The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-07-07
MANY SUFFER in
SUBWAY TUNNEL

New York, July (By the Associ-
ated ress).-Trapped in dark SUBJ
way tunnel, rs feet below the street
and reeking with gas fumes and
smoke, nearly 500 men, women and
children passengers on an East Side
train of the Interborough Rapid
Transit company today were convert
ed into frenzied, shrieking mob, al
most third of whose members were
overcome before they could fight their
way to safety.
Three probably will die. Police of
ficials said it seems a miracle that
many were not trampled to death.
A worse spot for such an accident
scarcely could have been found than
Lexington avenue at Sixtieth street,
where. the train came to its sudden
halt. There is no express station be-
tween Grand Central terminal at
Forty-second and Eighty-sixth
streets. The express tracks are three
tiers down beneath the local tube of
the Interborough Rapid Transit COM
pany, and the cross town tunnel of
the Brooklyn Rapid Transit company
and the only exits are narrow little
spiral stairways at Fifty-third, Fifty
eighth and Sixty-third streets. These
were jammed with fugitives from the
scene below.
A little fire extinguisher, whose
contents were turned on tiny blaze
in motorman's control box, was held
responsible by police and fire officials
for the clouds of poisonous fumes and
smoke sent swirling through the tun-
mel.
More than three score of those over
come required hospital treatment
while about 100 were treated on the
streets and in emergency hospitals.
The train-a ten car Jerome ave.
nue. express, heavily loaded - was
crashing along it's subterranean way
beneath Lexington avenue shortly af
! ter IL o'clock when passengers in the
[ third coach were startled by an ex.
plosion which blew open the door Of
the drivers compartment. A shor
circuit had occurred.
Patrolman Fred Norman, who wa!
riding in the car, seized fire extin
guished from its racks and, as th'
] train grpunded to sudden halt
rushed TO the compartment and sho
fethe seoStents& &of the exting1iahers spit
ting flames which were eating the in
sulation from the control box. In
stead of checking them, ne declared
the extinguisher served only to sprea'
them, and in a moment the car ant
soon the entire tunnel were choke,
with smoke and fumes.
Bullying the panic stricken passen
gers into some semblance of order
Patrolman Norman seized woman
who had been overcome, clambere
|! down into the darkness of the tun
mel and commanded other male pas
sengers to follow his example.
He groped his way with his burde
to Fifty-ninth street and led the ref
ugees up long, winding emergenc
stairway to the street.
Then he sent in alarms whic
brought all available fire apparatus
ambulances and police reserves in tn
vicinity rushing to the scene an
plunged back down the stairs to res
cue other victims. He worked unit
r he dropped, and was sent home j
Mayor Hylan's private limousine.
/ In the meantime, passengers in tn
other cars Of the stalled train, ignC
l rant at first of the cause of the della!
were growing nervous and the guard
opened the doors and advised them
seek safety. Smoke and fumes pou1
ed in as the doors were opened, an
they dropped frantically to the track
3 and began making their way towal
4 the PARKWAY exits. Many, fearing tt
9 deadly third rail, dropped down G
their hands and knees and LITERAL
crawled to safety.
A moment after the general pus
for safety started, south bound e!
press roared in on the opposite trat
and ground to sudden halt as ira
lights and tunnel lights went dar
Power had been shut off to save Il
passengers from the electric currer
but the darkness only added to Il
panic and the passengers on this ira
smashed their way out of the cars al
Joined in the scramble for exits.
Men, women and children we
dropping in their tracks as the fume
the smoke and the excitement owe
y came them. Others of stronger phi
= sique and stronger nerves picked the
up and dragged them along to safet