New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-07
WAS UNAVOIDABLE,
HEDLEY STATEMENT
"Such Accidents Will Hap
pen Until Short Circuits
Are Prevented"

Yesterdays subway accident was at
solutely unavoidable and of kind
that cannct be prevented. according to
a statement given out by Frank Hedley.
vice-president and general superintend-
ont of the Interborough Rapid Transit
system, at 1O:30 o'clock last night.
Until some one invents something
which will prevent a short circuit" he
said, "a device which does not exist
to-day, such accidents are apt TO lap
ren. for. uncertain as this matter is.
we are satisfied a short circuit started
the trouble. Whoever makes this in
.vention will be fully recompensed for
his trouble"
This morning normal service will be
resumed on all subway lines. The local
service was opened late yesterday af-
ternoon, and by 1890 o'clock last night
the stalled express trains were moved
to prepare for the morning rush, and
at 1920 the first local train was sent
through to Brooklyn.
Mr. Hedley said last night he ex-
pected that all would be ready for reg
ular traffic by O'Clock this morning.
For a greater part oil the afternoon and
night local trains were run from
Brooklyn Bridge to Goth St, but 1920
found the Bronx and Brooklyn divi-
sions in operation. Concerning the ac-
cident Mr.. Hedley said:
The short circuit which was the
cause of the accident occurred IN the
two manholes in the subway at SD st.
IL is here that the high tension cables
from the 59th ST. power house on the
North River. carrying 1000 volts, en-
ter the subway. From this place they
run north and south, feeding the sub
stations along the line from which
The low tension direct current cables
supply the power for the system.
"ln these manholes there were thir-
tv-one cables. After the explosion
caused by the short circuit, which
melted everything in reach, only four
high tension cables were left. With
these it is hoped to get the system
running again. The destruction OF
most of the high tension cables put
out of commission the Willoughby 81
sub-station in Brooklyn, which stalled
the trains in the tube
Asked what measures were taken Dy
the Interborough company TO prevent
short circuits, Mr. Hedley said:
"A short circuit IS unpreventable.
But we take every preeaution TO make
them impossible Every cable is tested
once a month TO discover any flaw. Also
the automatic circuit breaker is tested
and subjected to load three times the
normal working pressure"
MIR. Hedley could not explain the re
mort that while the blowout happened
M sos o'clock in the morning the hrst
fire alarm was not turned in until S:l4.
and then by citizen who saw smoke
coming through the ventilator grstings.
II the assertion were true, ne said, II
was because the smoke would be notice
able sooner on the street than IN the
subway. He then said:
$50 far as the smoke being the cause
for making many Of the passengers un-
conscious is concerned, the reports are
incorrect. IL was the gases and fumes
from the melting copper and lead ana
the burning insulation which overeame
the people. But most OF the injuries
were caused by the panic. j cannot too
strongly emphasize the necessity OF the
newspapers appealing 10 the people to
keep their heads.