The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-31
LAST OF THE WRECK
TRACK CLEAR, AND ONLY APPLE OF
DEBRIS MARKS THE SPOT.
w. R. Mckeen, Jr., Offers Some Ex-
plantations I'm Regard to the
Company's Action.

Tt is estimated that the vandalia wreck
at Ccatesville will cost the railway COM
pany between $4,000 and ZOO. This figure
viii include the damages which the COM
pany expects to pay those who were in
jured. None of the victims has yet been
settled with. A switch leading from the
track down to the demolished cars was
structed yesterday and the wrecking crews
began the work of clearing the debris. An
examination of the four cars, yesterday,
vealed the fact that the chair car suffered
the least damage. The officials think that it
can be repuilt at comparatively small
pense. All of the disDlantled coaches will
be sent to the Vanclalia shops at Terre
Haute for repairs.
But one of the victims of the disaster now
remains at Coatesville. Edward Neumagen,
of Waco. Tex. has not been removed, but
one of his friends arrived yesterday and is
caring for him. Mrs. Zelda Seguin- Wallace
brought to the city yesterday after
noon. and is now resting comfortably at
the home of her son. Edward Seguin, No.
462 North Pennsylvania street. Mrs. Wal
lace was removed from Gainesville in a
Pullman coach attached to a special en-
CINE. She stood the trip well and DR.. jane
son, her physician, said, last night, that she
was progressing splendidly. All of the other
Indianapolis injured are recovering Rev. C.
Fl. Shnure, of Evansville is still at st. Vim
cents Hospital, and will be confined there
for some time yet
Mr.. w. r. McKeen, jr., of the Vandalia
system. came to the city late last night
from the scene of the wreck. He says the
last vestige of the disaster will be cleared
up by Saturday. Mr.. McKeen regrets the
circumstances under which the company
was placed in being unable to furnish in
telligence to the character of the acct
dent at an earlier hour
I think the company has been criticised
harshly.'' he said. in commenting upon the
newspaper publications. at has been said
that there seemed to be no one on the
ground with cool head or with power to
act. That is mistake. for Mr.. Miller was
on the within an hour or two after
the occurrence. Our wrecking crew left
Terre Haute within fifteen minutes after we
We're apprised of the accident, and, in fact
everything that was done was the result Of
the greatest possible haste on the part of
the company. It would not be possible for a
man to act with more GOODNESS than Mr..
Miller when once on the scene I know
that he did everything In his power to Sc
cure an intelligent list Of the injured, and
In order that his reports could be furnished
accurately to the anxious friends of the pas
where the injured were being cared for and
took the names himself. The greatest ex-
element prevailed at Coatesville, as is
characteristic Of all such happenings While
the people Were kindly disposed and did
everything In their power 1t was almost i'm
possible nert to gather nassy Information Then
service. All of the wires save one was torn
down and we were compelled to utilize this
single wire for the official business Of the
road. That could not be neglected; supplies
were short at Coatesville the physicians
required medicines and material with which
to bandage broken limbs. All the business
of this nature had to go over the one wire
and of course there was little time to deal
out information. Besides we had no reli-
able information for some hours after the
wreck
thing, and Mr.. Miller, myself and every 9TH
er official ready at any time to furnish
any intelligence in our power. The company
has also been criticised because it did not
send the uniniured passengers to the city
at once. and there has been complaint that
the cars which remained on the track were
cold and cherries. There was no reason
why any passenger should suffer from cold
A special train of two coaches left Ter e
Haute Immediately after the wreck was re-
ported and arrived at the scene in the very
shortest time possible. Those coaches We're
warm and comfortable. I know that be-
cause / looked after the fires myself be-
tween Terre Haute and Gainesville. Pas
sengers instead of crowding into the ac-
commodation of the wrecked train
might just well have occupied these
coaches. 1t was impossible to run No. 20 to
the city at once. The day coach was off the
track and the accommodations smoker and
baggage was partly derailed. We could not
carry passengers in the postal cars without
an order from the superintendent of the
mail service and that was not secured until
late'
Mr. McKeen is positive that the train was
not making the high rate of speed reported
when the accident happened. In substantial
ton of the assertion of the company that
| the speed was moderate he detailed con-
| versation between the brakeman and porter
nfc haf C@nafagSil1p
reached in which the brakeman accosted his
fellow employe with the remark:
whats the matter with Pat to-day? les
| making very poor time This train is creep
| ing along"
IT don't know replied the porter. che
must be on the lookout for a bad rail-