THE GREAT BUSH FIRES IN AMERICA.

Evening Star, Issue 9534, 3 November 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE GREAT BUSH FIRES IN AMERICA.

PKTAILS OF THE CONFLAGRATION, TERRIBLE SCENES. Tho reports whioh rewhedtho «Chicago Tribune,' of September 3, from portions, of Minnesota, Michigan, and-Wisconsin showed the condition of affairs in those districts to have beon more terrible than was at first imagined. At a low estimate the loss has already reached nearly £3,000,000, exclusiv/i of tho standing timber which has been destroyed, but even worso has bcou the loss of life, whioh will roach fully 1,000. The worst suffering is reported from Hinckley (Minn,), whence came this brief but pregnant wire! •" Not a ghost of a thing left,in the town," The story of the catastrope is a short one. The town was built of wood. Tho schoolhouse erected last year at a cost of £2,000 and one-half the Duluth roundhouse were

the only brick structures in the city. By one of those peculiar freaks for which there isnoaccounting, the Eastern Minnesota roundhouse and water tank on the south-eastern edge ■of the town almost in tho woods escaped the flames. The circumstance was the more remarkable from the fact that it stood directly in (he path of the flames* which seem to have jumped it as clean as if playing leapfrog. FIRE LEAPS INTO THK TOWN. About three o'clock-in the afternoon of September 2 the fire literally jumped into the town. Its approach was not gradual. It did not eat its way along, devouring everything in its path, but came in huge leaps, as it to overtake everything fleeing before it, and then burned back at its leisure. It is described by those who witnessed its onward progress as if' it were forced along by cyclones of its own generation. The intense heat would develop a veritable whirlwind of flame that actually twisted off poplar trees several inches in thickness and carried huge blazing fire brands high in the air from forty to eighty rods, there to fall and

begin the work of devastation anew. All the forenoon the townspeople were apprehensive. The smoke rolling up from the South told a story unmistakeably plain to those accustomed to a wooded country. The lire kept advancing, fanned by the wind, which was Mowing a gale. About eleven o'clock the tire company got out its engine and laid an I.SOOit line of hose to the southern outskirts of the town. The Uoie was all too short for the measure of protection desired, and a telegram was sent to Rush City for more. Five hundred feet was sent, but it mover readied Hinckley. VXEQUAL BATTLE FHOM THE START. The fire first struck Hinckley on the east side of the Dulnth track, and the brave firelighters for the first time gave up the unequal battle and, already too late in many instances, turned their attention to their personal safety. The Eastern Minnesota train from the south had ju3t come in, and the people of the panic-stricken eity flocked to it for safety. A number of box cars were coupled on and filled and covered with men, women, and' children. Some were bareheaded, some were coatless, some few clutched a pitiful bundle of the more previous of their portable possessions. Families were separated. Children joined the throng and left parents. In all thero was a motley crowd of about four hundred and fifty or more people. The train pulled out just ahead of the lire, and succeeded in ultimately reaching Duluth. This circumstance, while fortunate in a degree, made the confusion greater, for it is not known who escaped in this way, and many people arc reported dead who may be in safety. Had not this number of people—largely women and children—left the doomed city when they did the loss of life would have vastly increased. About the same time the accommodation tram on the Hinckley and St. Cloud branch left for the latter place with about twentyiive passengers. Its path lay directly aoross the path of the fire, and their situation speedily became, desperate. The ties were burning, the rails were warping, •ind the trestles were sagging under the train. The smoke had increased so that the engineer was helpless. He could not see the train behind him. Burning trees lay across the track and were being tossed aside by the engine. Suddenly the track gave way and the train toppled off to one side. No one was injured and they pressed to Polj*gama station, a few rod 6 ahead. But a few feet in front of the engine was discovered a gorge sixty feet wide and forty feet deep, where the trestles had been burned away. They succeeded in reaching the clearing about the station and escaped with a few bilrns and bruises. There were burned along the track, however, four or five people, including ])r Kelccy, of New Brighton, who had come up to look after his brother. FATE Of THOSE LEFT BEHIND. The people who were left in the city were in what seemed to be an almost hopeless condition. Egress