New-York tribune., 1918-10-04
Hylan Calls For
Investigation of
Subway Crash
Fears Automatic Stop Fail
ure May Be Threatened
at Other Stations

Two southbound, six-car subway
trains met shortly before o'clock
yesterday morning at the jackson Ave
nue station with such force that steel
cars were crumpled, two persons killed
and twenty-five hurt. One train had
been halted by signal, and the other,
storming the upgrade curve behind
it, swept past q signal and a hagman
and crashed into it.
The Dead
Van Ostron, William, forty-fjve
years old, of 679 Rhinelandcr Avenue,
Van Nest, West Farms, motorman of
the second train.
.Barall, Meyer, fifty-four years old,
fish dealer at Fulton Market.
The Injured
Blooming, Joseph, forty-four years
old, 1881 Webster Avenue, guard on the
"midnight local." internal injuries,
lacerated left eye and broken leg.
Catalga, John, thirty-three years old,
462 Concord Avenue, The Bronx; con-
cussion of the brain.
old, 1856 Longfellow Avenue; internal
injuries.
Lipschitz, Max, thirty 1.-TWO, 77s Union
Avenue. The Bronx; right leg broken,
face and body cut.
Cook, Joseph, s85 East 176th Street;
decorations Of head and face.
Dillen, George, thirty-two; 1879 In
tervale Avenue; head lacerated.
Finkelstein, Herman, thirty SIX, 897
Boston Road.
Fixler, Sam, twenty-seven, 676 Trim
Ava I,
Stegry, Charles. forty-four. 1902
Southern Boulevard; head and face cut,
Cohen, Louis, thirty y-eight, 20tS Nyse
Avenue; right arm broken.
Jackson Avenue is the first stop on
The Bronx Park subway line after the
trains emerge from the tunnel at 149th
Street and take to the elevated struct-
ure. A South Ferry local, which left
180th Street at 4:40 a. M, was halted
at the station by signal. owing to train
switching to the south in preparation
for the morning rush hour.
Automatic Stop Failed
An automatic signal at the north end
Of the platform was set against any
train in the rear, and a guard went
back along the track with a lantern.
An investigation conducted by District
Attorney Martin showed that the on
coming local, going at high speed to
make the grade up to the station, with
its view of the station platform OBJ
scured by the curve, shot past the
fagman without pause.
Mayor Hylan, who examined the
scene of the wreck himself, wrote the
following letter to Charles B. Hubbcll,
chairman Of the Public Service Com
mission:
81 have just returned from the scene
= 4. ho%y
two subway trains at Jackson and
Westchester avenues, which resulted in
the death of two persons and the inj
ing Of twenty-five others. l found that
the rear end of the train. which was
telescoped by an approaching train,
vas $50 feet from the northerly end
Of the platform. The automatic stop
signal bloc. m which the station is
located is sixty feet north of the
northerly end OF the platform.
Train Ran 200 Feet
according to the officials of the COM
pany, the motorman of this train
PASSED this d. ger and automatic stop
signal and ran along about 200 feet
"The accident would have been more
serious ii the rear end of the stalled
train had been at the end of the station
where it usually stands when stopped,
which would be only sixty feet from
this automatic stop signal.
This automatic signal is not far
enough back from the station, and if
the official version of the accident is
correct, that the automatic stop did
not stop the train in distance of 200
feet, it should be set back sufficient
distance.
"An investigation should be made by
the Public Service Commission i'm
mediately to see if this same condition
does not exist at other stations on
the subway fstem, and have all signals
placed at a sufficient distance from the
platform to prevent reoccurrence of
IN accident of this kind Were it not
for the steel cars the loss OF life would
have been appalling