New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-03
FIRES IN SUBWAY
DELAY THOUSANDS
Short Circuits Tie Up Tube
Service During Rush
Hours.
TUNNEL EMPLOYEES
HAMPER FIREMEN
Adamson Orders marlborough
Aids to Cease Thwarting Ef-
forts Of City's HoSemcn.

for slA hours Yesterday morning the
subway vas OF very little service 20
the community. Four short circuits dis.
organized the system to sucn an OK
tent that passengers ard prospective
passengers were forced TO turn 10 the
surface and elevated lines 10 carry out
their plan OF getting 10 work before
business was shut down for the day.
The accidents happened Al the
heaviest travel hours ~ the morning.
At 4 a. m. northbound local was sp-
preaching the 18th ST. station when the
conductor noticed smoke rising from
the wood guari over the third rail.
When the train got 10 the station the
motormsn and conductor made an in
vestigation and not,ncd the company.
II appeared that sparks caused by the
contact or the car snoc with the third
rail had set fire 10 the woodwork. Two
other local trans ran by to the SGth
ct. station without stopping AZ 18TH Il.
burned wood and repaired the irsula-
ton, which had been burned. There
had not been much smoke, and If any
OF the passengers were excited it did
not show IN their actions. Because
traffic is not very heavy At that hour
the headway then is about ten min
utes travel Vas not seriously dis
turbcd.
Water Causes Short Circuit.
The second accident came a. S:tj
O'Clock. Water leaked in from the
yentilators at 18th ST. and dripped onto
the third rail on the northbOund eN-
press tracks. This caused a short cir
cult to a signal stand. The flames COM
municated 10 the tics, firing two or
three. 4 short section Of the third
rail VAS melted and the insulation
from the rail to the signal stand was
burned
Fortunately. no train was in the I'M
mediate vicinity. though some we're not
far above and below that point. An
employe Of the company who CHANGED
10 be near turned Off the current. stall
ing trains for more than two mules.
Smoke from the burning wood and
insulation poured through for great
distances, held IN the subway ~ the
damp, heavy air. Though many OF the
passengers in the stalled trains we're
uneasy. there was no sign Of panic.
When the lights in the train IN which
shc was riding went out AZ 59th 81.
Miss Mary kerns, nineteen, Of lOl
West 98th St, tainted. An ambulance
surgeon revived her without difficulty.
subway Aids Hamper Fircmcn.
4 man standing or the 72d st. sta
ton sent IN a fire alarm when he SAN
the smoke and Deputy Chlcf Burns
certain that all danger was over.
Fircmen took complete charge OF the
subway, having in mind what happened
on January al Broadway and Doth 81.
When they wont into the tube the en-
Moves at the stati as denied them the
use Of the cAtinguishcrs Questions
about their location were unsstis isc-
torilv answered. and for time ChlcI
Burns thought there were no fire nghi-
ing appliances IN the subway.
Fire Commissioner Adamson cleared
this up quickly. and the subway en-
ployes found the cNtingulshcrs for the
Gremen when he ordered them 10 pro
duce.
II did not take the fremen long to
extinguish the blaze. but Chief Burns
would not permit the company to re-
sumo operation Of trains until he was
responded.
Agent Again Proves Worth.
Fifteen minutes after this as north
bound train that had been stalled at
Sprinr st. started away short circuit
between the feed rail and signal box
shot 2 fame to the roof OF the subway
and this was followed b. two flashes
from the signal stand. John DceGan,
the ticket agent at the northbound sta
tion. turned of the power, cutting on
tho current from. the Brooklyn Bridge
TO 10Th ST. lie intimated later that he
feared that he would lose his lob be
cause he shut off the power. He was
agent at 50th st. on January and
turned of the current there.
The fourth short circuit occurred at
the southbound Grand Central station.
This was at 10 o'clock. shortly after the
stalled trains got in motion again. TO
make an investigation Edward Kelly, OF
1922 Southern Boulevard, conductor.
rot down 10 the tracks. A pun OF
smoke overpowered him. He was car
ried to the platform and attended By
an ambulance surgeon, who sent him
home.
The trouble there was remedled IN
FIVE minutes, but conditions did not be
come normal throughout the system
until after Il o'clock.
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