New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-08
HAS PLAN TO END
SUBWAY DARKNESS
c. Walter Randall Urges
Extra Lighting System
to Serve Purpose.
PANICS LESS LIKELY
IF PEOPLE CAN SEE
Brave New Workers. Who Are
Legion, Would Thus Have
Chance to Help in Accident.

G.. Walter Randall. lawyer and old
Harvard baseball captain and football
player, sent q letter yesterday to Ed
ward Z. Mccall, chairman Of the Pub
lie Service Commission. discussing iu-
ture subway safeguarding.
Light At all times is the argument
which the former Crimson athlete
urges He says:
Assuming the press reports OF this
accident 20 be correct. the subway.
with it's thousands Of passengers caught
between stations, was plunged into
darkness Immediately following the
short circuit which preceded the
spread of deadly smoke and gases.
Without criticism Of what is past, but
i'm the hope fer what lies in the future.
10 D. my conviction that light at all
times is the first subject TO which the
attention Of the authorities should be
called.
Let the transit company furnish in
the subwavs not alone the light which
is plentifully supplied when service IS
running smoothly and passengers are
unconccrrcd. but also an emergency
system such as Will illuminate the en-
tire underground way when the stop
comes, when the seed Of panic threat
ems 10 srrout. thrive and flourish. with
death for its fruit.
UTges Independent System.
Let il civo a lighting system entire
~ independent from the general power
system one which cannot be affected
iv a break or short circuit in the
Transportation power and one which
can be switched from the current
sources of the transportation system
TO those of one of the large Lighting
companies in time OF need.
at may be true that there is no way
known to electrical science 20 prevent
short circuit. as Mr. Wilder and Mr.
Hedley are quoted as saying but there
is 20 least 4 practical way Of guarding
against the blackness of death in the
length of the subway tunnels when one
of those dangerous situations occurs.
"That the average citizen of New
York is not a physical or moral COW
ard is demonstrated by the varied RISKS
taken every day, not the least OF these
consisting in travelling via subWa"
lust as soon as traffic was re-estao-
lished after this last accident. Given
a fighting chance, he viii accept u
readily. and, at the same time, VIII
render at least an average amount OF
assistance to his fellows in peril.
an the blackness of this subway DIS
aster he was more helpless than the
blind. for the sightless have at least
become used to their condition and
have learned to rely on the other senses
to help themselves along.
Give the Brave a Chance.
ar cowardice is psychological, so
also is courage.
1.-THE least that can be done for the
immediate safety of both the coward
and the hero is TO give the brave man
a chance to see what he must face, as
well as all possible surrounding physl-
cal conditions. thus giving him the OPP
portunity to use his faculties with in
telligence for the safety Of his neigh
bors and himself.
There are engineering problems pre-
scented by this disaster which Will
doubtless be attacked with a view TO
increasing the safety Of the travelling
public. The experts will solve such OF
these as are possible. Meanwhile an
independent lighting system with an
emergency connection from outside
sources should go far toward prevent
ing another such scene as was wit
messed by the courageous fremen and
notice who first attacked the task OF
bringing the units of that suffocated
mass Of human beings to the surface