The evening world., 1908-03-17
LOCKED N CInS
As SM0RE FILLS
RIVER SUBWAY
Frightened Passengers Stalled
on Trains in the East
River Tube.
WORKMAN STARTS FIRE.
Men Beg for Chance to Brave
Third Rail 10 Get Out Of
Tunnel.
WORKMAN STARTS FIRE.

With smoke belchng in upon them
fifteen frightened passeng RS in four
car train were stalled in the tube un-
der East Riysr to-day for ihiriy-h'e
minutes.
Three other trains, one at the en-.
trance OF the tube on the Brooklyn side.
one near the New York side and a
third between Bowling Green and wall
street. were also stalled, and the pas
sensers became frightened almost to
the state of panic when the smoke
seeped through the half-open windows
into the cars, making breathing diff
cult
Dropped Bar on Third Rail.
All this smoke and panic was caused
by a fire which started at the Fulton
street station in Manhattan at
O'Clock this morning. Twelve men.
under Frank Ferguson. foreman. Of
No. 2l2 West Twenty-nnth street. Were
cleaning out the tunnel near the sta
ton when one of the men is supposed
to have struck an iron bar under the
third rail. He dropped il quickly, and
Tho other end of the bar completed
circuit as II fell on the stee! tracks.
There were a sputtering and a ser'es
n, reports like miniature sham battle
with flashes like lightning. Then there
.,n,a a steady Z are as the sparks from
the crossed circuit ignited 4 wooden
hox which covers an emergency cao.e,
rarruson tried to remove the 'lo"
,or and was knocked down. He was
.t-od about the head and hanos 5
hasIv that an ambulance ,Tan,ta, TatJta, o''
udG' pi,h him TO st. GreEorv's Hosplt"''
messenger Gives Alarm
s.ov Gluckmore. a messenger oos
,.,ns hv the A. d. T. happeheu
~. onening OF the subway anu
r.. met by clouu Of smoke' ,,,,+
"as ~, ha. no instructions aoous
ea''. , ,cidents secret from nrefilen
keepA-o -,o,,ce and he hiked out for ms
80 policeman O'ConneT. of the Johh
t... 80, station, who was at the corner
~ Wall street and Broadway.
"r'here's a fire In the subway! he
.r,aa ITS burning up all the works.!
O'Connell sent in a special call for
Hook and Ladder Company No 10 ana
Engine Company No. 6. When the fire.
men galloped up the smoke was almost
=.
busy and with extinguishers and sand
soon had the blaze smothered.
All this time the four trains were
stalled. The passengers on the train
bound for New York. which was under
the river. demanded that they be per-
mitted to leave. One man cred out as
O guard shut the gate in his face:
"Id rather die on the third rail than
The guard held the door fast and
breathed hard, with his lungs filling
with smoke.
on the train nearest the fire the
smoke was even worse than II was un-
der the river. The passengers were in
no fear OF drowning. but they were in
fear of burning. No one seemed to
know where the fire was or how soon
It would catch the cars. and breathing
was getting more and more difficult.
Passengers Fume and Swear.
For thirty-five minutes the trains were
held, and all this while the passengers
fumed and swore and begged to be
allowed to take chances with the third
rail. Then IT,. power was turned on
and the trains made for the nearest
st tion. where the passengers were
allowed to get to the open.
Although the power was turned or
between City Hall loop and Brooklyn
after thirty-tive minutes, no passenger.
were taken under the river or 10 sta.
tions below City Hail. because of smok,
In the tunnel.
This part of the tunnel was moi
cleared of smoke FOR several hours.