New-York tribune., 1910-01-15
MAYOR In PERIL
In BLIZZARD
FORCED TO 1B4NDON
HIS TRAIN.
Friend Hurt IN Fall Through
TrestIe-On Way to
st. James.
st. James.

uavor Gaynor. who started for his
,.,r,utrv home in St James. Long ISL
md Yesterday afternoon, had a perilous
,-ip in the great storm when his train
Gas stalled between Hicksville and Sy-
csset and he had to tramp through
the huge drifts.
The Mayor did not reach HicksVille
Until nearly II O'Clock, and then he was
completely tagged out. His condition
Uss due chiefly to his efforts TO assist
charles z. Shepard. an editor. Of Hunt
ington. Long Island who had accom-
nsnied him when he left the train Mr.
sbepard slipped through trestle on the
railroad and was badly hurt.
When the train became stalled by the
drifts Of snow on the track the Mayor
decided 10 get off and walk back to
Hicksville. AS he jumped from the train
Nr. Shepard and another man said they
v-ould accompany him. The third man
soon had enough Of the battle in the
snow and put back TO the train, but the
others went on.
The two men had battled against the
sweeping winds that blew with fury
across the level stretch Of ground. and
were rapidly becoming exhausted. They
found il difficult to keep on the railroad
tracks. After tramping a distance OF
about two miles. when they struck what
they thought was footbridge across a
stream hut proved TO be trestle, Mr..
Shepard met with his accident.
The wind blew with added fierceness
as il struck the trestle. and Mr.. Shepard,
who was almost exhausted by this time.
reeled in his tracks and tottered toward
the Mayor Before the latter could put
cut an arm 10 help the editor Mr.. Shep-
ard fell over the trestle and disappeared
The Mayor went 10 Mr.. Shepard's help.
While Mayor Gaynor Was doing what
he could for the injured man. he saw the
fash Of a lantern through the storm and
yelled al the top OF his voice for help
The lantern was il the hands of Z. train
man, who had been sent after the Mayor
and Mr- Shepard to give aid in case of
an accident He Immediately climbed
down the side Of the trestle to the little
hollow where Mayor Gaynor was work
ing over the editor
leaving the almost frozen editor in
charge OF rhe trainnnan- the Mayor start
I'd again for Hicksvilfe, unattended. to
get help for Mr.. Shepard. When he had
gone a few hundred yards he was lost
( gain and had a hard battle with the
snow before he found his bearings 1t
took him half an hour to reach Hicks
vile. His face was coated with ice and
he was suffering from exposure
The Mayor told of the accident to Mr..
Shepard and help was sent at once.
While The Mayor was warming himself
Lefore stove Dr. Adolph G. Rave. Of
HicksviIle was called in, and. after
treating the Mayor he insisted that he
STAY ~ his place for the rest of the
right The Mayor was driven 70 the
Doctors house IN d sleigh. while DR..
Rave vent 10 help Mr. Shepard. who
Vas taken 10 DR. Raves house. where
he and the Mayor spent the rest of the
right
Six trains on the main line and the
branches Of the Long Island Railroad
were reported stalled at various points in
= statement given out at the offices of
ihe company at II o'clock last night
Relief trains and snow ploughs were hur-
T1edly dispatched in all directions where
trouble vas reported in an effort to res
gtlr TNa sar-ar1I hundred -,aOSarrorc l,,,+
The Increasing winds drifted the snow so
badly that the road was not capable of
coping with the situation and the lines
became completely blocked shortly after
midnight The snow was coming down
harder than ever at that time. and there
vas much anxiety as 10 the condition Of
tne imprisoned passengers.
According 70 the trainmaster in Long
Island City, besides the eastbound train
o7 the Wading River branch. carrying
ihe Mayor, which was stalled at Hicks
Vile the Ronkonkoma express. on the
main line. was tied up at Farming
oale On the Montauk line the west
4'oUnd express leaving Montauk Point at
. p m. and due in Long Island City at
- ?. u. was stalled ar Springfield.
70 local trains weer reported stalled
one a. Hamels. on the Rockaway line.
end the other at Sheepshead Bay. A
"estbound train due at Long Island
Sliy al : p m stopped at Westbury.
The storm was the worst experienced
o. the road N years. The suburban and
locai trains were all started off early in
1he evening. and, although considerable
snoW had fallen, the lines were open and
The officials fully expected that they
could handle the situation. But about
O'Clock = high wind sprang up and the
snow began drifting. Then the trouble
started.
The first 10 send out the call for relief
we're the late trains, due 10 arrive from
Hem pstead and the south side villages III
>assau County. Six freight cars blocked
ne roads near St. Adams. and the trains
rom the south side tried 10 use the cut
on between Jamaica and Springfield. but
u "ss hopeless task. The tracks were
fio"ed under and the trains were soon
stalled. The freight cars were reported
'e have jumped the tracks while the en-
sla- was bucling tho drifts.