The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-09-26
BRAVE AS THE BRAVEST.
THE HERO OF THE NORTH
WESTERN FOREST FIRES.

WESTERN FOREST tlRES.
Engineer Roots Story Of His Trains
Backward Race With the De-
vouring F1ames-It Reads Like
Chapter Of Horrors-Herded
Like Sheep in Swamp.
The experience of Engineer James Root on
the doomed train which saved so many lives
during the devastating forest fires In the
Northwest Is one that will not be met
with moro than once in lifetime and reads
like chapter of horrors. He was taken to
his home In White Bear Lake, Minn., on the
first relief train, accompanied by Mrs. Root,
who met him at Pine City. His injuries do
not consist OF severe burns. He Is suffer-
ing from the severe 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 fearIu! run ne
was compelled to breathe the suffocating
fumes OF smoke that made night OF the day,
30 black was 1t. The cuts on his tace 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 abso-
lutte quiet.
About o'clock in the evening, after he
had become somewhat rested, reporter was
admitted to the darkensd room In which he
was lying at his home on the corner OF Ban
ming avenue and Fifth street. Hs was un.
able to say more than a half dozen words at
time without stopping to rest, and some-
times his words were cut short by sharp
spasm OF pain. But the story In his own
words Is thrilling almost beyond comparl-
son. After Mrs. Root had moistened his lips
with cold water the engineer sank back
among the cushions on his couch, and Tor a
moment closed his eyes as. he recalled to his
memorythe scenes OF the night before. Inen
In a voice scarcely louder than whisper ne
began:
stWhen We left Duluth Saturday afternoon
the air was heavy with smoke. At Carleton
the smoke was so thick that 1t became neces-
sary to light the headlight. which was done
by Fireman Jack MCGOWAN. I spoke to
Jack about it, and said guessed we were
going to have rain. We never thought the
fire was 80 near US. On and on through the
night of smoke the engine rushed on It's way
to Hlnckley. We were due there at O CLOCK
and arrived three minutes late. AS pulled
into the station saw an excited mob OF peo-
pie who took my train by storm. That was
the first intimation had that we were SO
near the fire. The people were terror
stricken. I could not have started the en-
gine without running persons down on the
tracks In front of me. received no orders,
and as my train was completely filled WITH
passengers who had boarded 1t Wnlie we
were standing there, I was about to pun the
throttle to cross the Hlnckley bridge Waen
wall OF fame fully ten feet high burst
through the rolling smoke right IN front VI
my engine, cutting of 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 the bridge and
DESTROYED II, 80 reversed the engine and we
began q race with the flames back from
Hinckley.
tThere was not much time for thinking,
but remembered shallow marsh, known
as Skunk Lake, about six miles back ana
north OF HInckley, and made up my MIND
to reach that lake, come what might. Ihere
was no other salvation. The wind was dow
ing the fire in the same direction we were
going. and the flames raced along in the tall
grass on both sides OF US, almost keeping
pace with the speed OF the train. Iput on
nv heavy coat and pulled it over my head,
and Jack got back In the manhole OF the
tank. He would stand up and throw water
over me as long as he could stand the heat.
and then he would retreat to the manhole
again, and In that way we got to SKUNK
Lake, not more than two minutes before tne
flames. We piled out Of the cab, JACK anu l,
cutting off the air and kicking the cars down
about two car lengths, and made 1or tne
lake, getting there just as the fire struck US.
It was awful"
Engineer Root continued, after resting
moment, "And hope may never live to
20 through such an experience again. Tae
fire swept right over US, and we had to lie
flat in the water for time. After the frst
sheet of flame passed over US 1t was NOT so
bad, but still the heat was terrible. Tne
woods we're burning all around US, and to
add to the horror OF the time the tram
caught on fire and the cars burned nerceiy,
radiating an awful heat, whlch anected US
almost as much as the nrSt nre' we "eeH 81
near the track. For four hours we remained
In the water, and then the ground began to
cool sufficiently at the edge OF the lake so
that we were enabled to stand on the bank
by wrapping our heads In coats. LATER
went to the engine and sank down on the NOT
seat of the cab, the engine having passed
through the fiery ordeal almost unscathed.
! did not fall asleep, but into kind OF
stupor, from which was not fully aroused
until the reseuing party came 1or US Will
hand cars. So far as know there were only
two persons on our train VINO lost tnels
lives, They were couple OF Cinnamon VINO
could not be gotten eff the train, and they
were burned to death on the cars. It must
have been a terrible experience to those wo.
men and little children who passed the night
In the water Of the lake"
"How did you get away from Skunk
Lake?" the reporter asked, as Engineer
Root stopped to rest few moments and
called for some more water.
"We STAYED there until about O'CLOCK In
the morning, when q relief party came
through from Mission Creek, about four
miles south OF Hinckley. on hand cars. 1t
was impossible to run an engine through,
and they took US away, q few at time, IN.
I'll the entire number was safely landed at
Mission Greek, where We were taken on
work train to Pine City. At that point we
were taken on board the Duluth special ana
brought home"
Engineer Root is man OF the rugged,
fearless type 80 commonly met with IN MS
walk OF life. He Is ffty-one years ola ana
has run an engine on the Duluth roaa seven
wears, and during most OF that time ne nos
nulled the Duluth limited passenger trains.