New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-14
INTERBOROUGH
DIRECTORS GIVE
CORONER BONDS
Vanderbilt Nervous and
Reid Careful When in
RiOrdan's Court.
SUBWAY MANAGER
CALLS IT "CIRCUS"
Hedley Testihes Before
p. 5. C.-DenieS Peril
Of Third Rail.

References by Frank Hedley 20 "a
circus now being conducted his dec
/ laration that thousands OF persons
walked over live third rails in the sub
way on the morning OF the accident at
SD ST., and Chairman NcCall's declars-
tion that "the atmosphere OF a court
will prevail at this inquiry or there
will be no inquiry" enlivened the se7-
/ sion OF the Public Service Commission
/ yesterday.
Later Mr.. Hedley, explaining to the
commission that he was m hurry 10
get away. as - expect otherwise 20
be 'pinched almost any minute apollo
gized 10 the commission. saying that
when he spoke Of q circus he referred
10 the proceedings before Coroner Pat
rick y. Rlordau I'M the case Of the two
persons killed on the "L" on Deem
Der 9. Several directors OF the Inter
borough appeared before the coroner,
gave bonds and listened.to that official.
/ The commission obliged Mr.. Hedley.
and after l.. T. Hardness. Of counsel q
the board. declared that the objects Of
the inquiry had been accomplished the
hearing came to an end.
Commission staff at Work.
"This investigation" said he. "iudi-
Gates that unless present practices arc
modified and improved. passengers in
the subway are liable 10 be greatly en-
dangered by a recurrence Of this acct
dent. II also indicates that the posi-
bility Of recurrence can be greatly
minimizcd or eliminated by various
changes and improvements.
"Thc staff Of the commission rs inde-
pendeutly studying and Investigating
the question or reconstruction OF the
splicing chambers; the question o.
the enlargement, rearranScmont or IN
crease of emergency exits: separation
Of high tension and low tension cables.
the complete separ. tioa or lighting and
signal circuits from mower cables. with
auxiliary independent connections TO
mower sub-statiors: the increase in the
lighting system throughout the subway
and other possible preventive
To this finding neither Nr. lIediey
nor James /. Quacherbush. counsel for
the marlborough, objected, and with
the understanding that the engineers
Of the company and the commission
would WORK together. and a new hear
IN be ordered if necessary, the inquiry
closed without any OF the train crew
witnesses Mr.. Quackenbush offered TO
produce being called.
Mr.. Hedlcy came into the hearing
with a bundle OF reports. and for an
hour listened patiently to Dr. Sampson
Binderlv. or Edgewater, tell Of his e1-
neriences m the subway on the dsy OF
the accident. His testimony brought
out one point of value in the case Tor
the continued use Of wooden cars IN
tho subway when he testified that the
local car in which he was at the time
~ the blowout was almost on line
and within thirty-fve feet Of the fash,
which he saw, and did not catch fire.
Mr. Harkness began with long
carries Of questions about the auxiliary
lighting on subway cars. and Mr.. He'd
ley explained that the storage batteries
would run for four hours, that they
could not be charged while the cars
were in use, and that on the day OF
the accident the auxiliary power was
shut off the cars as soon as the subway
was cleared, this in order to have re-
serve power in cars for any emergency
that might arise when service was re-
sumed.