Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-09-14

LOOK my Train DY storm. That was
the iirst intimation [ had that WI
were SO near the fire. The people
were terror stricken. / could moi
have started the engine without run
ming persons down OH the track in
front of ME. 1 received no orders
and rs my train was completely filled
with passengers who had boarded II
while we were standing there, | was
about to pull the throttle to cross
the Hinckloy bridge, when wall 81
hamo fully ten feet high burst
through the rolling smoke right III
front OF my engine, cutting of all
hope of making the bridge. ! noiired
TINT the wind was from the South,
and knew then that tho fire must
hove already crossed the bridge and
destroyed it, so reversed the en-.
CINE and we began race With the
ilames back from Hinckley.
"There was not much tiino for
thinking but remembered II shallow
marsh, known MS Skunk Lake, about
six miles back and north of Hinckley,
and made up my mind to rencll
that lake, come what might. There
WAS no other salvation. The wind
was blowing the FIRE in the same di
rection we were going,and the flames
raced Along i'll tho tall grass on both
sides of us, almost keeping pace with
the speed of tho train. l put on my
heavy cont aud pulled 1t over my
head, and Jnck got back in the man.
hole OF the tank. He would stand
up and throw water over mo as long
rs he could stand the heat, and then
he would retreat into the manhole
again, and in that way we got to
Skunk Lake, not two minutes before
the flame. We piled out of the cab,
jack and 1. cutting off the mir and
kicking the cars down about two eur
lengths, and made for the like, got
ting there just ~ tho fire struck rs.
1t was awful"
Engineer Root continued, after
resting a moment: "And / hope
may never live to go through such IN
experience again. The fire swept
right over us, and we had to lie fiat
i'll tho water for time. After tho
first sheet of ilame pussed over us it
was not so bad, but still the heat was
terrific. The woods were burning
NIL around us, and TO add TO the hor
ror of the time the tain caught OH
lire and burned fiercely, radiating al
awful heat, which effected us almost
rs much us the first fire. wo were so
near the track. For four hours we
remained i'll the water, and then the
ground uegan to cool sufficiently at
the edge of the lake SO that we were
enabled to stand on tue bunk by
wrapping our heads in coats. later
l went to the engine and onnk down
on the hot seat of the rnb. the engine
having passed through the fiery or.
denl almost nnscathel. | did not
fall asleep. but into Kind of stupor,
from which was not fully aroused
until the rescuirg party came for us
with hand cars. So far as L know
there were only two persons on our
Irnin who lost their lives. They
were couple of Chinmon who could
not DO gotten off The train, and they
were burned to death on the cars. IL
must have been terrible experience
to thosk women and little children
who passed the night in tho water of
the lake"
GLOW did you get away from
Skunk Lake?" the reporter asked, as
Engineer Root stopped to rest few
moments and called for some water.
Ave stayed there until about six
o'clock i'll the morning. when relief
party came through from Mission
Creek, about four miles south of
Hinckley, on hand cars. 1t was i'm
possible to run an engine through,
and they took us away, few at n
time, until the entire number was
safely landed Mt Mission Creek, where
we were taken on work train to
Pine City. At that point we were
laden on board the Duluth special
and brought home"
Engineer Root is man of rugged,
fearless type so commonly met with
in his walk of life. He is 81 years
old and has run an engine en- the
Duluth road seven years, and during
most of that time he has pulled the
Duluth limited passenger trains.