The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-20
Delay in Transportation, Due
to Ice, Adds to New York's
Discomfort.
TWO DEATHS FROM FALLS
Rain Helps TO Make Streets Pass
able-HarbOr Floes
Breaking Up.

else this winter First II was 'below
Zero" then II was snow. then slush-
inches OF slush--with enough ice to tie UP
transportation lines and to make walk
ing hazardous. Then came more snow
last night and almost an inch fell be-
tween 615 +. NJ. and midnight
The temperature then was 81. and the
forecasters promised II would be clear
and colder to-day.
The rain yesterday did ono thing for
which It deserves thanks. II removed
snow faster than several thousand men
and horses and wagons could have done
It, As a trlfiing payment for this favor
granted this same rain compelled the
city's millions OF people to wade through
a cold mixture OF melted snow and dirt
The problem of what to wear was set
tied. however. The safe rule to follow
is to put on n winter overcoat with
ralncoat over It; high built overshoes. and
II one Is of the trouser wearing sex
to fold these neatly inside the overshoes.
An umbrella is the final necessity.
The army OF snow shovellers wavered
and almost fled to the rear in the face
OF the rains drlzzl!ng attack. Human
agencies Of snow removal were seriously
crippled by the detection. Regularly en-
ployed street sweepcrs OF the Street
Cleaning Department OF course didn't
mind little drizzle. and the men in the
more or less permanent employ OF the
contractors stuck to their Jobs.
Hard on Traffic.
The rain was preceded in the carly
morning by icy sleet. which covered the
trolley and elevated tracks and tangled
up traffic generally. Short circuits we're
rather the rule for a time. Two OF these
pyrotechnic displays caused small sized
panics and the sending out OF police re.
serves. Tho two were at Second avenue
and Ninety second street and Melros4
avenue and l49th street
! Two deaths were reported rs q result
Of the Ice. Mrs. Helen Brocker. owner
1t the Ave story tenement at 1850 Fifth
avenue. in which she lived, went out
without her keys On her return she tried
to get into her apartment by the fire
escape from a neighbor's window and
slipping on tho ice covered floor OF the
fire escape. fell from the NTH floor to the
sidewalk and was killed.
Henry Schuman. a iagman on the Long
Island Railroad. slipped under a train at
Whitney avenue and Broadway, Elm
hurst. as ne was warning others OF the
trains approach and was killed. Schu-
man was co years old. married, and lived
at 40 Court street. Elmhurst.
Many persons were injured more or less
severely by falls on the ice. Henry Steff-
man cigar maker OF S22 East Eighty
lfth street. fell and broke his leg near
his home. Herman Grlssman OF SO: Tenth
avenue also broke a leg
The blocking OF surface lines and the
partial paralysis OF some Of the elevated
roads caused heavy brushes at some sta
tons. Policeman Joseph Kienxler OF
the Adams street station. Brooklyn. was
knocked through car window at the
knickerbocker avenue station Of the Myr-
tie avenue line by the Jam on the platform.
His wrist was cut. but he was fixed up and
went back on duty.
Brooklyn Hard Hit.
Brooklyn suffered heavily by the con-
gestion OF the elevated lines. Trains on
the Lexington avenue line were stopped
entirely for nearly an hour In the. early
morning Then motor cars were sent out
to clear tho third rail. and these were
stalled
The elevated part OF the subway in The
Bronx was disabled for IL time by the
melting OF a fuse on train at the Jack
son avenue station. By the time traftc
was resumed more ice had formed
on the unused third rail and there was
| more delay.
The Manhattan elevated lines tried the
expedient OF shortening the trains and
running them on a briefer Roadway, and
found IL a success. BY this method the
aln th.,s htvNv
frequently that ice didn't have chance
to form.
On the river and harbor the rain made
the ice spongy and even the smaller tugs
which had had trouble breaking through
for a day or SO ploughed along slowly.
but with comparative ease. Ferry slips
were still blocked up with the. ice. but this
crunched easily under the impact OF the
heavy boats.
Fifth avenue offered comedy sketches
a plenty. One was tho competition be-
tween two keepers Of expensive and ia
nous shops on opposite corners to get tho
snow in the dividing street on the other
fellows side. First half . dozen employ ees
OF one Of the shops cleared fine pas
sageway for automobiles at the side of
this particular shop. piling the snow In
front OF the other
cleaners had withdrawn an equal number
! from the other shop came out and threw
the snow back again. This snow went
back and forth at intervals Of half an
hour most OF the day.
The Fire Department had Its usual
trouble getting through the snow. In an
swering All alarm at col West lllth
street yesterday morning several pieces Of
apparatus were held up behind a line OF
stalled trolley cars and finally their driv-
ers took them around over the sidewalk
The top floor of the building was pretty
well wrecked before the fremen could get
to work.
YInYD GEORGES HEALTH WORSE