New-York tribune., 1910-11-29
BRO0KLYMTES WALK
BRIDGE IN THE RAIN
Accident Ties Up Traffic Again
at the Rush Hour, and Thou
sands Go DinnerIess.
TROUBLE DUE BROKEN AXLE
Police Avert Panic, Although It
Becomes Necessary to Stop
Lines Not Blocked to
Avoid Concession.

Avoid Congestion.
Brooklyn dinners were late again last
night. Thousands Of dwellers in the
borough across the river had to tramp
the Brooklyn Bridge in the rain. and al!
because an axle on the second car of d
crowded Brighton train broke at go
o'clock. just as the train pulled out from
the Manhattan side. Traffic was badly
tied up for about forty-five minutes.
About six hundred persons were packed
in the train. When the axle broke there
was a sharp report and the train came
to a sudden stop. throwing the passen-
gers right and left. but no one was seri-
ously hurt. Immediately the trouble
began. In q few minutes the elevated
trains became stalled all the way across
the bridge and even beyond Borough
Hall. Soon aftervard, too, the surface
cars were blocked. and for fifteen min
utes not car or train moved on the
bridge
Captain Burke. who has been recon-
mended for a medal for his good work
in the fire which happened on the bridge
two months ago. said he believed the
block yesterday was even worse than at
that time. As on the previous occasion
il was raining at the time. and this IS
believed to have considerable to Go with
helping TO congest traffic.
Every Car Filled.
The Brighton Beach train, in charge
of Robert |. Carter. the motorman. ard
Just left the pocket with each and every
car filed to its capacity. The fifth car
had pulled in when the accident 0c-
Cured.
Thara was excitement among the pas
sangars. many Of whom were under the
irnnressfon that the motor had blown up
and II was all the Brooklyn Rapid iran
sit Company's employees and the ponce
could do 10 quiet them and assist them
o,,+ Of the cars. Fully ten minutes
e1ansed before they all got out.
Within few minutes after the accl-
dent CAPTAIN Burke. in command OF the
reserves. arrived on the scene ana tfle
GOOD work he and his men performer
,,rohahIv saved many persons from III
i,,rv All the platforms were hlled Win
1,.-sone from one end to the other ana
j. was with much difficulty that the
,,oIice get them TO the platform below
All this time il was said, the girls VINO
had not received any orders to the con-
rrar,-. kept on selling tickets 1t was
estimated that there we're fully twenty
thousand persons congregated on the
1 Ia
If the passengers fought to get aboard
the surface cars. and any number OF
rewsbovs added to the excitement by
shouting that a big block would tie the
bridge up for the night
The Crowds Scatter
II was not until go. or an hour after
the accident happened, that the cro"d
finally decided 10 use other means OF
Getting home 10 their belated dinners
ard order was somewhat restored. During
the block. Bath Beach, Culver line and
Fifth avenue and Bay Ridge trains were
rim for about fifteen minutes. Captain
Burke however, realizing that his men
were unable to cope with the enormous
crowd who tried to use these trains, gave
an order to shut down on all the trains
Al f:3O o'clock traffic was resumed on
these trains only.
When several of the officials Of the
2. r. T. arrived. d hurry call was sent
in for the wrecking crew. who, after
working on the coach or ten minutes,
braced it up sufficiently to pull it into
the south side Of the outgoing platform,
where it remained two hours.
None of the officials could explain the
cause Of the accident Some Of them
however. we're inclined TO believe that
perhaps the motorman had made the
switch, which is a very sharp one, too
quickly while others were inclined to be
Iieve that the axle was defective. Normal
traffic was resumed on the bridge at 8
o'clock
BESIDES the subway and ferries. the
telephone companies did a rushing busi-
ness. Every booth within the immediate
vicinity of the bridge was filed with
men and women who were calling up
their wives, husbands and mothers. tell
ing them not 10 worry, as they would
be delayed for some time.