April 30 Sunday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to St. Clair McKelway.

Dear McKelway,—Your innumerable friends are grateful, most grateful.

As I understand the telegrams, the engineer of your train had never seen a locomotive before. Very well, then I am once more glad that there is an Ever-watchful Providence to foresee possible results and send Ogdens and McIntyres along to save our friends.

The Government’s Official report, showing that our railways killed twelve hundred persons last year and injured sixty thousand convinces me that under present conditions one Providence is not enough to properly and efficiently take care of our railroad business. But it is characteristically American—always trying to get along short-handed and save wages.

I am helping your family congratulate themselves, and am your friend as always. / S. L. Clemens [MTP: Paine’s 1917 Mark Twain’s Letters, p.771].

Note: Paine added: “St. Clair McKelway, of The Brooklyn Eagle, narrowly escaped injuries in a railway accident…” The New York Times, Apr. 30, p.1 reported on the high speed rail accident which claimed four dead and about sixteen injured, including McKelway, who suffered a bruised back and shoulder:

Greenville, S.C., Apr. 29.—The Robert C. Ogden special train, bearing Mr. Ogden and 100 members of the Southern Conference for Education on their return to New York, was wrecked at 7:55 o’clock this morning in the yard of the Southern Railroad here, by dashing at great speed into the rear end of a freight train. Four train hands were killed and several passengers and employes injured. …

St. Clair McKelway was seated at breakfast with R.M. Ogden, secretary to Robert C. Ogden.Dr. McKelway was caught under a heavy beam. Mr. Ogden, who was badly cut about the face and hands, saw the flames curling toward the Brooklyn editor. Aided by a colored porter [John M. McIntyre], he managed after desperate struggles to release Mr. McKelway, the two men escaping through the broken flooring of the car.

Isabel Lyon’s journal: Mr. Clemens stayed out at the Benjamins’ all night, at Ardsley and Katie forgot to pack his night things, his such necessary night things, so I went with them and I did an exhausting thing. I did 20 minutes running in 12 in order to get a train home, and it was bad. I saw Mr. Rogers in the station at Ardsley and as I got out the train he gave me his magnetic hand. The magnetism is so strong that you want to hold it to feel its beautiful strength. I came back to find Miss Mary Foote having tea with Jean. All my thoughts are dulled by my terrible run. I’ll charge it to experience. Mother went to the Joseph Jefferson memorial service in the Church Around the Corner. David Bispham sang, and she said it was beautiful

Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Lunch & over night with Mrs. Benjamin at Ardsley on Hudson. Train leaves 10:45 and 12:10 / I will go by the 12.10 / 1,000 shares Utah, par $100,000, pays 4%, cost $43,000. In Miss Harrison’s hands [MTP TS 17].