The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-09
M'KEEN AND THE VANDALIA
Terre Haute People Much Pleased Over
the Result of the Annual Meeting.
Mr. McKeen's Many Admirable Qualities and
the Respect and Esteem in Which He Is
Held by His Friends and Neighbors.
BpseIai to the Indianapolis Journa.

BpeoIai to the indianapolis journal
TERRE HAUTE. Jan. This has been jubi
lee week in Terre Haute in q quiet way There
was no formal demonstration beyond the rails
ing of the flag over the Union Depot. Never
theless there has been an all-pervading feeling
of gratfed pride in the complete restoration of
the Vandalia railroad system to the home inter
est, which term is synonymous with the name
OF "Riley' McKeen. To be sure Indianapolis,
and the State at large. for that matter, have ad-
mired and grown attached to the Vandalia
perhaps the only main line Of railroad in the
State that can be considered home institution.
but one must know something of the material
benefit, the family and personal ties that Terre
Haute recognizes in the chief ownership of the
system, to realize the strength OF the attach
ment Of the people here TO the evan"
When young Mr.. Ives made an assignment,
and after week OF the consultations and
scheming in New York. 1t was announced that
''F1lley" McKeen had been elected president
again, the flag foated from the staff on the
Union Depot a signal that ths doubt, distrust
and anxiety while the road was in the hands OF
strangers had given away to hope for the restor-
alton of that confidence and glory in the old in
stitution that had prevailed while
growing up to manhood, to succeed fathers on
the footboard, and the descendants of the orig
inal employees in the extensive shops and about
the various departments were multiplying into
families and even into communities big enough
60 preponderate in several wards or the city.
Men who were with the company when it
ganized, and saw the frat engines brought here
by way of the Wabash and Erie canal had al
ways felt secure in its Terre Haute affinity. and
during the first days Of the Ives reign these old
men quietly held to the belief that "Riley' would
"sst it back again" The graphic descriptions
of the young Napoleon" with his eyeglasses
and special cars had weight with them; thoy
believed in such thing as permanency and
legitimate railroad business, that is when you
wers considering the Evan" The Cincinnati,
Hamilton G. Dayton strangers made some radi-
cal changes while they were the bosses. but the
belief in the temporarily Of such things was
not weakened, SO that whenz.ns annual
meeting was held on Monday, when the
final test came as to Settlement of the complica-
tons, and the flag was again hoisted because of
the announcement that the old McKeen board
of directors had been elected after the Cincin
natl, Hamilton g. Dayton people had been
knocked OUT of the Indianapolis federal
court in their effort TO illustrate Mr..
McKeen in his purpose to claim his
own, there wac no burning of bonfires, but
there was much hand shaking and quiet re-
joicing This feeling not confined to the
employees but extended throughout the city, be-
cause about every man, woman and child con-
siders that in part the Ivan" belongs
to the general population, with their
them IN cbsrrs TSs national rspuss
tion of the road to safety; the large amount
of business done; the efficiency of it's service in
every respect and it's unparalleled record, until
year or so ago, of never having killed passen-
ger, and earring more than any other road in the
State. a source of pride to every Terre
Hautean.
CANNING tho clinnax IF tbia sort of boroa rannta
was the fact that 'Riley"-it seems that quota
tation marks can be omitted in referring to him
by the use of the familiar name-was admittedly II
the big" man OF the city. There big
men in other cities, doubt, but the bigness
OF this man is not in the success of rapacity;
rather in the extent of his public spirit, be it
directed to industrial enterprises, public occa-
sions or last-but far from least-charity 1t
has come to be subject of jocular remark that
"Riley" has done this or that liberal act that no
other man would do. He is full of the home
feeling, and increasing prosperity merely
develops his capacity to grow in the broadness,
the charity and the fellowship of life. Ostenta-
ton recedes as prosperity comes to him. The
most mental of the employees of the great sys-
tenn have his patient audience when they get to
him. In that characteristic of patience, let it
be remarked, is much of the secret of his
cess. He puts up" with more crosses and i'm
positions than any man in like position, reason
ing that IL he is right and sure OF his position
tons will fall away from him like water from
ducks back don't think ever knew q man in |
pubic view VINO was SO litt!e tempted TO gratifv
that natural instinct of vanity OF personal pride
as Mr. McKeen. He is never found talking his |
own side OF point in dispute I know full |
well, because 1 asked him time and again IL he
didn't want to stalk back" when the other side
in the recent controversy, was saying many |
things I knew to be untrue if be didn't |
desire to defend himself from even per- |
sonal attacks. and always the answer was
that in good time all the facts would be made |
known. When his answer had been filed in the |
Cincinnati. Hamilton & Dayton complaint, and |
n 4 kad
him IL he wanted to talk, but he said he was |
Satisfied with the way the matter stood" and |
that twinkle of the eve-the most expressive |
part of all his conversations-told that he |
wouldn't talk and that there wasn't anything to |
be said unless did all the talking. Notwith- |
standing that he ie the best listener 'round here
abouts," quit. OF course such q man must be |
considered in political aspect, and the first
sideration is that he is Republican stsiwart. |
or the State who, down at the bottom, doesn't |
have a royal respect for his Repubcanism. aud |
who can not say else than that in all his |
many acts in behalf of the party of |
them from that good feeling they. in COM
mon with Republicans, have held toward him.
tomsry thing to see his name mentioned in con-
nection with the candidacy for an elective Office
"a result of his great popularity He is not
enough of q hypocrite to say that this is dis
tasteful to him, but he is man enough to feel
that the allurements of such public prominence
are not consistent with his habits of thought
anu MS purposes In Ire, ana ne shuns the sug-
ges:ions rs embarrassing, because he Is candid
and knows that praise in this form 10 pleasant.
yet that il Is against his best Judgment Some
one said yesterday, when the thirteeen carloads
Df members OF the Indiana Travelling Mems
Association were cheering his name when an
bounced for Governor by Auditor of State
Carr, that II Riley" had been whereabouts
The great crowd standing in the rain
on the platform of the depot would
have carried him on its shoulders. Mr. McKeeu
. president of great railroad company il is
rue; and in latter days Is apt to associata
man holding such position with the idea of
lustere bearing and n spirit of exaction from the
vage-worker. 1 have said much in trying TO ex.
plain Mr. McKeen's character, but all that I