New-York tribune., 1908-01-29
METHOD In BRIDGE JAM
TOlfEN NOT HURT IN V4IN
Hob Shoes CLEANS of Intelligence
in Looking for Trains.

There was bridge crush on the Manhattan
end Of the Brooklyn structure last evening. but
.,-ith ? difference. There were surging crowds.
,,,,t they knew their way. There was the old.
well known disregard for the comfort of the
,,-o-nen but il was all in the effort to get to the
right platform for the right train. There was
no real repetition of Monday nights scenes. for
she Brooklyn Rapid Transit officials had taken
every precaution TO prevent if
Police. one hundred strong. under the strenu-
ous guidance of Inspector Schmittberger, were
there TO throw their combined weight for order
and the working Of the system Captain Muir
.1a Of the bridge squad tried his best TO be in
all places at the same time. and was rather dis
appointed that there was not a riot In several
instances the police neglected 20 be at the gates
Fl time and then they hurdled over the crush
ins crowds. The crowds did not particularly
resent this violence. AS one passenger. whose
hat was crushed in the hurdling act, remarked:
This is a very little thing in comparison with
some Of the centre bucking I have been a VIC
tim Of"
From 10 6 O'Clock ffty-five trains were
handled at the Park Row end without the sem
hiance Of q hitch. Four policemen were al the
foot Of each stairway leading from the rne||a-
nine floor to hold the crowd back so that the
platforms would not become overcrowded- Ihey
did r,o1 have overnnuch 10 do for there was not
the smashing crowd Of the night before nor OF
many other nights under the old system When
s o'clock came there was general expectation
Of trouble But the trouble Kept away IN
twenty-five minutes thereafter t"ehtg-IlIee
trains were sent out. and this rate was main
,sfned throuehout the remainder Of the rush
reriod. Some Of the trains were JaInineo VIII
passengers. Others were moderately crowded
Al no time were the platforms congested TO the
danger point
So generally well did the system work that the
chief engineer Of the Public Service Conmis-
sion. Nj Seaman. prophesied at o CLOCK that
The new system would be success. so dld
Mr. IngarsoU. the engineer Of the Bridge De-
rartrnert lie instructed one Of his suoorolnates
10 telepbone to the Bridge Commissioner, Mr.
stevenson that the scheme was working
we'll 1T will cheer him up. and it is true" he
said M Stevenson is I'll with the grip.
But there were not the usual 100000 rush hour
rasseagers over the bridge last evening knowl-
edge OF Monday evenings crush impeled many
70 take the tunnel route and the ferries Others
took the bridge locals, which have moved since
their special allotment 10 that service without
hitch The bridge promenade also was more
than usually crowded. one of the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit officials said these diversions en-
abled his men 10 familiarize themselves with
the signals and with the general train align
rnents.
g. rbe other loops were more congested than
usual At loop No John Ere. of No. 200 Co.
vert avenue. Brooklyn, a cabinetmaker, was
jarnrned against iron pillar. SO severely
we're his head and left hand bruised that Pa
t-oIrnan Mason had 10 carry him to the bridge
emergency hospital. where DR.. Sullman took
care of him. After rather prolonged rest he
deua-red fer home. At about the same time an
iron water tank at the Park Row entrance began
10 leak and sprinkled the crowds The only dis
rurhance that approached 2 panic was when
many Messengers boarded a train believing that
3r vas for Lexington avenue. When the error
was discovered the scramble TO get out caused
a iot Of confusion. but il was all good natured
and ~ one was injured
There are Two series Of platforms at this end
II the bridge. OF the first, which is nearer
Park Row. the north platform is for trains for
Ridgewood and Metropolitan avenue; the middle
for Lexington avenue and Cypress Hills trains,
and the southern for the Brighton Beach trains
OF The second series. toward Brooklyn, the north
gallery platform is for exit only; the north
centre is for Fulton street and City Line trains;
the south centre for Fifth avenue. Bay Ridge,
Sea Beach and Culver Line trains. and the south
gallery platform for Bath Beach and the West
End trains On each platform is blue light
which is turned on ten seconds before the gates
are 10 be closed.
n Brooklyn there was much congestion IN the
morning yesterday at the Sands street station,
but f was said last evening that the movement
of trains there would be facilitated this morn
3nE