The New York herald., 1922-07-26
3. X. T. LINES ARE PARALYZED
BY FIRE IN BIG POWER HOUSE

as was their custom. Platforms and
stairways were jammed with nervous.
impatient would be passengers when
the announcement was made that no
through express trains would be oper-
ated for some time, but that local
service between Whitehall street and
Firt! seventh would be begun as soon as
possible.
1t became necessary to summon police
reserves from the West Thirtieth and
the West Forty-seventh street stations
to handle the milling crowds. At all
the stations of the B. r. T. along Broad
way patrolmen were detailed to instruct
passengcrse to try to reach Brooklyn by
way Of the Interborough lines. which in
many instances would carry them to
within walking distance Of their homes.
The coin boxes at all downtown stations
of the Broadway subway were ordered
closed from Times square southwark.
and passengers Brooklyn bound who al
ready thronged the platform received
refund slips for their nickels.
Normal at Ss55.
When the fire was out and power was
restored gradually the company at first
bent it's efforts to clearing congestion.
Trains on subway and elevated lines
and cars on the surface were moved
only toward their terminals and for a
time did not accept additional pas
sengers. At Z O'CLOCK reports to the
Transit Commission, which had not only
its chairman and chief engineer. but
also fifteen inspectors on duty in Brook
lyn, said that there was resumption OF
movement on virtually all lines to a
limited degree. 1t was not until 8:55.
however, that the B. 2 T. executive
office reported all service again normal.
From the whitehall street station
Chairman McAneny and Mr.. Ridgway
went to the scene of action In the Will
iamsburg power house. They remained
there until the fre was extinguished
and service resumed. The commission
began an immediate investigation to de-
termine the cause of the short circuit
ing and fire. William c. Winston. elec-
trical engineer of the commission, was
an active observer while the fire still
was burning. Neither nc, Mr.. McAneny
nor Mr.. Ridgway was prepared last
night to express an opinion on the sub
ject.
The company reported that trolley
operations were resumed as follows
Williamsburg Bridge, 1892; East New
York. 6 :4) Flatbush avenue, :33.
Traffic through the Montague street
tun iel vas resumed in both directions
at 6:45, and over the Fulton stree.
elevated line eastbound only. at 6:33.
At s o'clock the Brighton Beach line
was reported as operating southwark
only; the Fourth avenue subway lines
as running in both directions on a ten
minute headway the Culver line as
operating to Kings Highway, south
bound only; the West End line as
operating to Ninth avenue and Thirty
sixth street, in both directions the Sea
Beach line running both ways to the
Sixth avenue station, and the Fulton
street elevated and the Myrtle and Lex
ington avenue lines operating eastbound
only.
II. II. r. Issues Statement.
The B. r. T. issued an official report
of the tieup at midnight. The exact
cause, It was stated. had not then been
determined. but II was thought the
trouble resulted from a break In the
oil switch connecting with Generator
No. g. caused by an arc which set fire
to the oil and spread to the switch
board"
Full service without any further diff
ficulty Is expected during the rush hours
this morning, the statement continued.
The entire system was out of COM
mission from s 15 until 632 p NJ.
when service was resumed on the Will
iamsburg lines. Regular night service
was resumed on all lines at Q o'clock.
The Brighton Beach line was running
again at 6 :45. Culver line to Avenue
X at :35. all Coney Island lines at
8 $50, the B. r. T. said.
A second failure on the Williamsburg
Bridge section occurred at z: 80. due to
the overload at the power station. This
was repaired at o'clock, the statement
said.
Mr.. Ridgway, after MS personal ex-
animation OF the burned switchboard.
said he understood the blowout had
caused a short circuit, the fire from
which had spread with great rapidity,
enveloping the main switchboard in
flames Az soon az the fire started II
overloaded the current and the auto