The New York herald., 1922-03-02
IN SUBWAY
CAUSES RECORD JAM
Tieup at Times Square in Rush
Hour as People Stop to
Watch Cameras.
TRANSIT COMMISSION JOB
Women Bowled Over, Fights
Start and General Confusion
Results.
TRANSIT COMMISSION JOB

The Transit Commission lad NOV
ing pictures taken of the rush hour
and matinee crowds yesterday after
noon on the connecting platforms of
the Times Square subway station, and
the curious ones who stopped to see
what was going on. and to learn WHY
the station was so brilliantly lighted
with mercury arc lights, piled up
pedestrian traffic. The operators
cranked their cameras from ) o'clock
until 6:10 and got pictures of the
biggest and most unruiy crowd that
the subway station there ever had
held.
No one was hurt but women were
pushed and banged about numerically
Their hats were ripped from their heads
and their clothing was torn, bundles
were lost and families were separated.
The only loss actually reported TO the
police. however. was by Mrs. \. L.
Proudfoot of 361 Sterling place. Brook
lyn. who entered the West Forty-scventh
street station about 6 O'Clock and told
the detectives there that in the crush she
had lost diamond and sapphire brace
let valued az sf25.
The photography was done by several
cameras. The Transit Commission had
figured that few curiosity seekers
might stop and six special policemen
were sent to handle the crowd. The
cameras were placed near the entrances.
so they could shoot the crowds entering
and leaving. No effort was made 10
photograph the crowds on the actual
train platforms.
The crowd did not behave as expected.
a special policeman posted near one en-
trance said the first persons to stop
we're woman and three little girls. the
children demanding to know how the
sun had got into the subway and what
the men were making pictures Of. SO the
woman stopped 10 see. and several men
behind her stopped, and then people
began stopping all over the connecting
.olatforms-and the crash was on.
Within fifteen minutes II became ap-
parent that tile six special policemen
would not be able 10 handle the crowd
so a telephone call was sent to the West
Thirtieth street police station. Half a
dozen policemen were sent from there
and half a dozen or more others went
down into the subway from the street
No one seemed 10 start for train with
out looking over his Of her shoulder at
the camera men.
Women began TO scream after few
minutes and men whose toes were
stepped on and who were banged and
pushed about began starting fights.
Several fracases looked promising. but
with no room TO fight the combatants
became separated quickly. Several
times the wrong persons resolved blows.
Many persons who got halfway into the
subway tried to get back. but they were
pushed down 10 the connecting platforms
bv the mob that came steadily down the
stairs But after the lights had been
dlnmed about o'clock and the cameras
had been removed conditions quickly got
back 10 normal.
The man In charge OF the photograph
Ing operations said that his company
had contract with the Transit Com
mission 10 take movies OF the rush hour
crowds at ail important transfer and
junction points on the subway system.
The crowd al the Grand Central Tes
nlnai station on the East Side subway
will b. photographed this morning at ;
O'Clock and later the crowd at the Canal
street station or the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit viii b. taken.
Leroy r. Harkess. a member of the
Transit Commission. said last night that
the commission was photographlng the
subway stations 20 get an idea OF the
crowds and for the records OF the COM
mission. lie insisted that In spite OF
tho police reports there was no trouble
~ Times Square.
Everything .assed on very WE'LL"
snfa Nj Harkess