Thurs
day occurred and on which Mr. Barnes
says the Roadway is so seconds, that the
Railroad Commission has just begun an
investigation Of the matter
Tho complaints do not come from the
IT I'D avenue line alone They come
from all the other lines They are all to
the eject that there has been a gradual
hut steady diminution Of the number Of
trains run, judged by the time etween
trains Six minute waits I'm rush hours
-unneard Of n few years ago-are not
at all infrequent In January, 1908. the
Railroad Commission ordered the com
pany 10 run cars during most Of the day
and UP n midnight on it's then rush hour
schedule. This schedule provided for trains
2 minutes apart on the Second and Ninth
avenue lines. I minute and As seconds apart
on the Sixth and minute and 80 seconds
on the Third. This was the Roadway for
n few months. To-day the trains. accord
ing 10 most complaints, are running on a
&C edule Of q decade ago.