The sun., 1918-10-06
HYLAN,NERVOUS,
STOPS TRAFFIC
Worst Jam City Has Ever Had
Follows His Alarm Over
Wild Report.
TIEUP LASTS 3 1-2 HOURS
Action Taken on RumOr of I'M
pending Blast Of Great
Magazine.
TIEUP LASTS 3 1-2 HOURS

New fOrR CITY suffered from an dB-
gravated attack Of nerves yesterday af-
ternoon. Rumors that the fire at Nor
gan was approa aching a large store OF
TST-the story went that 1t was any
where from 40 to $50 tons--caused an
apprehensive Mayor to imagine all sorts
Of dire effects upon this city.
So by his order traffic Of all kinds
across the bridges was stopped and no
trains were permitted to run through the
Interborough tunnel. the Hudson tubes
or the Pennsylvania tunnels to New Jer-
sey or to Long Island.
The result was probably the greatest
jam in traffic that has ever been seen
here. Not, only were those held on their
way home alarmed. but the news of an
impending disaster that had made II
necessary to take such extraordinary
precautions spread rapidly throughout
every borough.
Arteries of Travel Closed.
From 80 until nearly the big
arteries Of travel were closed. They
were opened only after the receipt of re-
assuring advices from South Amboy.
The telephone wires were jammed
with messages to home warning rela-
tives and friends that a terrific explosion
was about to occur, and imploring them
to take all necessary precautions. In
many cases women and children left
their homes and sought open places in
| the streets and parks.
The most widely circulated report wa.
that the local authorities had received
| word from Washington advising that the
bridges and tunnels be shut down as a
| measure OF precaution.' because it was
feared that a further explosion. much
| greater than any that had occurred, would
| take place any minute.
Gen. March, Chief of STAFF in Wash
| ington. as soon as he heard of the yarr
| authorized the statement that he had
| made no request or suggestion that the
bridges and tunnels be closed down. But
his denial never did catch up with the
| original story.
Efforts to place the responsibility fol
the scare developed the information
| from Grover whalen. secretary to tn,
Mayor. that the Mayor had taken tn,
responsibility OF shutting down tn,
/ conversation with Fire Chief Kenlon.
Secretary WhsIen Explains.
| After traffic had been resumed Secre
tary whalen said the Mayor had taker
action on being informed by Chief Ken
Ion that there was danger Of another
great explosion. which might do serioui
damage to this city. Secretary whaleI
said he did not know where the Fire
Chief was when he was talking. but HI
presumed he was at the scene OF the fire
| II was soon after 2 o'clock when tn,
Mayor communicated with Chief In
spector DAILY and ordered him to shu
of all trafic on the bridges and to maxi
every preparation for serious conse
quences of an explosion. He then got II
touch with Acting Chairman Whitney o
the Public Service Commission an,
asked him to have all travel through tn
tunnels stopped.
"Mr. Whalen told me-" said Commits
sioner Whitney. that the Mayor ha,
Learned from the Federal authoritie
that there was danger OF another BIZ
explosion and asked that the traffic II
the tunnels be shut on as a matter o
precaution. supposed that some Fed
erai official at Perth Amboy had com
municated with the Mayor and l imme
diately took steps along the lines sug
gested.
The Brooklyn, Manhattan. Williams
burg and Greensboro bridges wer
closed about $3.50. Not only was al
railroad and vehicular traffic stopped
but no pedestrians were permitted ol
the structures. Traffic was resumed o.
the brides at 5 Al.
| At 2:25 Commissioner Whitney bega
calling up tie traffic managers OF tn
lInterborough. Hudson tubes and Penn
syivania Railroad and in three-quarter
Of an hour not a wheel was turning ur
der the East or North rivers. The In
terborough turned Its Brooklyn train
back at the South Ferry loop. TIL
trains OF the Pennsylvania and Lon
Island were held in the station In Man
haitian or on the New Jersey or Lon
Island shores.
At B:19 the order went out TO resum
traffic in the tunnels. but II was hour
before the tsnsle Of trains was straight
ened out.
ut was fortunate" said COMMISSIONS
Continued on Tenth Pd1e.