New-York tribune., 1918-10-06
Jersey Commuters
Left Isolated bv
Stopping of Trains

Mayor Hylan issued an order at 2:30
yesterday afternoon closing the tubes
and bridges to all traffic. Inquiries at
the City Hall brought forth the cx-
planation that the Mayor took this
drastic action because the War Depart
ment informed him that thousands Of
tons of TINT were in danger of cx-
ploding at any moment.
This information soon reached the
thousands stalled at the terminals of
the Brooklyn Manhattan and Manhat-
tan-Jersey tubes and the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad tube, and spread like wildfre
through the city. A condition border
ing on panic prevailed among the wait
ing crowds, in downtown offices in
manhattan and in homes which were in
the danger zone of the thousands of
tons of INT" which were in danger Of
exploding at any minute.
Police Headquarters shared in tho
panlcky feeling. Chief Inspector Dalv
carried out the Mayors order and
stopped all trains running to BROOKLYN
and Jersey through the ;ubes and shur
on all traffic on the bridges.
Train Schedules Unset
The order of the Mayor disarranged
the schedules of the Pennsylvania
Railroad People who had purchased
tickets tor points reached by the Penn
sylvanla and connecting lines were
stalled at the big terminal for nearly
two hours. .
Then the Mayor issued another order
countermanding his first. Traffic was
resumed and in time the panicky con-
dltlon died away.
All Rush to Ferryboats
IN the meantime New York had dis
covered that ferryboats were holding
an unolsputed corner on transporta
1lon to and from Brooklyn and New
Jersey. Tor more than two hours
the busiest OF Saturday-the modern
arteries Of trans-river traffic were drv
while the medium of a score of voars
ago once more held single sway.
IL was Just at the hour whom Tho
downtown office buildings were disporo-
ing their workers for the half -hoIidav
or an autumn Saturday, and the crowd
as usual, started for BROOKLYN Bridoe
when the order came.
follcemen stationed at the bridpe
entrance announced that ferrvboafs
alone were handling the TRANSPORTATION
70 or from Manhattan. At first a thin
a.ieaih H.i'. o OF people was diverted to the
fulton Ferry House, but gradua1lv tLo
Terry was made the objective Of con-
tlnuous procession.
- automobiles and trucks turned down
Fulton Street all ferry And -
hahdie TINS vast assemblape was tho
erryboat Columbia. 'ic
meanwhile thousands were streaming
aiohg the Waterfront to Atlantic Ave.
nue., "nere service to the Battery
proved fairly adequate, handled bv two
ferryboats DS '"o
Panic Felt in Jersey
The condition of fear result;no v,os
not confined to New York. but snread
TO New Jersey where afternoon naners
earned big streamers across the fron+
page reading: - 0'''
Explosion Stops Subways!"
called up Washington on the "rnrodus lanrd;l
tance telephone and newspaner lr's gus us
spondents besieged the War Denart-
ment tor reasons for the Mayor &C.
tion; 10 all inquirers Washington Of
ncials SAID that they knew nothing of
the motive Of the Mayors order Tho
war Department declared that il boS
TOT ISSUED any orders to the Mayor and
knew no reason why the traffic should
have been stopped. '00-o
VA A little before 6 o'clock Grover
Whalen, the Mayors secretary eaid ss;d
that the Mayor had issued the order IN
ADVICE OF Fire Chief Kenlon. w
Did Not Visit Scene
Had Chief Kenlon been to the scero
Of the explosion before he commnn;
Gated with the Mayor" the Mavor'.
secretary was asked
mo, but he went there after tele-
pn6olnlng the Mayor" said Mr.. Whalen
..1 where sa,e did he get the information ;"
Nor could it be learned where the