Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-07
PASSENGERS IN PANIC,
AND zoo ARE INJURED
They Fight MadIy III Wild Struggle
to Escape From Stalled Sub
way Trains.
TRAFFIC IS DEAIoRALIZED
New York Suffers Transportation
Blockade Without Parallel, Fol
lowing Worst Accident in History
OF Underground System.

NEW YORK. January 6-The worst
accident In ten years history Of New
Gork'S subway occurred during the
morning rush hours to-day, when TOO
passengers in two stalled trains were
stricken with panic I'm the darkcned
tubes. by dense smoke and acrld fumes
from short circuited cable. In the
struggle to escape, about 200 persons
were injured. one a woman, fatally.
Others overcome were rescued uncon-
scious by police and firensn. while
scores struggled to the street unnerved
or hysterical, their clothing torn and
faces blacliened by smoke.
The city tonight was in the throes
of transportation blockade without
parallel in It's history. 1t was not un-
til late this afternoon that Il wheel
again turned In the subway, and then
only limited local service was main
tanned. The hundreds of thousands OF
passengers the subway ordinarily car
ries We're diverted TO elevated and sur
face systems. and when the homo
bound rush began tonight. neither
system had adequate facilities. There
were subway trains running to Brook
lyn and dense mass of humanity.
concentrat ting at the Brooklyn Bridge.
two hours in struggle to board
trains and cars.
TRAINS COME TO STOP
MIDWAY RETWEE.N STATIONS
The accident occurred between the
Fiftieth and Fifty-ninth Street station
and called out virtually the entire fire
and ambulance service on Manhattan
Island. Tho two trains nm express and
n local. both packed, came to n stop
midway between tho stations and the
lights went out a large feed cable
had blown out In Its conduit, about
fifty yards distant. and soon the cars
were filled with the fumes OF burning
rubber. This soon grew unbearable.
and 1t took little to start n panic In
the darkness.
The demands of some OF the pas
sengcrs that the doors be opened were
refused by the guards, 1t was said.
Fights ensued. and there was soon I'm
progress on both trains desperate
struggle to get out. Windows were
mashed by the scores: men and women
trampled each other and tore each l
others clothes in fear.
When the first of the panlc-stricken |
passengers reached the street, the re- |
port spread that there had been n ter
rible catastrophe in which many had |
been killed.
Police and flremen quickly reached |
the scene, and although it was Mt |
length established that the reports
were exaggerated. they were busy more |
than three hours in the rescue work |
They found in the two trains many |
passengers, mostly women. nearly |
asplyXiated. Others had collapsed on !,
the floor OF tho tube. Some were
brought up by ladder through man |
holes. some through ventilating nper !
tures in the street. ordinarily covered !
with steel grating.
DOZENS Of AMBTLANCES
CARRY INJURED AWAY.
Nearby theatres, stores and auto |
mobile garages were comma mandeered MS
temporary hospitals. while dozens OF
amhuiances carried away to hospitals
those needing skilled attention. Some /
of these were reported In serious I
condition Tonight Miss Ella Brady.
the only person to lose her life. died
IN m ambulance. The lives OF several
were saved by tho use OF
pulnotors. physicians said.
investigations to fix the blame for
the accident wore Mt oncc started by
District Attorney Perkins and tho Pub.
Tic service Commission and word came
from Albany that the accident had
started legislative activity looking to
an investigation OF the States super
vision OF public utilities.
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Named for Rear A JlmfrnI.
NU