The sun., 1906-12-28
CITY RIPS UP CENTRAL'S TRACK
1T WOULD HAVE TORN UP MORE
EXCEPT FOR A TRICK.
Freight Trains Backed Down ON Twelfth
Ave. Rails. Laid Illegally. and Left
There-TraIns Isolated by City I.aborers
Police Called Out 20 Act nc Guard.

There-Trains Isolated by City Iaborers
Police Called Out 20 Act ne Guard.
Two blocks from Fifty-eighth to Sixtieth
street on Twelfth avenue were the scene Of
continuous disturbance yesterday, due to q
clash between city officials and the New
York Central Railroad The railroad has
four tracks on Twelfth avenue ending at
F'tv.eighth street. Two Of these tracks
have been laid within the past year. One
runs ont on a pier at the foot OF West Fifty
ninth street and the other into the new
subway power house at Fifty-eighth street
The rd Of Estimate at a recent meet
ing declared that the Central had no right
10 lay these two tracks and ordered the
rallroai 10 remove them. The tracks were
no, removed, and on December 2l Borough
President Ahearn was authorized to tear up
the tracks il necessary.
On Wednesday of this week Superinten-
dent Of Highways George F. Scannell went
+, the place where the tracks are and made
plans FOR the removal by the city. He was
told that there might be trouble IL he at
tempted TO tear them up, but decided to go
ahead
Mr. Scannell evidently expected trouble.
for Yesterday noon he ordered SO men to
gather al Eleventh avenue and Fifty-ni
street prepared TO get TO work.
we were told to keep out OF sight as much
AZ possible and be ready to move quickly
when told to, said foreman last night.
Mr. Scannell came on the scene early
Yesterday afternoon and ordered the men
10 lump in and tear up the tracks. The men
bad ripped out part OF the tracks entering the
power house when a gang of laborers from
the railroad yards appeared on the street.
A. first only epithets were hurled, but when
the citvs men continued to tear away rails
the men from the yards resoTted TO stone
throwing.
Scannell's men worked steadily, however
and we're about to rip up the track entering
the pier when yard officials Of the Central
appeared and asked for an interview with
Scannell They told him that they had
train Of fourteen cars out on the pier and
asked him 10 hold back long enough to give
them opportunity TO get the train of. Scan
nell consented and the men began to tear
up the unauthorized tracks which had been
run below Fifty-ninth street without per.
mission. A Central locomotive puffed up
from the yards out on to the pier. The
tram was made fast and the locomotive
drew it out TO Twelfth avenue, and then the
locomotive was uncoupled and il pulled
6Eay again.
ha ha fy~an la
Scannell wanted to remove. Before the
situation had fully dawned on hir. the
locomotive slipped back on the other track
and left a train of thirty cars on it, extend
ing from Sixtieth 70 Fifty-eighth street.
Scannel went 20 find the Central official
who had come TO see him, but was informed
rnar they had gone away and that there
was no one remaining with authority 10
move the cars When Scannell returned to
Twelfth avenue he was greeted by jeers
frd boots from a crowd Of onlookers who
t-d amused themselves by yelling at the
iile pty worlsmcn.
~capnel put his men to work tearing
rra" the tracks from the ends Of the two
TIM.
To men fell 20 work. but the crowd
;mund pocawe ~ turbulent that Scannell
80, forced - go 10 the West Sixty eighth
trror police sutton and ask for a squad
u.I." - guard his men.
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