New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-13
10000 HELD
AT CONEY ISLAND
Blowout of Transformer
in Power House Stops
Cars for Hours.
THRONGS RUSH TO
BEACH TO SLEEP
Many Women with Babies In
Throng Forced to Remain
at Resort.

More than 10000 people, many OF
them mother with babies, were ma
rooned at Coney Island for hours TINS
morning. The blowing out OF trans
former put the entire train and trolley
service out of commission.
Wild scenes occurred at the stations
when the lights went out and the ON
cals shouted through the darkness
fiat no trains could run. The last
boats had gone. and from l0:3O O'Clock
till after a. m. not wheel turned on
t1ain or trolley. The only way was oy
automobile. and all that were availapie
were soon snapped up at sl5 for the
trim. Full service was not reStoreu
until after 3 o'clock.
Thousands went TO the beach ana
prepared to spend the night on inc
sands as best they could. There was
nowhere else TO stay, for the I'D IS
on the island and every place has TO
close at a. m. Luna had closed when
i. was discovered that the breakdown
of the transit system was complete
The gates were thrown open again
that women with children might have
somewhere to SIT.
Blue Flames Shoot Up.
The transformer that caused the
trouble was in the Brooklyn RAPID
Transit sub-power station at Sheeps-
head Bay Road and Van Siclen st.
The blowout of the apparatus was
accompanied by remarkable pyro-
technic display. Great blue hames en-
veloped the whole building. A fire
alarm was sent in, but the engines
could not be used because the water
would conduct the electric current ana
imneril the firemen. Two men we're IN
the building at the time. II was under
stood that they managed to escape.
The fire was soon eXtinguished with
sand.
At both the railway stations trains
were already fully loaded and were
about TO start. Suddenly the lights
went out and the trainmen found the
mower was Oft. II was some time be-
fore they were aware of the serious
ness of the breakdown, and no an
nouncement was made until long after
that.
The passengers who were in the un-
lighted cars remained there in me
dark. clamoring for the trains to start.
Other people thronged the gates to get
70 trains. Women with babies fought
to get to the front. not yet knowing
there were no trains. Several hghts
broke out among men. and AT each sta
tion there were near-rlots.
Police CAPTAIN Samuel McElroy. OF
the Coney Island station. had 10 tele-
phore to Bath Beach and Sheepshead
Ray for help, and policemen were
rushed over in patrol wagons.
Crowds Grow Greater.
Their arrival added to the excite
mCnt. for the belief spread that there
had been a disaster, and bigger crowds
ran down TO increase those already at
the ,wc stations. More than one hum
dred policemen were at the West End
depot trying to keep some semblance
CT order. As many more were needed
a. the Culver depot.
Surf av. presented an extraordinary
scene. Half the great throng when the
truth was learned became hilarious and
set ou: 10 make the most OF the situa-
ton. The other half were crying to
yet home. Hundreds Of women could
be seen weeping. They and their chill
dren were tired out. and they wan
dercd up and down the avenue looking
in vain for help.