The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-09-08
Engineer Root, Surrounded by
Fire, Stands at the Throttle.
GRAPHIC STORIES OF THE FIRE
Aid for the Stricken People Called for
st. Paul and other Cities Respond
Promptly and Literally.

81. PAUL, Mimi, Sept Prom
the stories of passengers OH the linn
tied train. which was burned near
Hinckley, the entire train crew de-
serves to be placed on the roll of honor
for personal heroism. Engineer James
Root Of White Bear heads the list. He
was badly burned and almost blinded
and fell from his seat unconscious
Immediately on getting out of the fire.
When about two miles north of Hinck-
lev, Root first discovered that the fires,
which had been raging on both sides
of the track, were racing him for his
life and the lives of his passengers.
Cinders were flying in every direction
and the smoke was so dense that 1t was
we'll nigh impossible to see beyond the
car windows. even with the aid OF
powerful headlight.
Flames Outrun the Train.
He thought to outrun the flames,
which were coming after and bearing
down upon him at a 60.mile gait.
When about a mile and half from
Hinckley, he discovered that the nre
was too fast for him. 1t overlook the
train and overleaped it so that it was
literally surrounded with flames. The
air was sitting, and the clothes OF
both the engineer and the fireman
caught fire. Fireman MCGOWAN
leaped into the water-tank, aud, seiz-
ing bucket, dashed water several
times over the burning engineer. Root
steadily kept at his post, although
scarcely able to sit upright.
Leaped Into He'll of Flame.
In the meantime the passengers
could see nothing, but heard the roar
of the incoming tornado of flame,
and soon the glare outside
was toe much for the reason
of a number of them. The rear car
caught fire, and as the flames overlook
it the passengers rushed headlong into
tue forward cars. The shrieks of
women and children, as we'll as the
terrified shouts of the men, increased,
and terrible feelings were aroused by
the uproar of the flames on every
hand. Several of the male pas
sengsrs, too terrified for further
self control, leaped headlong through
the broken windows and were swal-
lowed up In the flames outside. 9th
ers, seeing this act, quickly followed,
aud altogether in the next 10 minutes
a dozen men leaped to their death in
the flames in like manner. The
women, whose terror had been pitiful
for few minutes before, now came
heroically to the help of the trainmen
in endeavoring to soothe the affrighted
children.
Escaped to Skunk Lake.
Engineer Root saw that there was no
outlet, apparently, for his train ahead,
and concluded to turn back through
the distance already burned over
rather than encoun Ter possibly greater
perils for them. He backed at top
speed to Skunk lake, five miles from
Hinckley. The passengers deserted
the train there an d took refuge in the
swamp, where they spent the night.
This morning a relief train from the
north brought them to this city. The
relief train carried a supply of hand
cars. which were used IN picking up
the bodies of the dead along the track.
Engineer Root lies at his home at
White Bear too badly injured to be in
terviewed. He was badly cut by brok-
en- glass, but his worst injuries were
from inhaling hot air and smoke.