The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1894-09-07
FEARFUL FOREST FIRES.
Three Northwest States in Flames.
Hundreds Of Lives Lost and Millions
ofDollars of Property Destroyed.

Greater than ever before known, is
the loss by forest fires In the North
west Whole towns are swept from the
face of the earth, while the surround
ing country isone blackened, smoking,
lifeless prairie, with the charred bod.
les of human beings and innumerabIe
horses and cattle to be seen everywhere.
Railroad trains with their precious
lives and costly freight have been con.
snmed. Lakes and rivers afforded but
scant protection, being soon Tapped up
by livid tongues Of fire. Immense
forests have fallen amid fire and smoke,
with the sound of artillery. The heav-
ems have been obscured for days by
dense pail of smoke, and the earth,
with its inhabitants, IS being literally
burned up. The scene is appalling.
Below we give the number of deaths
already reported, with the vivid de-
scription Of the experience of a train
load of passengers:
"Dr. W. H. Crary, Of st. Paul, who
was on Engineer Roots train which
ran to Hinckley, one Of the towns
burned during the appalling forest rlre,
and backed his train up to mud lake,
thus saving the lives Of many people,
tells Of the incident:
''rhe woods OH either side were LASH
ed by fierce wind, blowing 50 miles
All hour. On through this weird scene
the limited sped, the situation growing
more alarming at every mile. AS the
train reached Hinckley ii was disccv-
cred that the fire reached the railroad
but on 1t sped, the engineer hoping to
pass Hinckley in time to escape the
danger. 1t was not until the train had
come within mile of Hinckiey that
the engineer discovered that his train
was burning and that 1t would be i'm
possible to pass. The bridge had al
ready been consumed, together with
the mills and homes of Hinckley.
Here the train was met by hundred
or more fugitives from the burning
town. Mothers carried in their arms
small children, Others hanging to their
mothers skirts. Some carried few
household goods and others were cry
ing and moaning on account of losses
already sustained. Many were so near
ly exhausted they could scarcely board
the train.
Nearer and nearer the flames were
approaching, and finally the engi-
neer was compelled to reverse his
lever and run back, leaving behind
scores of unfortunate ones who had
not been able to reach the train, their
only available means ofescape, Those
on board could see many of them sink
to the ground exhausted and overcome
by the terrible heat, never again to
rise. Many came running across the
fields from small settlements, hoping
TO escape on the train, but only disap-
polntment and death awaited them.
"On rushed the train through the
firery hot breath of pursuing flames,
for stop would have been fatal to all
on board. AS the weary passengers
retraced their steps sunday morning,
some afoot and Others on handcars,
they found along the side of the track
and in the fields the cEarred remains
of those poor unfortunates. In four
miles "a bodies were found, some
burned beyond recognition and others
unscarred, having died from suffoca-
ton.
at was a four.mile run back TO
Skunk lake, which is little better
than mud-hole, the mud and water
covering no more than an acre. Nhe
train had gone only short distance
before 1t was surrounded by the devour-
ing flames. Hot blasts struck the
coaches, setting them on fire in places
an6 breaking the windows on both
sides, The baggage car was soon o
mass of flames, which streamed back
over the engine, tender and train, set
ting fire to the engineers clothes and
scorching his face and hands. N
either side of the engineer there was a
stream of flame, but never for an in
slant did Engineer Root finch, He
was apparently certain OF death, but
could he hold out for four miles the
passengers might possibly escape. II
he deserted his post it would be death
to all ON board. Back of him stood his
trusty fireman, who occasionally
poured water upon him. When the
heat became unbearable for the fire.