The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-14
FIND POWER WAS ON
AFTER SUBWAY FIRE

The testimony OF Or. Samson Bendcrly.
a physician Of Edgewater. n. j.. before
the Public Service Commission yesterday
afternoon led TO the revelation that after
the Fffty-third street accident OF January
s. while thousands Of persons were walk
Ing through the smoke filled subway, the
powerful current was Internationally
through all the third rails train was
moved north out OF thu danger zone by
jumps and flashes of power and all trains
might have been moved had 1t not been
that reversing the direction of some OF
them would have Increased the hazards.
II also developed that on the morning
| OF the accident, while electricians OF the
system were testing connections In order
| to rcestabllsh the power to move all trains
small fires occurred at the splicing cham
bers Of Fifty-ninth street, Eighteenth
| street, Canal street and perhaps other
| places.
The testimony which surprised the COM
| mission came not only from Dr. Benderly
hut from Frank Hedley. general manager
OF the road, and from james l.. Quacken-
bush, general counsel, who presented hts
! evidence In the form OF statement Of
counsel
II was established. according 70 Mr.
! Hedey and Mr. Quackenbush, that there
vas no danger TO the passengers walk
ing near the third rail because mono OF
| the thousands was hurt.
DIR. Benderly narrated very clearly his
| experiences as passenger. He was in
| the locar which stopped within Atty fet
Of the blowout.
There was no excitement that he saw.
no heat at first and very little incouveni-
| encc from the smoke The lights In tho
car. were out during the first ten minutes
and then they came back dimly. Not even
| the women showed fright
II stayed In the car until sac" said
the doctor "and finally some one said
Let's go out this way We went through
| the local train to the rear end and TN N
jumped out on tho track. Some one said
the third rail wasn't loaded and we had
no fear
we came finally to a ladder leading
10 the street above and there was a crowd
around Il. l heard men saying Women
llIst! 50 l did not remain there Some
one else said. YOU can go out this wayp
and We started north. After walking 4
llttle distance We came TO a stalled south
bound local and climbed on IT, The light
was good and the air was better than IN
thc tracks ! sat down there and read
my paper FOR about ten minutes Then
me train began to move and ran about
half block south. There IL stopped bv "A
second exit and 7 got out, climbed to the
street and went To keep my engagement"
You mean that the train moved after
counsel FOR the commission
Yes, was the positive answer
Didn't YOU return TO the first exit~'
NO; II WAS another one"
MT Hedley admitted that the power
was on at times and Mr.. Quacken6ush in
explanation said that Immediately after
the accident the engineers began TO eN-
pertinent with the idea of restoring con-
ditions' They made tests Of the current
ana IN so doing sent power into the rails
at various times. When II hit the affected
section IT made an are but at other times
| " worked all right. 70 that one north
| bound train was enabled to run out Of
| the danger zone after the accident
! The investigation then adjourned 10
next wednesday at 10 o'clock In the
| morning.