New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-14
10000 HAD TO WALK
Continued from first page

ing debris from the burning tower
caused a stoppage even of the trolley
cars This interruption to the service
lasted half an hour, and during that
time tens of thousands of people walked
the mile or so over the bridge TO Brook
lyn. They invaded not only the foot
path in the centre of the bridge but also
the vehicle roads on either side. where
the trolleys run.
The elevated trains which cleared the
east end of the bridge terminal before
the outbreak of the electric trouble
reached Brooklyn. The trains which
left Brooklyn at the same time. how
ever were held up out on the bridge
Instead of stopping the trains from get
ting on the bridge the starters a the
Brooklyn end Of the bridge let them
come on. There was a block of seven or
eight trains on the bridge with an aver
age of from five TO six hundred persons
on each train. After waiting half an
hour or more. during which the guards
and motormen, though they knew what
caused the delay, did not enlighten the
passengers efforts were made to unload
the crowds coming toward Manhattan
Boards were placed between the plat
forms and the roadways along which
the trolley cars were stalled. On these
the passengers who were coming over
on the elevated trains had to make their
way as best they could and walk the
rest of the way to Manhattan.
After the fire had been under way for
nearly half an hour. the elevated trains
we're held up before reaching the Brook
lyn end Of the bridge. One man stood
On tho train platform with transfers for
the thousands of passengers. AS a re-
suit. only a small proportion of the pas
sengers we're able to get transfers, and
the great bulk had to go down to the
surface and take a chance a the trolley
cars The majority after paying a new
fare and riding a hundred yards on the
trolley cars were invited 70 walk across
the bridge or wait an indefinite time
until the trouble had ceased. They
walked
Service Resumed in Evening.
John Dempsey, superintendent of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit service, was at
the Montag street office, when the
trouble started. He Immediately made
arrangements to use the hand switches
'7 the Manhattan terminal of the road.
IS soon as the fire was extinguished
from all the woodwork and roof in the
iCinity Of the switch tower. the power
was turned on anew. It was impossible
TO use the compressed air switches. which
are controlled by electricity. so the old
fashioned hand switches were called into
requisition. and tne service was resumed
in the evening in time 10 allow those
DESTROYS Of attending the Mardi Gras
celebration at Conev Island to get down
before il was altogether too late for
the fun
The actual damage To property at the
bridge terminal was slight. but the loss
to the Brooklyn Rapid Transit in fares
and in delays of service will probably
figure high. The trolley cars bound
TO Brooklyn did an extraordinarily large
business while they ran, but the inter
rdption interfered seriously with their
When they resumed after a
half an. hours interruption, they had
more than they could accommodate until
the elevated service was resumed.
The crowds gathered on the platforms !
TO Ike trains to Brooklyn were terrified /
by the outbreaks of electrical fire at |
various points when the trouble started. |
The police had all they could do to keep |
order when the rushing down the stair
ways to reach the street began, while |
those who sought 10 90 INST a irS 10 get !
trains groWled and showed no little an
noyance at being turned back. The dis
appointed ones turned in such numbers
to the subway that the platforms at the
Brooklyn Bridge subway station were
not large enough to hold them. and the
service was almost demoralized by the
rush for Brooklyn.