Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-18
PR. R. TRAIN TIE-UP
CLOSE T0BROAD ST.
Thousands of Commuters and
Others Delayed by Accident
to Feed Wire
MANY USE TROLLEY CARS

A broken wire tangled IN commu
tation and through train travel in and
out Of Broad Street Station this morn
ing
Thousands Of passengers were from
fifteen minutes TO an hour late in reach e.
ing their destinations. Many of these
were in an electric train stalled on tho
bridge over the Schuyikll west Of
Broad street
The break in the wire occurred at the
crossovcr from No. to No. . track at
tower. near Broad Street Station.
The Chestnut Hill electric, due in at
.S.14 o'clock, smashed its pnntagraph on
the break.
A few hundred yards behind the
Chestnut Hill train was a Main Line
electric due at Broad Street at S:l5
o'clock Back Of this was another Main
Line train, scheduled to arrive at $50
o o'clock.
These three electric trains, and others,
both steam and electric, inbound and
outbound, were held up. while pas
sengers fumed and frettcd. rallied at
conductors and brakemeu. and found
their feet growing colder and colder
their tcmpers hotter and hotter.
Towed TO Broad Street Station
The Chestnut Hill train with the
move. A switching engine towcd it into
Broad street. Meanwhile, the Main
Line electric due at S:15 lay on the
bridge over the river
1t had come to halt about 3 IL. For
a time the electric current was com
pletely off. due to the broken wire.
Then the current was turned on, the
motors hummed and the train moved
Il few inches Several times this oc-
Cured, and once the train made II
first down, but it couldn't get off the
bridge.
After the delay had amounted nearly
to an hour, men among the passengers
prevailed upon the brakemen to open
the doors, and they streamcd across the
icy trestlework of the bridge to stairs
leading to the street level, there to
take trolley cars.
Women tried the same thing. A few
got away it and then a brakeman
spotted them. He waved them back.
The men might risk their lives he in
formed them, but the women must stay
on the train. One woman started across
the tracks regardless.
"You mustn't do it protested the
brakeman. IT'S against orders.
won't let you"
"I'n go anyway snapped the
woman, who was ns big as the brake
man. Her eyes glinted threateningly
through her glasses, and she continued
on her way. Tho brakeman stretched
out and grabbed her.
Madam, you mustn't" he insisted.
Conductor Sees Easiest Way Out
Brakeman, | will" she retorted,
and she started to pull away. Then
occurred spirited wrestling match, the
brakeman as courteous as he could be
under the circumstances, the woman
mad clear through and determined.
Finally it was the conductor who saved
the day.
LET her 60 if she wants" he or
dered. and the brakeman, with sigh
of relief, disengaged himself from the
catch as can catch can. The woman,
glaring, made for the stairs to the
street.
A moment later a Chestnut Hill cleo
trio pulled up on another track The
conductor of the stalled train halted it
and the delayed passengers were trans
ferred and finally arrived at Broad
street.
The 500 from Paoli uuloaded at
West Philadelphia. Several other trains
did likewise.
Traffic was disorganized for at least
| two hours. Outbound movement was
over a single track. Tho 500 for
Chestnut Hill was combined with the
s 30 The 8 o'clock express for New
! York was annulled.
Trains on all lines were late thi:
morning owing to difficulty in getting
up steam and to frozen switches.