New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-08-09
THE SUBWAY BLOCKADE.

The latest serious interruption Of underground
traffic in this city resulted from a combination Of
circumstances which could not we'll have been
fOreseen. BY a summer storm of exceptional
violence an enormous volume of water was sud
denly precipitated into a natural basin of wide
extent, whose lowest point almost directly over
lay the subway. Close beside the latter an ex-
cavatiOn had been made for the installation Of
ventilating apparatus. and into this poured
deluge from the surface Of the street The food
seems TO have been reinforced by the contents Of
q city main which had just been cut, as "A pre-
iiminary to a change of its position.
The situation was still further aggravated by
the collapse Of the dead end of an adjacent
sewer. Indeed, the overpowering and offensive
Odor which thereupon invaded the subway, and
which was perceptible twelve or fifteen hours
after the accident occurred. was perhaps the
worst as it certainly the most novel, feat
ure Of the whole complication. 1t is evident that
broken car trucks. defective aXles collisions and
deluges OF clean water ara not the only possible
causes Of blockade in the subway. Heaven only
knows what fresh additions are to be made to
the list in the future.
With cOmmendable discretion the sale of tick
cts was stopped not long after travel had been
suspended. In some instances there was delay
in carrying the necessary orders into effect, but
the public can afford 10 regard this with leni-
which it was treated. There are signs that the
marlborough company is learning a number OF
things by experience and through intelligent crit
iclsm by the press.
Even yet, however the company has not
solved all Of the problems which confront it I'm
emergencies like that OF Tuesday night. Ap-
parently no satisfactory scheme has vet been
perfected for the release of passengers Too
much is left 10 the Judgment and good will Of
the conductors. That should not be the case
Explicit instructions in advance should he given
for every emergency which may be expected TO
arise. Nearly or quite an hour elapsed the other
evening before the last OF the cOmpany's i'm
pris0ned patrons escaped. A detention of that
length on an elevated road would be bad enough.
but there is no extravaganza or injustice in pro-
nOuncing il an outrage when il occurs under
ground. The heat. the poisonous atmosphere,
the uncertainty Of release and the fear Of what
may happen in the mean tine constitute a dis
1inct menace TO health. if not 10 life itself
Ia some instances within the last two years
the passengers in the express trains have been
subjected 10 longer delays and more incOnven-
fence than those IN the local trains. Possibly
the difference may be explained by the fact that
means have been employed automatically TO
prevent one train Overtaking another on the
express tracks Now. If it is feasible under GER
tain conditions TO render this check imperative
say, by the use Of key, intrusted to a con-
ductOr-rhen express trains can be brought UP
into close order quickly with the head OF the
procession opposite a station platform. a route
entirely within the cars would thus be opened.
IL, On the other hand, such proceeding is abso-
Iutely impossible, programme should be organ
tied which will not only lberate the express
nsssen.egs from the cars promptly, but viii also