The sun., 1918-08-29
EAST SIDE SUBWAY
SERVICE EXPLAINED
Wheels on Express Run Back
ward While Motor Goes
Forward.
HOLES GOUGED IN RAILS
Discovery Of Phenomenon Will
Cut Down Speed While Re-
pairs Are Made.


Wow" or "wufr." sometimes one. some
times the othcr). was putting the final
polish on snappy little Jest to be run
in the subpay s,ut's humor column yes
terday morning when he heard tho voice
Of his boss. Frank Hedley, at the phone
in an adjoining once. Almost instantly
the attention Of Editor Wow or Wur
was torn from his work.
Yes! Yes!" he heard from the ad-
joining ONCE. This is Mr.. Hedley. Yes,
yes, go on! What is 1t. Speak up! 1
can stand anything. Trouble? What
trouble? Say that again! Wheels run
ming backward on Lexington avenue ex-
presses? Yes. / got It. Good-by"
The receiver clicked in its hook and
Editor Wow (perhaps one had better
hold definitely to this pronunciation for
the sake OF that brevity and uniformity
which are 30 essential to the condensa-
ton required in present day news re-
porting. especially with space at pre-
MUM and when 1t is absolutely necessary
to economze r!gidly in the use of words)
heard the voice of Boss Hedley calling,
boy, tell our editoS want to see him."
II was the voice OF one upon whose
spirit fate had imposed the ultimate bur
den. Editor Wow, who is very soulful,
very sympathetic. felt this.
He Spills 1t to Henry.
through compressed lips, Il have piece
Of news for our newspaper. 1t is an
item which measures UP to the true re-
quirements Of news in that it affects the
interests Of great numbers OF persons 1t
Is unusual even for our subway. 1t con-
tains the necessary elements OF surprise.
and some people. blast 1t all may think
It Is funny. Are you ready. Henry?
sir" said Editor Wow In something
of the very tone and manner OF the
great poet founder Of the subuoy Sun,
II am always alert and ready to serve
the people Of New York in my humble
capacity as editor reporter for our news
paper. Elucidate. Shoot" concluded
Mr.. Wow, shooting his left cuff. which
he desired to serve as notebook
Henry" resumed Mr.. Hedley. Il did
not believe II possible that anything
more could happen to or In our subway.
It did seem to me that the limit had
been reached. I had thought that
Come, come, boss. Get to the point
Make il snappy!' Editor Wow inter-
|
| Let that be our motto, boss.
Yes, yes. | know replied the gen
| eral manager. patiently. but when one
| is literally torn from the preparation OF
argument as to why transportation
| worth every sou markee Of seven cents
| Is sold for a miserable jitney to, hear
that the wheels Of a Lexington avenue
express insist on running backward and
| are tearing holes in every rail In front
| OF every station from le5th street south
| to wall why. Henry. it's not 80 darned
easy to be terse. I could be terse about
a lot Of things, Henry. ] have beer
terse plenty of times. You have heard
me being terse. But this-this is some
thing else again. Wheels running back.
ward"
| Has the Mayor been sitting in fol-
one of our chauffeurs?" asked Mr. Wow
hopefully.
Gouge Holes Out of Rails.
NO. nothing like that. Henry" said
| the boss. II don't know what caused Il
at all But this morning. when Lex
| ington avenue express. bound south
| tried to get away from the l25th stree
| station the blasted wheels went intt
the reverse. blast them Instead OF try
ing to 20 forward they whirled back
ward. blank 'em. The inspector wh'
| reported the weird phenomenon was no
] very clear He seemed to be excited
| seemed TO think he would have beer
| safer II he had gone up TO Sonkers am
| phoned from there but / got his mean
! ing"
You say the wheels insisted on run
ming backward while the motor wa
driving forward" questioned the editor
too intent on facts and accuracy to Civ
way to the excitement rising in him.
These seem to be the facts agreed
the boss. "lts a new game to me
Henry. but apparently there is nothin;
that our little pet Fl can't produce whe'
il tries. The wheels ran backward. ant
naturally, as they spun. they gouge'
great holes out of the steel rails. hole
an inch deep In places. This happene
at every station from 125th street I
Wall before the motorman had gump
ton enough to cut out the balk
motor. We won't have thing to d
tonight. Henry. excep: relay every raj
at every station that train touched
Maybe some OF the rails can be groun
down. but in the meantime trains wi
have to be operated at reduced spec
over the tracks at the express station
| on account of the gouged rails,
Editor Wow fastened back to ms ow
office and got busy whipping the tier
into print for the issue which come
out some time in September
Inquiries made at the office of tn
| Public Service Commission serve
merely to confirm the truth OF this fires
cantankerousness in the ii.