Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-12
WALLS OF FIRE.
A Terrible Catastrophe in
Pennsylvania.
Human Lives Lost in the Blaz-
ing Forests.
A Gang of Fire-Fighters Hemmed
in by the Flames.
They Attempt to Run the Fiery Gauntlet
and Are Thrown Into the Midst
of the Burning.
Associated Press Dispatches.

Associated Press Dispatches.
CoUDERsPoRT, Pa, May 11.-Tonight
the little towns of Austin, Costello,
Gileton and Moore's Run, in Potter
county, are on the verge of panic, two
especially being threatened with ami
hilation from fires that seem to form an
impenetrable wall ON every side. For
several days past the skies have been
lighted with fires in every direction, and
the flames crept steadily toward the
helpless towns, till it was seen that the
people must fight. At Moore's Run,
on the Sinnemahoning road, a train
load OF seventy-ive 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 opposition fires, but were finally
obliged to retreat. The men hastily
boarded their train and started to make
a run to another point, when it was
found that they were hemmed in by for
est fires on one side, and a huge skidway
OF burning logs on the other. 1t was
finally decided to dash past the burning
skidway, and the engineer and fireman,
with their faces covered with damp
cloths, and their hands and arms wrap
ped in wool, pulled
THROUGH THE WALL OF FLAMES.
The seventy-ive exhausted men gath
cred in groups on the fiat cars for pro-
lection, and lay on their faces on the
floor. AS the blazing furnace of logs
was approached, the heat became un-
bearable, and the smoke was so binding
and sitting that the men were obliged
to close their mouths with cloths. Just
opposite the millions of feet of burning
logs, where the heat and smoke and
flame were greatest,
TERRIBLE THING OCCURRED.
The engineer had forgotten that such
great heat would surely warp the rails
Suddenly there was lurch. an ominous
heaving and shrek OF despair as the
train toppled over
- $3.50 siNro THE HEI.L OF FIRE
beneath. The scene that ensued is never
to be forgotten by those who escaped,
though every man will bear to his grave
the mark of that awful moment. The
cars caught fire like 80 many playthings,
and the men within, half blinded and
scarcely realizing anything except that
they were being
SLOWLY ROASTED TO DEATH,
struggled hard to regain the track where
safety lay for time at least. Those un-
injured from the fall, and only smarting
from the pain of the intense heat,
bfavely turned their burned and black
ened hands to aid their more unfortu-
nate fellows. At this hour, 10 p. M, it
is impossible to secure details, though
it is known that Superintendent Badger
of the Sinnemahoning valley railroad,
who was in charge of the train, went
down under some of the wreckage, and
was undoubtedly 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 flames. Seven others of the party
are missing, and their fate is unknown,
though they are likely in the charred
wood of the logs or the train. The re-
mainder of the party saved themselves
by lying down in the creek. Relief par
ties started for the scene as soon as the
fearful news spread, but will hardly be
able to reach the place of the wreck,
unless the fires have burned themselves
out.
GREAT DEVASTATION
has been done to everything in the way
of the fire. Communication is badly in
terrupted, and it is impossible to learn
the names of the men who are buried or
missing. As to the damage, it is known
that 40,U00.0 900 feet of hemlock logs and
TIMBER, and $4,000 cords of valuable
bark have already been destroyed, and
the fires are raging without any appre-
ciable dimunition. The people are
praying for rain, as it seems that moth
ing but drenching rain will quench
the flames. -
A MILLION BEACON LIGHTS
seem to be burning from every noun
tain and hillside, and the air is SO op-
pressive that many workers faint from
exhaustion, and are dragged from the
flames that have done nothing as yet
but steadily advance. Twelve solid
miles of timber in one district have
already been burned, and the end is not
yet.
OIL MEMS LOSS.
On Cry, May 11.-Amessage received
from the superintendent Of the Oil City
Fuel company, from Pine Grove town
ship, says thus far thirteen oil wells
have been burned. The fire is still
burning. The Fuel company received
messages, today, from Elk and Clear
field counties, announcing serious forest
fires which are spreading.
WARREN, Pa, May 11.-Forest fires in
this section have caused loss OF nearly
5000, 900 to oil men, in the destruction
OF tanks and other property.
MICHIGAN FOREST FIRES.
NEwAYGo, Mich, May 11.-Forest
fires are raging in this county. Thevil-
lagos of Otia, Fields and Park City have
been entirely destroyed, and the hotel
and depot at Lilley are all that remain
4 OF that village. The above-named places
klvere villages of about three hundred
Population each. So far no reports OF
Us Of life have reached here.