The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1894-09-12

out just ahead of the fl and succeeded
in ultimately reaching Duluth. This cir
cumstance, while fortunate in a degree
that cannot be estimated, has made the
confusion greater, for it is not known
who escaped IN this way, and many peo-
pie are reported dead who may be in
safety. Had not this number OF people,
largely women and children, left the
doomed city when they did, the loss of
life would have increased in a geometri-
cal ratio, for their presence would have
added UNNECESSARILY to the subsequent
confusion.
About the same hour the accomoda-
ton train on the IIinckley and st Cloud
branch left for the latter place with
about 25 passengers. Its path lay direct
ly across the path of the fire and their
situation speedy became desperate
The ties were burning, the rails were
warping and the trestles were sagging
under the train. The smoke had increas-
ed so that the engineer was helpless. lie
could not see the train behind him.
Burning trees lay across the track and
were being tossed aside by the engine.
Suddenly the track gave way and the
train toppled off to one side. No one
was injured and they pressed on to Poke
CANA Station, a few rods ahead.
But few feet in front of the engine
was discovered gorge 60 feet wide and
40 feet deep, where the trestle had been
burning away. They succeeded in reach
ing the clearing at the station and escap-
ed with few burns and bruises. There
were burned along the track, however,
four or five people, including DIR. Kel-
cey, of New Brighton, who had come up
to look after his b other.
DEATH IN THE SWAMP.
The people who were left in the city
were in what seemed to be an almost
hopeless condition. Egress by the only
means OF transportation that could hope
to distance the swiftly advancing flames
was out of the question. The men had
been fighting the fire for hours and the
women and children were in panic
sticken condition. Many of them were
of the igno rant OF the population, for a
very large percentage of the people who
got out on the Great Northern Railroad
were of the more intelligent class.
Horses we've harnessed to buggies and
wagons. Women and children were
hurriedly loaded. In some cases at
tempts were made to carry of some
HOUSEHOLD goods, but in most instances
the people had no thought for aught but
their lives.
Probably 200 Of them left town ON foot
or in vehicles, plugging into the woods
to the north, across the Grindstone river,
which skirts the town on the north.
They were literally fleeing before the
pursuing demon of fire.
Over the hill that rises beyond the
Grindstone is swamp, and to this most
of the people with teams headed, but it
proved no protection. The fire gave
them no opportunity to go further
Some abandoned their teams and ran in
to the lower portions of the morass, but
the fire sought them out. Not one was
left to tell the tale, and there this morn
ing, in space of little more than five
acres, were counted over 1870 corpses.
There were many families OF five, six
and seven, and there they lay, the man
generally little in advance, the mother
surrounded by her little ones, cut off by
the most horrible of deaths.
Nearly all the bodies were nude, the
fire having burned every vestige OF their
clothing and blackened and charred
many of the corpses beyond recognition,
and where whole families were wiped
out, as they were, and some OF the bodies
completely incinerated, identification is
absolutely out of the question.
Those who fled to the north on foot
followed the Duluth track, and SO rapid
was the progress OF the flames that many
of them were actually burned as they
fled, falling on the right-of-way for dis
lance OF three miles or more. Nearly 30
bodies were recovered along here.
THOSE WHO REMAINED.
Some of the foremost of the escaping
citizens met Duluth train coming in from
the north. 1t was due at Hinckley at
1905. Engineer Jim Root was at the
throttle. He stopped the train and took
on board about 1875 of the refugees, who
crowded into the train, completely filling
it, for it had a passenger list almost as
large. BY this time the woods were
blazing on each side OF the track, and as
the engineer reversed his engine and
started back the cars cracked in the heat.
Root ran the train back about three
miles to Skunk Lake, and the people es-
capped from the burning ears to the
water.
The people who remained in Hinckley
Jared the best Of all. The Eastern Min
nesota tracks mark the eastern edge OF
the city proper. Just beyond the road
own tract OF land embracing at least 10
acres. 1t was purchased for gravel pit
10 A.