The sun., 1912-07-07
POLICE DRIVE CROWDS
OFF SHAKY BOARDWALK
Several Panics When Many
Think Arvcrnc Structure Is
About to Fall.
ORDERED FROM THEATRE
Vaudeville Audience and store
Patrons Sent Scattering After
Walk Is Condemned.

Tho police Of the Rockawav Beach
station. acting under orders Of the Depart
ment Of Docks and Ferries closed the
boardwalk at Arverne last night and
drove the crowd on it back TO the side
streets. The Dock Department has con-
demned the walk a. unsafe.
When the more excitable among those
on the walk learned why they were being
told to leave II they got the notion that the
walk probably already was breaking under
them and there were several panics. A
few were thrown down hut no one was
hurt badly.
The boardwalk is about mile and
quarter long and is fifty feet wide. II
extends from Storm to Atlantic avenues.
II was built twelve years ago by the
property owners along the waterfront
and until a year or 40 ago it was kept
up by them.
Last spring the dock department looked
the walk over and notified the Boardwalk
Property Owners Association that the
walk was in bad condition and would
have TO be repaired. The property
owners held meeting about two months
ago at which the matter was discussed
and there was talk of raising funds to
make the necessary repairs. Themoney
required was not forthcoming. however,
and nothing was done.
Yesterday Superintendent Of Docks
c. y. Manley and engineers from his bu-
reau made a thorough inspection OF the
boardwalk. They found that in many
places the piles on which the walk rests
ard which had been driven from six to
eight feet into the ~ nd twelve vearsago
were now resting on the surface OF the
sand or hanging just aboveit.
They condemned the whole structure
and at s:i5 o'clock in the evening Acting
twenty-five policemen went out to close
II. Scattering to the various entrance
they cleared the structure as fast az they
could and would allow no one n 60 on it
The Arverne Pier Theatre. now devoted
r. vaudeville and moyinS pictures. was
theatre open on the walk. SO thepolica
went inside and drove out the audiencel
The same thing happened to the Gus
toners of the forty or fifty stores and
business houses along the boardwa X
which havtln mo entrances on side street. u
Edward Margolies. proprietor ot the
theatre. said that he would apply. on
Monday for rn Injunction 'rlininv'the
police efromkespngsperson !gon entering
his theatre. The position oi the business
men along tne bOaTOWAIk II pretty nH.u
for in accordance with the rules,btainnR g
at seashore resorts most of them had Q
pay their rent for the entire season hr
the first Of July. and now, with the best
two months Of the season before them,
they find their places shut of from
possible customers.
There are drug stores. delcntessen
places. barber shops and other shops of
the seashore sort. These rent payers say
that their predicament il unfai n tothcn1
because the very owners to whom they
have paid their rent are among the
owners of the boardwalk who have per
mitted il to get into such condition that II
finally has been condemned.
The new Typographical map for the
borough Of Queens which was approved
by the Board Of Estimate recently. pro
vides for city built boardwalk with con.
crete foundations. across the front of the
peninsula from Far Rockaway 10 Rocka'
way Park. distance Of about ten miles.
Al present there are privately owned
boardwalks AZ each Of the several settle
ments but these walks are not connected
The projected city built walk will lake
the place OF all of these. II will he some
time. probably. before work is begur
on this new walk and still longer time
before il is done. Meanwhile the business
men whose incomes have been stopped by
the condemnation Of the present walk are
seeking WAYS TO compel the property
owners to repair the walk.