St. Paul daily globe., 1893-01-30
AFTER THE WRECK.
How the Railroad Handled the
Unfortunate Tourists.

How the Railroad Handled the
Unfortunate Tourists.
Immediately after the wreck the un.
fOrtunates were inclined to look upon
their plight philosophically. Before
midnight, nearly all cursed the railroad
in silence and some employed natural
chest tones.
The wreck occurred at 1 O'Clock.
About an engine arrived from Yellow
Creek and hauled the sleeper and one
coach back two miles to Kent. Kent is
little more than name. A small depot,
with one narrow waiting room. is about
all 1t amounts to. There, while the en-
zine made trips to and from the scene
OF the wreck, the passengers waited in
the open air. ALI of those who were
in the front car when the train
went over were soaked in gasoline
or petroleum. The sleeping car was as
bad as the other coaches in that partic-
ular. These smells, added to the fetid
air of close and wel-filled car, made
the atmosphere inside intolerable. Be-
sides, much of the room was needed
for the wounded. So the we'll walked
upand down outside and withstO0d
the drenching, chilling sleet that fell
constantly. Some few secured solace at
a neighboring farm house in cup OF
coffee and a slice of bread, while others
stayed their appetites with crackers and
Interior cheese.
II am requested to announce" shout
ed SmOOth-Shaven man shortly after
arrival at Kent, 'that these cars will be
backed down to Byron, transferred to
the Illinois Central and sent on to
Dubuque. The officials of the road re-
quest me to say this"
This sounded encouraging, but the
officers of the road evidently repented.
1t would cost money to send the train
over the Illinois Central. The tourists
appreciated, of course, that they
were on free train, but they
had a right to expect, they
thought, that they would be sent
to some place where they could get aG-
commodation by paying for it. Four. 5,
6, 7 o'clock came and still the Kent prai-
ries were the surroundings. About
o'clock the remnant of the train was
sent back to Yellow Creek. There the
the hotel. Ten o'clock and still no word
as to where the wrecked would be sent.
At IL o'clock they were told that the
track had been repaired and the train
would go'on to Dubuque.
The transfer to the Illinois Central
and to Dubuque could have been accom-
plished in two or three hours. The in
Jured could have been taken back to
Chicago in four or five hours. In either
city they could have had proper medical
treatment. Instead, they were kept
shut up in close, Stench-filled cars for
ten long hours, while the track was
repaired. Then they had to endure
trip in those close compartments anoth-
er four hours into Dubuque.
The regular night express from Chi
cago followed the special closely to
Dubuque. Three trains were made of
the two. But the cars containing the
injured were not sent on first even
then. The sufferers were left in the
Dubuque yards for three or four hours,
while two trains were sent OH ahead.
While the cars were standing the heat
ers wouldn't heat. Along toward
rorning the discomfort of cold
was added to those already enum-
Grated as having been inflicted
upon the injured. The last train, bear
ing the injured, arrived at st. Paul yes
terday at 4:1O. The occupants of that
train had been on the road about thirty
three hours-a good many hours longer
than would seem to have been neees-
sary The had had, as stated, light
lunch at noon Saturday, sup per at 9
o'clock Saturday night, and Sunday
morning at 10 they were given an ap0ls
ogy for breakfast at Oelwein.