The record-union., 1891-05-12
Special to the REcoRp.uN1oN.

CoUDERSPoRT (Pa.), May ll.-To-nlght
the little towns of Austin, CASTILLO,
Galeton and Moores Run, in Potter
County, are on the verge of a panic, two
especially being threatened with annihila-
ton from fires that seem to form an i'm
penetrable wall on every side.
For several days past the skies have
been lighted with fires in every direc-
ton, and the flames crept steadily
toward the helpless towns until it was
seen that the people must fight.
At MooEes Run, on the Slime Mahoning
road, train load of seventy-fve willing
men sent out from Austin Sunday night
had been fighting back the fire by every
conceivable means. They made trenches,
piled up earth and lighted fires, but were
finally obliged to retreat. The men
hastily boarded the train and started to
make a run to another point, when it
was found that they were hemmed in by
forest fires on one side and huge skid
way of burning logs on the other. 1t was
finally decided to dash past the burning
skldway, and the engineer and fireman,
with their faces covered with dampened
cloths and their hands and arms wrapped
In wool, pulled through the wall of fire
The seventy-five exhausted men gath
cred in groups on the flats for protection,
or lay on their faces on the floor. As the
blazing furnace Of logs was approached
the heat became unbearable and the
smoke so binding and sitting that the
men were Obliged to cover their months
with cloths.
Just opposite millions of feet of burning
logs, where the heat and smoke and
hame were the greatest, a terrible thing
occurred. The engineer had forgotten
that such great heat would surely warp
AR.1Tl TlEr II i =
an omlnous heavlng and shrek of dis
pair as the train toppled over into the
hell OF fire beneath. A scene ensued
never to be forgotten by those who es-
capped, though every man will carry to
his grave mark of that awful moment.
The cars caught fire like so many play
things, and the men within, half blinded
and scarcely realizing anything except
that they were being slowly roasted to
death, struggled teartully to regain the
track, where safety lie, for time at least.
Those uninjured from the fall, and only
smarting from the pain Of the intense
heat bravely turned their burned, black
ened hands to aid their more unfortunate
fellows.
At this hour 10 P. NJ it is impossible
to secure details, though it is known that
superintendent Badger, of the Slime
Mahoning Valley Railroad, who was IN
charge OF the train, went down under
some of the wreckage and was undoubt-
edly burned to death. Six others also
miserably perished at once, or died soon
afterward, and thirty others OF the party
were badly burned, many probably
fatally, having inhaled the flames. Some
others OF the party are missing, and their
fate is unknown, though they are likely
IN the charred wood of logs or the train.
The remainder of the party saved them
selves by lying down in the creek.
Relief parties started, for the scene as
the fearful news spread, but will hardly
be able to reach the place of the wreck
unless the fires have burned themselves
out. Owing to the great devastation
done to everything in the way of the fire.
communication is badly interrupted, and
1t is impossible to learn the names of the
men buried or missing.
As 10 the damage it is known that 4O.-
100000 feet of lumber logs and timber and
25,O0O cords OF valuable bark have al
ready been destroyed and the fires are
raging without any appreciable diminu-
ton.
The people are praying for rain, as it
seems nothing but a drenching rain will
quench the flames.
n million beacon lights seem to be
burning from every mountain and hill
side, and the air is so oppressive that
many workers faint from exhaustion and
are dragged away from the flame that has
done nothing as vet but steadily advance
Twelve solid miles of timber in one dis
trict have already been burned, and the
end is not yet.
IN MICHIGAN.
NEwAYGo (Mich.), May IL Forest
fires are raging in this county. The vii
lagos Of Otia, Fields and Park CITY have
been entirely destroyed, and the hotel
and depot at Lilley are ali that remain in
that village. The above named places
are villages of about three hundred pop
ulation each. SO far no reports of loss of
life have reached here
OIL TANKS DESTROYED
WARREN pa, May u.-Forest fires
in this section have caused a loss Of nearly
100000 TO the oil men, in the destruction
ei tanks and other property.