The Washington herald., 1908-01-12

trains run, so as not to interfere with the
early rush hour service any moro than
was necessary. Just before the main con
! tingent. which goes to work at 3 o'clock,
arrived, however. Chief Binns once more
ordered the subway closed through the
fire belt, ana no more trains were run
until ll;i5 O'clock.
The subway stations at once became
jammed with people who insisted on walt
l ing and because or the inadequate
switching system at the two express sta
/ tions at Fourteenth street and at Forty
! second street, the trains soon became
/ blocked. and the entire service of the
/ subway was practically, demoralized.
! When the crowd became thoroughly
/ convinced that it could not get to busi-
ness by the subway, a rush was made for
the elevated and surface lines and il
was estimated that the two lines carried
| over 100000 more passengers than ordi
narily, causing much delay and confus-
/ ion, which affected the systems OF the en-
/ tire city. and making the business section
/ below Forty-sec0nd street late in getting
! to business. The crowds as a whole took
| the matter good naturedly and cOntented
| themselves with discussing the fire.
At 1.30 in the afternoon permission was
given by the fire department 10 run all
trains again, but no trains were allowed
to stop at Eighteenth street, going north
or south, and all trains We're required 10
run slowly.
Unsafe for Firemen.
Late i'm the afternon the condition of
the walls of the building. combined with
the great heat from the smoldering fire
inside, convinced Chief Binns that the
building was unsafe for the firemen, and
they could not work inside. The subway
was running at this time, and was under
no orders 10 stop the service. but Chief
Binns, when asked If he intended again
10 shut of the subway said:
Mel do not believe that we will stop
the trains for the present at all events,
but I do not believe the building is safe,
and it is perilous for the trains to run.
They ought not 10 do So"
The chief said that the reason he would
issue no further orders was that the
building department would be in charge
a Wrecking crew on the job. and that it
was up to them to say whether or not
trains would be safe in running. The
police say that they were acting entirely
under the orders of the fire department
and would not interfere In the matter eX-
cept by direct orders.
Deputy Commissioner Bugher, of the
police department. came up TO the scene
in his automobile and after a talk with
Inspector O'Connor told the police TO
work in harmony with the fire depart
ment concerning the subway.
Supt. L. c. Murphy, of the Building De
partment, took charge Of the matter
shortly after 4.30 in the afternoon and at
once ordered his inspectors TO make an
examin alton Of the outside of the build
ing Il is still too hot TO get inside the
building and Supt Murphy said that he
did not think that the building could be
entered before tomorrow,
Asked whether he would order the sub
way closed again, Mr. Murphy said:
"Our inspectors have ouls just completed
a superficial examination Of the walls.
They find that the wall on the Nineteenth
street side is extremely shaky and that
the upper gables on the south end Of the
Fourth avenue front are dangerous.
Il nave issued orders TO have all
tenants across the street on Nineteenth
vacate at once. I cant say now whether
the subway will have TO close down to-
morrow, but I will say that there are
some chances being taken in running
trains.
VIII Decide To-day.
"suu, we don't know for certain yet,
and won't until some time tomorrow,
that the building is absolutely unsafe. If
we find that the walls are in immediate
danger of falling, we will at once tear
them down. What action viii be taken in
regard 10 the subway IN that event, can
not be foretold now. Possibly by morn
ing We may know more. If we find that
lives will be endangered by running the
trains, the subway will be closed at once,
and viii stay closed a week, II necessary,
and that's all there Is to it."
Manager Frank Hedley, Of the Inter
borough. visited the scene Of the fire with
two engineers OF the company shortly
before o'clock tonight and made an
examination of the walls Of the building
Il do not believe the building is really
unsafe" he said after he had looked Il |
over. I'VE have made a superficial ex-
animation and I shall not stop the sub
way service until receive further orders /
to do SO. We are operating now under
the permission to resume given US by
Chief Binns, and shall continue to do so
until further orders"
Mr. Hedley was supported in his opinion /
by that expressed by the architect Of the |
Parker Building, William Birkmire, who /
has an Office at 396 Broadway. Mr. Birk- /
mire declared emphatically that there I
was no danger Of the walls falling or of /
the brick and steel Of the building col /
lapsing.
Il is not alone the walls that Chief 1
Binns fears, however, but as much fear /
Is felt Of the falling of some Of the big /
granite cornices and gables Of the build /
ings These granite pieces are Of great /
weight and rest on the steel girders of 4
the building and have as other support /
only the bricks around them These have /
been burned, some of them until they re- /
Eemble Charred wood.
NEW WORKERS AND POKER.