The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-07
BRIDGE CROWDS
SMASH RECORDS


at the bridge that the lines did at least
third heavier business than usual and
as usual.
The b. r.. T. subway trains to Times
Square and to Chambers street ran in
frequently after 4 o'clock. At 6 o'clock
traffic officers stationed near the Man
haitian approach of the bridge consulted
their watches and voiced the opinion
that trafic on those lines had ceased. II
had been forty-five minutes since n train
going in either direction had crossed the
bridge.
street Approaches TANNED.
At all times during the three hours
rush there were lines Of motor vehicles
extending up and down the Bowery and
to the east and west on Canal street as
far as one could soc. During the tenn
porary halts of a few seconds in the
traff1o II was learned from occupants OF
passenger automobiles that in many In
stances Manhattan business men living
In Brooklyn had telephoned for their
cars TO meet them. In most instances
these business mon carried back to
Brooklyn carload Of shop girls or men
Drivers Of motor trucks and those rid
ing on them shouted the information
that the boss had ordered the trucks
to take his employees home. In scores
OF cases this was apparent for the big
trucks were provided with benches.
chairs and even plain board planks for
seats. Those in which the passengers
had to stand carried the most
In the procession there were ordinary
touring cars-ive passenger cars ano
seven passenger cars--carrying to
Brooklyn from six 10 twelve persons
each--red and white and yellow rub
berneck autos with seven and eight
seats and carrying from 80 20 20 Or
more passengers, motorcycles without
side cars. racing cars. moving vans,
live chicken trucks and delivery We
hicles Of every kind and painted every
color Of the rainbow.
Even the motorcycle side cars were
made to carry two and three and in
some instances four passengers. Ev-
cry vehicle that crossed the bridge
sagged heavily on its springs, excepting
a little white racing car which carried
only three passengers. The third pas
senger. young woman, sat on the hood
of the machine facing toward the driver.
To onlookers her position appeared per-
ilous but she didn't seem to mind It,
Some of the motor trucks and vans
that carried the largest numbers were
those of tho American Can Company,
]. e. Ande Paper Company, seeman
Brothers, Hungerford Brass and Cop
per Company, American Railway Elk
press and United Cigar Stores Com
pany. The crowds on all the trucks
seemed In a sort OF holiday mood and
when a crate from a truck of live chick
ems broke from its fastenings and
crashed to the street. hating traffic for
an instant and freeing the chickens,
there was much sport made Of the occur
renee.
Crowds in Good Humor,
The driver Of a motor truck load of
large Messina lemons had to stand for
numerous gibes when a crate Of the
yellow fruit crashed to the street and
when a minute later his truck refused
to move UP the steep incline to the
bridge approach. He was quickly
hustled out Of the line and the traffic
moved forward.
Occasionally the engine of car
would stall. hating trafic. The police
quickly got such a car started or out
of the way.
At o'clock when the rain started N
fall II dampened the spirits Of the omen
truck riders considerably. Girls on the
open trucks saved the day. They jostied
ana pushed until they managed to raise
above the heads of their fellow pas
sengers umbrellas and parasols which
had heretofore been concealed. On one
motor truck alone were noticed one
green. one blue. four black, two red
snd two purple umbrellas and parasols
sheltering the riders.
COndittnna VTourh sirntlar 60 thnno 49,.
vailed on the Williamsburg Bridge,
where the traffic police said they had
never seen such crowds OF pedestrians
anG traffic on the structure. The Frank
lin, Nostrand. Tompkins. Sumner. Ralph.
Rushwich and Wilson avenue lines Of the
B. r. T. were not running, and persons
who ordinarily went home on these cars
tried to get there in every other con-
oeivable way.
The only surface cars crossing the
bridge were the bridge locals. operated
by the Bridge Operating Company and
not concerned In the strike. and the few
crosstown lines of the New York Rail-
ways Company. All of these lines car
ried enormous crowds. The trains en-
the elevated lines ran at infrequent in
tervsls. and when one did pull into the
Essex street station II was 80 crowd ed
with people from the Bowery terminal
that Il was impossible for any more to
get on.
BY 1880 o'clock the traffic jam on the
Williamsburg Bridge. extended back to
Clinton street, and the FIRST serious tie
up OF traffic occurred about that time
Stalled motors, skidding wheels and a
race between hurrying chauffeurs caused
a Jam that held UP the line Of vehicles
for half an hour. The bridge police re-
ported but one accident, that to Jacob