The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-05-24
COST OF HARRISBURG WRECK.
Disaster viii Cost the Pennsylvania
Railroad 935ooCo.

1t is estimated that the Harrisburg
disaster will cost the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company close TO S350,000,
OF this amount the equipment de-
stroyed is said to have been worth
$4,000. Most of the claims of those
injured have been settled but solicit.
Ous lawyers are determined that large
amounts shall be paid fer the lives
shat were loar Every day in the last
week lawyers called at the general
Offices of the railroad company seek.
ing to effect settlement. When an
immediate adjustment WIS refused
they threatened suit. and left the Of
fees, apparently angry.
OF the % victims Cl the wreck two
bodies remain unidentified, and there
is little likelihood that the names will
ever be known. Officers of the road
have received inquiries from all parts
Of the United States, but no clues
have been given TO prove that any of
the missing were amCIg the number
killed in the terrible disaster. Rail
road officers believe that Mr.. and Mrs
James McCauley. of 1910 North Sixth
street, Philadelphia. and Il. ID. Edison,
a New York lawyer, were killed.
OF the five bodies laid to rest in a
cemetery in Harrisburg the claim de-
partment seems confident that three
are those of Mr. and Mrs McCauley
and Edison. SO certain are they that
negotiations have been opened for an
amicable settlement for damages with
relatives.
Few accident claims aggregate more
than $500, and the majority We're ad-
justed for less than $3.50. There were
several victims who were willing to
sign away all further claims for sums
less than so. Some there were who
were willing to absolve the railroad
from further damage for So or $6
Most of this class were persons who
lost part of their wearing apparel or
meal by the accident.
While only a watch and some Jew
elry belonging to the McCauleys have
been identified, it is conceded that the
two, husband and wife, were victims,
and the damages will be adjusted. In
the case of Mr. Edison, not sinle YES
tige of his clothing has been found.
From proof furnished by friends,
however, it is agreed that he was
passenger on the fated train, and that
his is one of the bodies buried at Har-
risburg.
In the case of the two unidentified
bodies Mr.. Dorrance, special agent of
the railroad has taken extra precau-
tinng tn Ehtoi,N rly thnf ,,,t11 o;l ;rN
any future identifcations. Hundreds
of letters have been received about
the missing ones. but not one clue
has been produced to establish the
identity of the two bodies.
The railroads annual report does
not show how much has been paid for
personal injuries on account of
wrecks. The New York Central
report shows, however. that claims of
this kind are on the increase. In 1907
this road paid S43O,O7O, while in 1902
the amount had advanced to s533,963.
In 1903 it advanced to SG14.7 .7OS. and
in the first six months of 1904 such
claims amounted to $355.1O6. 1t is
conceded that the amount is kept
down by the activity of the legal de-
partments. As soon as a wreck is re-
ported, claim agents are sent to the
scene of the accident, and Frequently
the injured have been paid before
anxious legal advisers are aware of
the disaster. When the Harrisburg
wreck was reported Special Agent
Dorrance was sent by a special train,
and his report shows that 3S Of the in
jured settled their claims for damages
on the first day.