The sun., 1919-08-07
BRIDGE CROWDS
SMASH RECORDS


ried across the bridge during the rush
hours could not be obtained last night,
but 1t was said by different starters
at the bridge that the lines did at least
a third heavier business than usual and
that 1t might have been twice as heavy
as usual.
The B. r. T. subway trains to Times
Square and to Chambers street ran in
frequently after Z o'clock. At Q o'clock
trafiic offfficers stationed near the Man
haitian approach Of the bridge consulted
their watches and voiced the opinion
that traffic on those lines had eased. 1t
had been forty-flve minutes since a train
going In either direction had crossed the
bridge.
street Approaches damned.
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 see. During tho tenn
porary halts of few seconds in the
traffic II was learned from occupants Of
passenger automobiles that In many In
stances Manhattan business men living
In Brooklyn had telephoned for their
care to meet them. In most instances
these business men carried back to
brooklyn a carload Of shop girls or men
factory hands or clerks
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-flve passenger cars ana
seven passenger cars-carrying to
Brooklyn from six 10 twelve persons
eaoh-red and white and yellow rub
oerneck autos with seven and eight
seats and carryin gfrom 30 to 40 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
q little white racing car which carried
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 t.
Some OF the motor trucks and vans
that carried the largest numbers were
those OF the American Can Company.
]. Z. Line Paper Company, Seemon
Brothers, Hungerford Brass and Cop
per Company, American Railway Ex-
press and United Cigar Stores Com
pany. The crowds OF all the trucks
seemed in a sort OF holiday mood and
when 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
rene.
Crowds in Good Humor.
The driver of a motor truck load of
large Messina lemons had to stand for
numerous gibes when q crate of the
yellow fruit crashed to the street and
when 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. ~, -. n~ a IN 4
Occasionally tho sngind of n scar,
would stall, hating traffic. The police
quickly got such a car started or out
of the way.
At o'clock when the rain started 10
fail II dampened the spirits OF the open
truck riders considerably. Girls on the
open trucks saved the day. They jostled
and pushed until they managed 10 raise
above the heads OF their fellow pas
sengers umbrellas and parasols which
had heretofore been concealed. One one
motor truck alone were noticed one
green. one blue, four black, two red
and two purpe umbrellas umbrellas and
parasols sheeltering the riders.
Conditions much similar to these pre-
vailed on the' Williamsburg Bridge.
where the traffic police said they had
never seen such crowds OF pedestrians
anc trafflc on the structure. The Frank
lin, Nostrand. Tompkins, Sumner. Ralph.
Pushwich 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-
teivable way.
The only surface cars crossing the
bridge were the bridge locals, operating
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
iied enormous crowds. The trains on
the elevated lines ran at infreauent IN
tervals, and when one did pull into the
Essex street station II was so crowded
with people from the Bowery terminal
that It was impossible for any more TO
get on.
BY 1870 O'Clock the traffsc jam on the
Williamsburg Bridge extended back to
Clinton street, and the first serious tie
ur Of traffic occurred about that time.
stalled motors. skidding wheels and a
race between hurrying chauffeurs caused
jam that held up the line Of vehicles
for half an hour. The bridge police re-
rcrted but one accident, that to Jacob
Creamer of 1872 Clyrer street, Brooklyn,
who suffered broken wrist when
cranking his motor.
FERRIES STORMED