Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-13
Causes Suspension Of
Traffic on NY. Elevated.
Stability Of Pillars Threatened
BY Water In Subway.
An Enormous Loss EntaiIed BY SUNDAYS
Accideat--fuIl Extent UaknoWn.

49,, of I water main at 42nd street,
eond hardly be opened for through
,r.tIi.. before the rush hour, tomorrow
morning.
During the day underground travel
was practically suspended. although
come trains were running below 14th
street and above the point of blockade,
leaving a gap of water of over mile
m which the tracks We're under water
and the tunnel filled with the fumes
NJ charred insulation and ties.
Powerful steam pumps installed. yes
terday. were still at work, tonight. and
had materially reduced the depth OF
water but not sufficiently so to deter
mine the full extent of the damage to
the roadway. The few rains that We're
run were scantily Tatronized and as
result the volume of southbound traffic
in the early WAS diverted to the elevat-
cd and surface lines, whose capacity
was taxed to the utmost.
An inspection of the flooded section,
tonight, revealed the fact that consid-
cradle damage had been done to the
third rail connections and coverings
ana some fear was entertained that eX-
tensive repairs would have to be made
before the regular traffic could be re-
sume1.
During the afternoon the elevated
railroad running through Fulton street,
Brooklyn, was put out Of commission
by an accident similar to the one thot
disabled the subway. Heavy rain
poured such torrent into the subway
extension. in course of construction. in
Fulton street. as to threaten the Stabil-
ity Of the pillars Of the elevated struc-
ture Traffic was suspended until the
food had subsidized.
Hundreds of persons were caught in
the blockaded trains and almost smoth-
cred before they We're able to reach
fresh air by wading through is inches
of water to the nearest station. Many
women had their clothing practically
ruined by water which Spattered
through the open windows.
There were thousands of persons
waiting along. the entire line for trains
and much time elapsed before news of
the blockade reached them. Conse-
queatiy many travellers bound for the
Grand Central and other railway sta
tons missed their trains.
llcTp We're SCtiicS vi
disorder at the Brooklyn bridge station.
Coming from the beaches and other
summer resorts on Long Island. great
crowds poured into the underground
station and for half an hour after the
trains stopped. they continued to gath
er, tickets being sold as usual.
The the agent began giving out
"blnckade transfers. and guards were
Stationed at the entrances to warn
away the would be passengers. But the
crowds from Cunny Island brushed
them aside and continued to enter. At
Ter much delay n short train service
was established as far north as Four
tccnth street. To further complicate the
situation n car jumped the track on the
sput from the City hall to Rector
street. and blockaded traffic on that
section. 1t WAS found necessary to close
the station south of the City hall.
There was no outlet for the water
that poured into the subway and big
steam pump was rugged in an effort to
keep down the flood.
Persons who were caught in the
trains near the flood when the power
failed had Il terrifying experience. All
the lights We're suddenly eXtinguiShed,
following a series of loud explosions.
Men, women and children We're thrown
into a panic. There was a rush for the
door when water began to spray
through the open windows. but the
guards held their ground and closed
the windows.
The atmosphere became sitting and
finally the guards We're unceremOni"us-
ly pushed aside while the passengers
plunged into the water and made their
way To the nearest stations, cropping
along the walls in ORDER to avoid the
deadly third rail current. Hundreds
We're afraid. however, to risk thelr
lives and workmon We're soon on the
scene with lanterns. Encouraged by the
lantern light the passengers soon We're
threading their way between the rails
until the nearest platforms were
reached
a condition that attracted attention
was the sudden Oppressiveness thaI
flled the tunnel and stifled those in the
cars. Within five minutes after trains
stopped moving. the temperature APP
peared To rise many degrees until the
cars were like the hot room in Turk
Sh bath. Open windows gave little re-
Iei and many persons emerged from
'he stations in an exhausted condition
In addition to the damaged roadway
III the tunnel, burned-out motors anc
'he fusing of hundreds of electrical
c"htrlvances added greatly to the loss
rfiVate property along Park avenue al
10 suffered. Quick work at the unfin.
Sied Hotel Belmont avoided heavy
ioSs. The building, which is partially
completed, extends four stories under
s'ound Employees on the premises go
pump into action and kept the floOt
moving into the sewer. Many private
,ehers in the neighborhood were filled
hoWeVer, causing much damage"
while officials Of the subway wer'
eAeoriating the city employees for per
uniting the Hood to go unchecked NOR
'''''ii four hours, thousands of passen
gers bought tickets in the line befor,
no'lce was received of the blockade an(
we're demanding their money back
i"ey We're met with a refusal and riot!
we're narrowly averted. In due seasoI
a''other order went around permittin,
ie agents to give out transfers goot
.'r another ride within 4S hours. Eacl
eAet had to be signed and dated 8,