by the only means of transportation that could hope to distance the swiftly advancing flames was out of the question. The men had been fighting the fire for hours, and the women and ehi'dreu were in a panic-stricken condition. Horees Mere harnessed to buggies and waggons. Women and children were hurriedly loaded; in some eases' attempts were made to carry off some household goods, but in most instances the people had no thought for aught but their lives. Probably 200 of them left town on foot or in vehicles, plunging into the woods to the north, across the Grindstone River, which skirts the town on the north. They were literally fleeing before the pursuing demon of fire. Over the hill that rises beyond the Grindstone is a swamp, and to this most of the people with teams headed, but it proved no protection. The fire gave them no opportunity to go farther. Some abandoned their teams and ran into the lower portions of the morass, but the fire sought them out. Not one was left to tell the tale, and there this morning, in a space of little more than four or five acres, were counted over 130 corpses. There were many families of five, six, and seven, and there they lay, the men generally a little in advance, the mother surrounded by her little ones, cut off by the most horrible of deaths. Nearly all the bodies were nude, the fire having burned every vestige of their clothing and blackened and charred many of the corpses beyond recognition, and whole families were wiped out as they were and some of the bodies completely incinerated. Identification is absolutely out of the question. Those who fled to the north on foot followed the Duluth track, and so rapid was t he progress of the flames that many of them were actually burned as tbey fled, falling on the right of way for a distance of three miles or more. Nearly thirty bodies were recovered along here. Some of the foremost of the escaping citizens met the Duluth train coming ki from the north. It was due at Hinckley at 4.5. Engineer iim Root was at the throttle. He stopped the train and took on board about 125 of the refugees who crowded into the train, completely filling it. HUDDLED IX A PIT. The people who remained in Hinckley iared the best of all. The Eastern Minnesota tracks mark the eastern edge of the city proper. Just beyond the road is a tract of laud probably embracing at least ten acres. It wa3 purchased for a gravel pit to furnish material for the fill on the approach to the company's bridge across the Grindstone aiW at other points on its line. To the fact that it had been used for this purpose almost to its exhaustion sbout 100 Hinekleyitos owe their lives. The whole area indicated had been excavated to a depth in the centre of thirty or forty feet. There was a stagnant pool of rain water in the centre three feet in greatest depth. The pit was wide and deep, and to it fled those of the citizens who were willing to trust to its'friendly depths. There were probably a hundred of them, and- in addition to the human beings quite a number of domestic animals (horses, cows, oxen, pigs, chickens, etc.) sought safoty here. It was really the safest place about Hinckley. Three or four hundred-trunks, which were rolled only half-way down the sloping bank, passed through the fire unscathed. The people went in here as the eastern train pulled out a few minutes after four o'clock and here they remained until after eight, while the flames from the burning ci ty rolled over their heads. They dashed water over each other aud covered their heads with cloths to prevent suffocation. One unknown man succumbed to the smoke or the terrible strain, and fell in the water and was drowned. So far as known to-day this was the only

tragedy of tho gravel pit. Othora of the citizens sought refugo in the Grindstone River under the abutments of tho two railway bridges and the foot bridge. The exact i number cannot be known, as wiey were scat« tered along a considerable stretoh of the little stream. .That many escaped and some wore drowned is well known. Mrs Martin Martinson and her four flaxen-haired kittle babes were taken from the water's edge this morning, as pitiful a sight as man's «yo over witnessed. They were not touched by: flames, but suffered the more merciful death by water. In the meantime Hinokley was burning. The flames leaped from building to building with.almost tho rapidity of an oleotrio spark, Everything was tinder dry. Thero was not even ono briok wall to stay for a moment the work of destruction, Mid aH went up in smoke. About 250 dwellings with all their household treasures, twenty stores and all their stocks of goods, including tho immense establishment of the Brennan Lumber Company, two hotels, the railway depots, the town hall, and tho new school, The Lumber establishment was the pride of Hinckley and the backbone,of its prosperity. The burial parties tell