Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-09-03
WHEELING. W. VA. MONDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER s. 1894

glare outside was too much for the rea-
SOP of a number OF them.
The rear car caught fire and as the
| flames overlook it and the passengers
rushed headlong into the forward cars,
Conductor Sullivan and his plucKy
associates walked up and down the
aisle, doing their best to soothe the
frightened passengers. The windows
broke from the heat and several OF the
men passengers, too terrified for FUR
ther self-control, with terrible cry,
leaped haadlong through one OF the
windows and were
SWALLOWED UP IN THE FLAMES
outside. Others seeing this action quick
IL followed, and altogether in the next
ten minutes a dozen men leaped TO their
death in the flames in like manner.
The women, whose terror had been Fit
iful a few minutes before. now came
heroically TO the help Of the trainmen In
endeavoring to soothe the frightened
children, q numb Der of whom were on the
train.
Engineer Root saw there was no out
let apparently for his train ahead and
concluded to turn back through the
district already burned over, rather
than encounter possibly greater perils
before them. He backed at fast speed
to Skunk Lake, little settlement i've
miles north Of Hinckly and the passen-
gers deserted the burning train at that
place, seeking refuge in swamp where
they spent the night. This morning a
relief train from the north brought
through Hinckley and on TO this city.
The relief train carried q supply OF
hand cars, which were used in picking
up
THE BODIES OF THE DEAD
along the track. One hundred bodies
were picked up and brought into Hinck-
lev before the relief train came on TO
this city with the injured passengers
and trainmen. Hinckley was mass OF
ruins, nothing being left standing but
the round house. So fast did the
flames come that the people
had little or no chance 10
save themselves. They fed on horse
back and on foot, but were quickly over
capped. One party Of about forty or nifty
people sought safety In shallow pool
of water in a gravel pit. The flames
swooped down upon them from every
side, and in their endeavors to escape
from the flames, were drowned In the
pool, many of them throwing them
selves into the water, evidently pre-
ferring death by drowning to being
roasted alive.
The scenes reported by the railroad
work trains are frightful. Governor
Nelson, Mayor Smith, OF st. Paul. and
Mayor Eusts, of Minneapolis, have all
issued proclamations calling on the
people for help. Anything In the
line of provisions, clothing or money
will be very acceptable, as the need Is
very great. All the churches In this
city, as the relief societies, have been
throwing open their places for contribu-
tions. and several responses have been
received,
St. Paul was quick to respond to the
needs OF the stricken people. In an
incredibly short space of time $4,000
worth of provisions and supplies were
raised. Beginning at noon, one bakery
firm alone turned out 2, 307 loaves. The
special relief train left here at $3.50.
1t was reported at Omaha headquar-
ters that seventy houses at Shell Lake,
Wis, had been swept away by the
flames.
The people OF Rush City and Pine
City have also responded nobly TO
THE CALL FOR RELIEF.
The citizens of the latter place have
utilized the school house, court house,
churches and private residences for the
purpose OF giving food and shelter The
relief that Is needed, is clothing and
food, also money to rebuild, as the
people have absolutely nothing left.
No trains are running west OF Hinck-
ley, and il is impossible to get accurate
information. Carlton, Rutledge and
other towns in the north are reported
burned to the ground. The Eastern Min
nesota railroad is gutted and the Omaha
has Jared little better. The Eastern
Minnesota train from Hinckley for st.
Paul at o'clock, the limited, on Sunday
took about 500 people to Duluth, all OF
whom are reported all right. This train
got over the bridges safe few minutes
before they were burned.
At Pine Town, three miles east OF
Pine City, south of Snake river and
west of the st. Croix, fearful fire is
burning and is sweeping everything be-
fore it.
In the afternoon this fire was at least
twelve miles square, but as the wind
has gone down considerably, it is hoped
its course will be checked. There are
fires north of Snake river, also in q
heavy timber section which is sparsely
settled.
As for the loss Of property, IT is i'm
possible to make even an approXima-
ton, but it certainly runs up into the
| millions, two or three millions OF dol
lars worth of property between Hinck-
ley and Duluth having been reduced TO
ashes and cinders.
TIE cleanout has been so complete
that many people have no ambition left
to rebuild new homes on top Of the
ruins. Most of them will scatter to all
parts Of the country to find their friends
as soon as they can.
THE DEAD NUMBER s56
Estimates of the Dead In Various Towns