The Washington times., 1915-01-06
SCORES ARE INJURED
IN SUBWAY PANIC
One Woman Meets Death and
Hospitals Filled With Those
Overcome by Smoke.
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graphic story of what took place un-
TT was q chamber Of horrors when
ne said IN my ss
such scene. There were 700 people in
were sitting stark in their seats with
eyes glazed and faces turned up. un-
around on the floors, knocking down
those who were unconscious and tram
ping those who were lying on the floor.
Many had fallen unconscious. crawling
through the windows. Others had
fallen in their mad rush in attempting
to grope their way up and down the
tunnel to the Fiftieth and Fifty-ninth
street ,, stations. we found men prop
ventilators. where they had crawled to
get fresh afr. Others lay on their faces
on the tracks and between the tracks,"
All Of the police reserves in Man
Officials Of the Interberough system de-
clared that the fire itself was of little
consequence. but that some Of the fit
tings in the power station had burned
out. thus accounting for the smoke.
The great danger. it was admitted. was
due to cars stalled in the darkness
filled with hundreds of frightened pas
sengers
Worst Tie-up In History.
The tie-up was the worst in the his
tory, Of the city. Above Ninety sixth
street the power was all right in the
early hours Of the tie-up and tickets
We're sold as usual with the result that
when the trains reached the scene there
the power was off, as result of the
blowout. and they stalled one behind
the other.
The stretch of tunrc. that rups from
Ninety sixth street 10 10th street undes
Central Park was .iamrcd with trains
f1:lcL with men and women. The block
had started about o c,ock IN he height
OF thu rush hour and there was not n
sinric inch of space inside o. any Of :he
cars. IT was fuunG impossible t. cren
any OF the windows OF !hc cars to start
the fcns and the neat socn !u.a,ne I'm
bearable "
Women rapidly became hysterical and
one after another collapsed in a dead
faint. The men passengers did their
best to assist them, but it was inipos-
Sible to leave the cars because of the
danger from the third rail, and all that
could be done was to loosen the cloth
ing Of some of the worst cases. and,
as far as possible. clear a place for
them along the seats of the cars
Escape Through Trains.
The scene was terrifying in the ex-
treme: While the more cool-headed pas
sengers tried their best to reassure their
fellows the sight Of the fainting
women added to the terror They de-
nearest station. but in this particular
stretch of tunnel this was impossible.
Finally the guards ran their trains
against each other and then. opened the
doors and passed the passengers through
in this way. reaching the station at
Ninety-sixtk street.
On the main Broadway line, north of
Ninety-sixth street similar scenes
n1n f0@ all ,,rl
Of line the tunnel is higher and wider
and there was not so much suffering
by the passengers. Many women, how
ever. tainted and had to be carried out
Of the trains.
Firemen Overcome.
Victims, were stretched out on the side
walks and given first aid, afterward be-
ing carried into houses and stores near
by. Those who could not be imme-
diately restored to consciousness were
hurried to the nearest hospitals.
Many were obviously in a serious con-
danger. but also the firernen suffered.
In their efforts to search the stalled
trains score of them were overcome,
and had to be In turn carried out by
their companions.
Fire lines were established so that the
police, tremen. and doctors could have
room to work in and within these lines
every pulmotor in the city was put at
work. Many of the victims, as soon as
they recovered from the effects of the
smoke. insisted on going on to work.
Meanwhile the tieing up of the sub
way had caused unprecedented conges-
These lines are able to care for only Il
fraction of the traffic of the city COM
ing from upper New York. and soon
every station and every platform was so
iammed that many were in danger of
ha in,
front Of moving trains.
Police reserves We're called out and
orders issued that no more passengers
were to be permitted to get on the ele-
there had been taken care Of. The
overflow tried to get on the surface
cars. and soon these were jammed.
Automobile trucks ell route downtown
persons we're Compelled to walk.
The disaster will result in a complete
investigation of the subway methods,
declared District Attorney Perkins. AS
he sent for Assistant District Attorney
breckenridge. in charge of the homi-
eide bureau, and. accompanied ty pho
tographers and detectives. fastened to
He said that he intended to place the
responsibility for tbe accident at once.
He began the examination Of witnesses
forthwith while he directed subpoenas
to he served on the directing officials
of the Interborough.
Officials of the Interborough insisted
that none of their trains had burned.
They said that the fire was due en-
tirely to faulty, insulation Of cables.
Fire Commissioner Adamson sent for
every extra man that could be spared
from every section of the city, end an
nounced that he would have searched
as rapidly as possible every train stalled
in the section about Fifty-ninth street.