terrible tales of tho soenes of desolation they witnessed. On One spot ninety-six bodies were collected, but only four could be identified, so completely had the flames done their work. ' Out on the Government road to the east was found the Best faniity of six personsfather, mother, and four children. Best was a prosperous farmer living just out of; town. Here, also, were recovered the bodies of the three unfortunate creatures who lived at the stockade. There were six of these women in all. They escaped to the river, but three returned to carry out a trunk and were overtaken by the flames. Near Skunk Lake was found a family consisting of father, mother, and seven children. Another family in which there were live children only tho father escaped. There was a settlement of about thirty people near this lake, and but two are known to be alive. ANOTHER TOWNSHIP WII'ED OX ; T. At Sandstone the situation was even more appalling than at Hinckley, except in point of numbers. Of the 200 people living in the town one-fourth were reported dead. At 5.3J the previous afternoon flames came near the town and people prepared to leave ■ early. The wind blew like a hurricane, and as the people were getting ready to leave the fire closed in on three sides. Not a single person saved a thing except his clothes. About 160 went to the river, and fifty or sixty were burned to death. At four o'clock next morning over forty bodies charred and burned were seen lying on every side. For eighteen miles north of Hinckley all the railway bridges were burnt. On the road into Sandstone fortyseven additional bodies were recovered. The only building left in the township Was the brick sehoolhouse, and that was completely gutted. At Kettle River Junction twenty persons lost their lives. Sandstone is about three miles from Sandstone Junction On the Duluth road, and the fire was on both tides of the river, so that the town of Partridge was also burned. A RACE WITH DEATH. A telegram from St. Paul (Minn.) says: More than 200 blackened corpses lying in the woods and at tho small towns in Northern Minnesota bear witness to the awful calamity that has befallen this State. Several small lumbering towns on the St. Paul and Uuluth and the Great Northern roads have been totally destroyed, and many of their inhabitants, cut off from all escape by the raging seas of flame and the suffocating smoke, perished in their helplessness and despair. The experiences of the crew and passengers of the St. Paul and Duluth limited train, which was caught and destroyed near Hincktey, were thrilling and horrible in the extreme. The stoutest hearts quailed in the face of the awful situation which confronted the 200 souls on board the train. It left Duluth at two o'clock on the Saturday. All the way down the smoke was so heavy that no one could see a hundred yards away. Daylight was shut out, and the train proceeded slowly. At Carlton daylight had turned into night, for the smoke had increased greatly in volume and density. So dark was it that the brakeman was obliged to light the lamps in the coaches. It was noticeable at this time that the passengers were growing uneasy, especially the women and children, who looked anxiously from the windows to the male passengers, as if seeking help. There was an expression of fear on their faces, many of which were pale and white. Ten miles further on the darkness was intense. It was difficult to breathe, and the coaches were filled with smoke. There was no relief from it, and the men, one by one, grew frightened and weak. The passengers were gasping for breath, and the train men, realising how serious the situation had become, passed through the coaches imploring all to keep cool, and offering all the encouragement they could. They could hear the roar of the flames to the right of the train | loweve t an 1 the encouragement offered fell on heedless ears. It soon became apparent to all they had little chance for their lives. The children began to cry and shriek and cling wildly to their mothers. The mothers sank to the floors of the coaches and offered up fervent prayers for de- ' liverance from the flames. They shrieked and cried, and this in a measure unnerved the men. The men sought in every way to still the cries of the women and children, but it was useless. They were thoroughly frightened, and lost their minds temporarily. But these seenes were nothing compared to those that were enacted when the train approached close to Hinckley. The crew of the train had no knowledge of the destruction of the city, and could not see a hundred yards away, even with the aid of a powerful headlight. Besides, a high hill stood between the train and the town. However, citizens who were fleeing from the stricken city flagged the train, and more than a hundred half burned and half crazed men and women jumped on board and begged the conductor to hurry the