New-York tribune., 1908-01-13
CRIBOVER THE SUBWAY
TRIMS TO Run TO-DAY.
Serice Crippled Yesterday Through
Fear of Parker Building Collapse.

hours bet-seen engineers representing the inter
borough Re pid Transit Company and the fubhC
Service Commission and Edward 5 MURPHY
Superinseniert of Buildings, il was decioeo id'e
last night 70 resume full operation of the SUD-
way Al r O'clock this morning. The emergency
gangs of the Interborough company worked an
night r,nier the direction of George W Pegram'
chief engineer of the company, constructing
heavy crib of tirlhers in Fourth avenue between
18Th and 1srh streets This crib is intended 10
make the subway absolutely safe In case OF the
fsil of the fire-swept Parker Building, and It's
sonfp8etion is condition made by Superinteho-
ent Murphy TO his consent TO allow the resump-
ton Of subway service
Mr. H~diey sent an order last night 10 the
elevated lines have every available car on
the tracks this morning TO help out on the morn
ing rush hour traffic, great part Of which viii
naturally 20 over from the subway to- the ele-
waited lines
At O'Clock this morning one layer Of the yellow
rine beams had been placed over the Subway ana
the worknaen had started placing 6 second layer
No stops viii be made al the 18th street sta
tior until the city authorities decide that there
il no canger Of the building collspsing.
No inspection Of the ruined building was made
yesterday except from the outside Almost no
effort was made during the Gay 10 find the
bodies of Fallon and o'Connor, the two firemen
killed on Friday night. and nothing can be done
until the water is ali pumped out some time to-
day.
William Barclay Parsons, George Peeram and
Henry 3. Seaman, chief engineer Of the Public
Service Commission, arrived at the scene Of the
fire. accompanied by Frank Heoley and Charles
A Gardiner. counsel for the Interborough COM
pany. a bout o'clock They tried to get into
the ruined building. but turned back by
the arerner- They examined the building from
all SIDES, and Mr.. Parsons and Mr.. Seaman
ness. No cracks except superficial ones caused
by the heat were seen. and there was sign Of
bulging sagging Of the walls
ENGINEERS REPORT ON BUILDING.
There ten panels, or sections. in the build
ing" said Mr.. Seaman, and Of these eight are
not. SO far as can be seen, structurally injured.
Five from the front Fourth avenue side, are
al right: three from the back also seem TO be
unchanged The two panels in the middle
scorched and twisted by the intense heat of the
fire. but the walls to to have enough
support 10 make them safe I see no danger Of
collapse Of the building. and there is no rea-
son. in my opinion, why the subway should not
be run Tomorrow
Mr.. Seaman built the section of the subway
that runs past the burned building. having
been chief engineer for the sub-eontra ctors who
did that part Of the work. and is thoroughly IA
niliar with the conditions prevailing. His views
indorsed BY Mr.. Parsons.
Mr. Murphy naturally does not want to rlIn
any risks" said Mr.. Parsons. but I must say
that there is danger of serious trouble If tens
of thousands kept from getting to their work
tomorrow morning by the cutting in two of the
subway There is question In my mind to
whether there would be any real danger to the
subway If the building should fall. It wouldn't
fan over with e crash into the street, if IL did
fall and q gradual subsistence. such as would
probab bly, occur, would not menace the subway.
In addition 10 this there would be at least ten
or fifteen minutes of warning by cracks of
coming collapse We should station men in
front Of the building make observations and
carry warning Of coming crash TO the trains
in the tube through the 18th street station
MURPHY CONDEMNS BUILDING.
Mr. Murphy condemned the building last
night although no interior inspection has been
made Yet, and survey will be made tomorrow
morning. The gas mains in Fourth avenue were
cut at each end of the building last night to
prevent breaks in case of collapse, and ten
ants were ordered out Of all the houses adjoin-
ing and opposite 40 the building. II will he
decided this morning whether not it will be
safe 20 admit tenants to the American Litho-
graphic Compsnys building, opposite the ruined
structure
Before Mr. Murphy consented to the reopen
ing of the subway letters were addressed to him
by Henry r. Seaman and the 1nterborough en-
gineers, certifying 20 their opinion that the
subway could he operated in perfect safety. As
an additional measure Of precaution the timber
crib, to consist Of four layers of long leaf yell
low pine tinlbers, by inches, was suggested.
John H OBrien, during whose administration
of the Fire Department much OF the hose that
has proved defective was bought, issued state
nent concerning the hose and the ilish pressure
mains yesterday, which follows:
was Fire Commissioner from January l.
1906 30 October 6, 1906. After several months
Of effort I finally got an appropriation of $4,000
for hose but before the hose MAS contracted for
1 left the Fire Department for the water De-
psrtment. The specifications for this $4,000
worth of hose were drawn by Deputy Fire Com
missioner Hugh Bonner. a fact which answers
any criticism
While / was Fire Commissioner some deliv-
cries Of hose were made under contracts entered
into by my predecessor This hose was sub
lectsd to the usual tests at the Fire Depart
Is1ent repair shop, and ] rejected SO much of the
product Of one hose manufacturing company
that IT refused TO carry out its contract, and |
in price from the defsUiting company its
bend I could not get authority or money to
buy more hose during my term Of office as Fire
Commissioner
In March 1897 as Water Commissioner
asked the Board Of Estimate and Apportiou-
naent and the Board Of Aldermen for an issue
of corporate stock Of s2,500.e00 for new and
larger water mains. The Board of Estimate
voted $4,000 600 Tho Board Of Aldermen held
the matter for several months, finally allowing
sI.70o.oeo. This resolution returned ia the
Board of Estimate for concurrence. When the
itesn was presented the calendar Of the Board
Of Estimate last December / appeared before
the board, asking favorable action. The sub
Ject was laid over, and less than a week ago
wrote 20 the Board OF Estimate urging that 1T
appropriate at least the allowed by the
Board OF Aldermen Last Friday the Board of
E-u,ssr, zfaH he 0asto