The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-09-08

Gaping CltlZeDS met the duluth train
coming in from the north. 1t was due
at Hinckleyat 4:05. Engineer Jim Root
was at The throttle. He stopped the train
and took board about 100 refugees.
BY this time the woods were blazing
an each side of the track, and as Root
reversed his engine and started back
the cars were scorched and cracked by
the heat. Root ran the train back
about three miles to Skunk lake, and
the people escaped from the burning
cars to the water, and no lives were
lost.
Saved by stagnant Pool.
The people who remained in Hnck-
ley Jared the best of all. The Eastern
Minnesota tracks mark the eastern
edge of the city proper. Just beyond
the edge was tract of land embracing
at least 10 acres. The whole area
had been excavated to depth
of 80 or 40 feet and in its
center was stagnant pool
of rainwater, three feet deep. To it
fed 100 citizens who were willing to
trust to its friendly depths. They re-
manned four hours, while the smoke
and flames rolled over their heads.
They dashed water over each other
aud covered their heads with wet
cloths TO prevent sutfocation, and all
were saved.
Mother and Four Babes Drowned.
Others sought refuge in the Grind
stone river, under the abutments of
two railway bridges and at the foot of
a bridge. Tue exact number is not
known, but many escaped, and some
were drowned. Mrs. Martin Martin
son and her four little babes
were taken from the water, drowned,
this morning. In the meantime
Hinckley was burning with the ut
most rapidity, and in few hours moth
ing was left but ruins.
The total loss tn the city will exceed
81 900, 900, with comparatively light in
surance.
The Dead Are Everywhere.
The situation at Sandstone was even
more appalling than at Hinckley, ex-
cent in point of numbers. OF 200 resi-
dents, one-fourth are dead. Otto STAFF
ferfeldt of Sandstone, talking of the
disaster, said that last night, about
$3.50, the flames neared the town and
the people proceeded TO leave. The
wind blew hurricane, and as the peo-
pie were getting ready to leave the fire
closed in on three sides. Not O single
person saved a thing except his clothes.
About $50 went to the river and 50 or
go were burned to death. At O'Clock
this morning he saw over As bod
les. charred and burned, living
on every side. The people
are destitute of everything. In
addition TO the As bodies at Sandstone,
there are 20 at Kettle River junction.
All the settlers in the vicinity are
probably burned to death. There are
about IL homeless families still at
Mission Creek, but they have provi-
sions for "a hours. At Brokaw Park,
two miles east If Hinckley, all the
houses are burned and there are about
l25 people there, many of whom are in
immediate need OF relief.
Searching for Missing Relatives.
AS night closed in the people began
to come out from their hiding places
and made their way over the hot en-
bers to their burned city. They We're
absolutely dazed by the catastrophe,
and night was spent in an end eavor TO
! find relatives. The fire had spent
Itself and the air was filled with
smoke. Two huge heaps of coal,
which marked the location of the Du-
lutn coal sheds, were blazing and
by their titful light the people wan
dered about picking out places where,
six hours before, tier happy homes
stood. The fact that so many had es-
capped by train added to the anxiety of
those whose friends and relatives were
not to be found, while it furnished at
the same time basis for the hope that
! they were in safety.
Identification Impossible.
One of the saddest features of the
calamity is the impossibility of identi-
| fication in IA large proportion of cases.
Nlnety-siX bodies were brought here
and examined by many surviving
residents of Hinckley, and but four
could be identified. The remainder
viii have 10 be buried together Those
who brought in the bodies from the
swamp reported That there were at
least 80 other bodies out there which
can not be brought in until morning.
Recovering Bodies.
When morning broke few energetic
'pirits began to organize to work for
! the recovery of bodies. j. w. Sargent,
! passenger conductor on the Duluth
road. organized volunteer crew, who
named Two handcars whose capacity
was increased by the use of a plank.
They wont up the Duluth track north
and picked up 81 bodies between the
river and Skunk lake.
The CITIZENS volunte cred and har-
messed UP tue available vehicles saved
in the gravel pits and went out to the
. ha Ms