train back from whence it had come. The train was within a mile and a-half of Hinckley when flagged, and the fire was then advancing with railroad speed in its direction. At first Engineer Root thought of putting on all speed and rushingthrough the city, but an instant's reason caused him to abandon the idea. The fire was coming With the speed of the wind, and such an effort would be worse than madness. The roar of the fire became more distinct, so the train crew hurried all the people on board, and Engineer Root sent the train spinning back over the track at a rapid rate. TRAIN IN A BLAZING FURNACE. The fire now became discernible. It was coming like a whirlwind, and Root could see ' that it was going faster than the train. He increased the speed of the engine. It was no use ; the fire had caught the rear coach, and the people were rushing into the others. This, too, proved futile, for the fire soon surrounded the train. It came in through the skylights and under the seats. The heat was intense, and the excitement among the passengers was uncontrollable. The women and children shrieked wildly in their fright, and appealed to everybody for aid. As the fire began to crack the glass in the windows one man lost his mind and with a cry sprang through the window and was swallowed up in the flames. Another and then a third followed his example, and all were caught and destroyed. A panic ensued, and under *:he severe strain others went mad and sought their own destruction through the windows. MEN DRIVEN MAD JUMP TO DEATH. The scene can be better imagined than described, for the horror of it all can never be fully told. Strange to say, when the excitement was at its heat seme of the women recovered their presence of mind and cared for and soothed the little children with considerable success. The frightful death of the ton or a dozen men who had leaped from the windows had unnerved the majority, and more would have followed had they not been prevented by members of the train crew. The train by this time had reached Skunk! Lake, and the order was hastily passed through the coaches to abandon tho train and fly to the swamp close by. The train was on fire from the tender to the last coach. The engine was uncoupled hastily, while the passengers rushed for the swamp. They had been told where it lay, and it was well, for the darkness was so intense they were obliged to grope and feel their way. They fell half fainting into the muddy water, and lay there with their faces close* to the ground, for the smoke hung low

and thero was danger of suffocation. Lying thus they could hear an occasional shriek of agony, and knew that another human beihg had gone to his death. Some of those in tho swamp breathed their last through fright and one or two wore so weak tnoy were drowned in the waters of the swamp, low as the waters were, BELIEF COMEB AT I,ABT. When the fire had passed the Relief Committee, which came from fine City and Duluth, found the passengers in the swamp and led thorn out, for the eyes of the passengers were so blinded with-smoke they were unable to boo. The supply trains brought physicians and supplies, and everything tho railroad authorities could think of and do was done, Tho wounded and burned peoplo wero cared for tenderly and established in hastily improvised shelter. The scenes around these temporary hospitals beggared description. The oharred remains of over 100 people were picked up by the supply train as it went slowly back towards where tho town of Hinckley once stood, and it took strong men with stout hearts to with-

stand the series of awful sights. Dead and dying wero lying around the ground on all sides, aud it was estimated at a glance that fully 100 people had perished within a radius of half a mile. Tho fire came so fast that there was no escaping it. People fled on horses, and were overtaken and burned to death. No matter where they went they were caught and destroyed, and save for the swamp and lakes in the vicinity of Hinckley the list of dead would have been frightfully long. At one time the limited train, while backing up towards Skunk Hake, nearly became stalled. The heat in the cab of the engine was so intense that Engineer Root's hands were blistered by taking hold of the throttle. His clothes took fire, and so did the clothes of his fireman. With rare presence of mind the fireman jumped into the tank in the tender and extinguished the fire in his own clothes, and then with a bucket threw water on the engineer, putting out the flames in his clothes and enabling him to hang on till Skunk Lake was reached. Such deeds of heroism are sometimes read of, but seldom happen so near home. Root was seen to be breathing hard, for there was little air to breathe, ahd when the swamp was reached he sank rather than lay down in the water. A BRAVE ENGINEER. Engineer James Root, of the -Duluth limited passenger