The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-15
CHANGES0N HEVANDALIA
IMPROVEMENT IN THE COMPANY's
SERVICE IN FORTY YEARS.
President Ramsey Talks Of the Fu-
ture of the Wabash-ROck Island
Issues an Important Circular.

A representative of the Journal asked
George E. harrington. general agent of the
Vandalia line at Terre Haute, for informa-
ton as TO the time made by their trains i'm
the late SOS and early CO.'S. In 1857 the Terre
Haute & chm Railroad, now the Terre
Haute q indianapolis, made the run from
Indianapolis to Terre Haute in four hours
and twenty-five minutes. Mr.. Harrington
says hat in 1867 the road connected at
Terre Haute with the St. Louis. Alton &
Terre Haute, which made the run to st.
Louis in nine hours: now the fast trains of
the Vandalia run over their own line and
make the run from Indianapolis to st.
Louis in five hours and twenty-five minutes,
against thirteen hours and twenty-five min
utes in 1857. Mr.. Harrington has been sec
rotary of the Terre Haute & Indianapolis
for twenty-six years, and is the only sur
vivor of the officers elected twenty-six years
ago, except William r. McKeen, who re-
tired from the presidency in 1896, after
serving in that position twenty-nine years,
and the latter has been a director from
the beginning, being reelected on Wednes-
day. The Terre Haute & Indianapolis was
originally the Terre Haute & Richmond, and
George h. FarringtOn's father, James Far
rington, was one of the original nine in
corporators on Jan. 20. 1s47. All these in
corporators are now dead. They were
Chauncey Rose, Samuel Crawford, Z. NJ
Huntington, James III. Turner, w. w. Rey-
n0lds, j. nj. Milikan, James Harrington,
Thomas j.. Bourne and r. w. Thompson.
On Feb. 16, 1852, an engine for the first
time passed over the entire line from
Terre Haute TO indianapolis. Samuel Craw-
ford, another of the original ncorporators.
Is the rather OF Frank G. Crawford, now
paymaster of the Vandalia, and was the
second president of. the road. succeeding
Chauncey Rose from 1858 to 1857, when he
died, and was succeeded by r. j. Peck, the
latter being succeeded by William r. Nc
Keen in 1862. At that date the trains were
run by time cards, there being no tele-
graph operators nor telegraph lines on the
road. Several of the old engineers are still
on the road, and relate tales of interest
regarding their trips. Then a train of sew
enteen cars was considered a heavy load
for an engine. Freight brakemen were al
lowed the privilege of wiping the engine at
the end of a trip, that they might earn ST.
per day. while the fremen secured the bell
and brass bands on the Jackets. The pres
ident of the railroad was happy when he
could cheer the stockholders with his usual
annual report of prosperity, stating that no
serious derailments had occurred and that
no passengers or employees had suffered
death or serious injury during the year.
Now trains are run from Indianapolis to
st. Louis, consisting of eleven to twelve
cars, i'm five hours and twenty-five minutes,
while the trains of 1857 consisted of but
three or four cars. much lighter than those
now constructed, and were thirteen hours
and twenty-five minutes making the run.
With every comfort known To the train
service, steam heated. electric lighted, fine
ly finished coaches and every modern con-
venience known in the constitution Of pas
senger equipment, what was a tedious all
day ride is now accomplished in a few
hours.