train, is one of God's own noblemen. His heart was too big to allow him to pass through Hinckley on Saturday night and leave fear-crazed men, supplicating mothers, and their children to a fiery death. He was too brave a man to desert his post of duty, and with a roaring, crackling sea of flame all around'his engine cab, so hot that the cab windows were cracked and fell in on him with a crash, cutting his face and neck, he stood resolute at his post, his right hand on the throttle of his engine, and guided his train-load of human freight to a point of safety. His bravery saved the lives of 250 persons. His experienee on the doomed train is one that will not be met with more than once in a lifetime, and reads like a chapter of horrors. His injuries do not consist of severe burns. He is suffering from the terrible mental strain and the awful physical ordeal through which he went. He suffered heat so intense that weaker men would have died from its effects, and all the way during that fearful run he was compelled to breathe the suffocating funies of smoke that made night, of the day, so black was it. The cuts on his face and neck from the falling glass of his cab window are not serious, and the doctors say that all he needs to pull through is rest and absolute quiet. HE TELLS THE STORY OF THE RUN. Engineer Root was unable to say more than half a dozen words at a time without stopping to rest, and sometimes his words were cut short by a sharp spasm of pain, but the story in his own words is thrilling almost beyond comparison. In a voice scarcely louder than a whisper he began : " When we left Duluth on Saturday afternoon the air was heavy with smoke. At Carleton the smoke was so thick that it became necessary to put out the headlight, which was done by the fireman, Jack M'Gowan. I spoke to Jack about it, and said I guessed we were going to have rain. We never thought the fire was so near to us. On through the night of smoke tho engine rushed on its way to Hinckley. We were due there at four o'clock, and arrived three minutes late. As I pulled into the station I saw an excited mob of people who took my train by storm. That was the first intimation I had that we were so near the fire. The people were terror-stricken. I could not have started the engine without running persons down on the track in front of me. I received no orders, and as my train was completely filled with passengers who had boarded it while we were standing there I was about to pull the throttle to cross the Hinckley Bridge when a wall of flame fully ten feet high burst through the rolling smoke right in front of my engine, cutting oft' all hope of making the bridge. I noticed that the wind was from the south, and knew then that the fire must have already crossed. For four hours we remained in the water, and then the ground began to cool sufficiently at the edge of the lake so we were enabled to stand on the bank by wrapping our heads in coats. Later I went to the engine and sank down on the hot seat of the cab, the engine having passed through the fiery ordeal almost unscathed. I did not fall asleep, but into a kind of stupor, from which I was nbt fully aroused until the rescuing party came for us with hand ears. So far as I know there were only two persons on our train who lost their lives. They were a couple of Chinamen, who could not be gotten off the train, and they were burned to death on the cars. It must have been a terrible experience to those women and little children who passed the night in the water of the lake. We stayed at Skunk Lake until about five o'clock in the morning, when a relief party came through from Mission Creek, about four miles south of Hinckley, on hand cars. It was impossible to run an engine through, and they took us away, a few at a time, until the entire number was safely landed at Mission Creek, where wo were taken on a work train to Pine City. At that point we were taken on board the Duluth special and brought home." "How did you get across the Hinckley Bridge? Was it capable of supporting the weight of an engine?" "No, I don't think it was. I don't know, I'm sure. I guess.the conductor of the work train was afraid to come through. No, K a train could not have crossed the bridge, because the heavy irons were warped by the heat aud the rails had rolled up in places like snakes, and in other places were spread. The hand cars which had been fastened together to convey us from Skunk Lake to Hinckley were disconnected, and the passengers w ere taken across the bridge one or two at a time on separate hand cars. When tho track was out of shape the people had to get off and walk along the siringer3 while the hand cars were carried over the broken places. After the bridge had been crossed in this manner the cars were fastened together again and we went on to Mission Creek, where wo were all taken on board the work train."