Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-10-11
THE LAKE REFUGE.
Story of Passengers Who Escaped
Death by PlungtRe int Skunk Lake

the Duluth limited express which was
burned at Skunk lake by the same fire
which destroyed H.ncl1Iey and ot..er
places in northern Minnesota, told
graphic tales of their experience and
that OF scores of fellow pasSansers. as
we'll as a Large number of pcople Of
H1nckley, who crowded on the train
and so escaped the destruction. These
three men were the first to traverse
the yet burning woods to 4 point
Where they could start a relief party
after the people who We're saved by
taking refuge in Skunk lake while the
fire passed over. Mr.. Lobdells story
of has ride on the train from Duluth.
and of the events which followed is
reported in the st. Paul Pioneer Press.
L hope TO never see such sights
again. Mr.. Lobdell said I'VE had no
intimation of fire until Hinckley was
reached. The smoke was heavy al day
in Duluth. and after we pulled out of
there the smoke grew thicker and
heavier and the atmosphere became
almost SutfOcatin@. despite the fact that
there was a warm south wind blow
ing. On reaching Carlton. about )
O'Clock. the smoke became so dense
that the light of the sun was entirely
0bliterated. and it became almost as
dark as night. The lamps in the cars
were lighted. and the train Numbered
on through a night made OF smoke
Still there were no signs of fire. and
only the timid ones were nervous |
think we had about 100 passengers
leaving Duluth. and took but few be-
tween there and Hinckley. The heat
became sitting as we passed on further
south and it was impossible to keen
the car windows open on account of
the smoke. which filed the cars and
made our eyes smart and burn fear
fully. On the limited rushed through
the black smoke, making no stops eX-
cept at crossings after leaving Carl
ton until it slowed up at 4.03 in the
! afternoon at Hinckley. There | wit
messed sights which made me sick at
heart
when the train stopped at the Stl-
! ton a crowd Of men, women and chill
dren began clambering on board with
frantic haste. They rushed and crowd
ed and damned in almost mob
Strong men fought for a foothOld ana
passed their babes through the car
windows, willing to sacrifice them
selves to save their offspring 1t was
awful. The passengers on the cars be-
came badly frightened when they
learned the cause of the mad scramble
to get on our train, and women tainted
III their seats, children screamed, and
pandemOnium reigned supreme. The
horror of the situation was intensi-
fed when we felt the train backing
up over the ground it had but recently
trayersed. To add to the general feel
ing of fear was the blackneSs of the
day made night by the smoke and the
heat. As the train began backing up
we could see sparks flying past us.
The cars vera iaInmad full of people
some half-clad, men with coats or hats
and women with nothing on but their
house dresses. The train was rushing
on like the wind toward Skunk lake
which we reached in about ten min
utes The conductor passed through
the train and told us our only nope
was IN getting into the water as soon
as possible. Immediately the train
stopped. because, he said, the fire was
close behind us, coming with the speed
of a race horse through the tall prairie
grass and underbrush which, dry as
finder, was licked up in the fiery fur
mace like train of gunpOwder. The
moment the cars We're stopped at
Skunk Lake, a small marsh about two
acres in extent and lying close along
side the track, the passengers crowded
off pell-mell unmindful OF each other
in their mad desire to reach the water.
The air was full of flying sparks and
the heat was awful
In my coach there were two China
men, who became craZed with fright
and refused to leave their seats. They
chung to the seats and could not be
pulled away, although | saw two or
three men Juggling at them even in the
awful hurry of the moment. That was
the last | saw of the Cinnamon, and
later | heard that thy remained in the
coach and were burned to death along
with the train. We reached the water
none too soon. The roar Of-the flames
could be heard south of us toward
Hinckley even before we reached the
waters edge, and a number of women
tainted before getting to the lake. They
were picked up by the male passen-
gers, and everybody reached the water
in time to save their lives. What we
suffered for four mortal hours in that
marsh battles description. Men, wom-
en- and children piled into the water
in one heterogeneous mass. Everybody
abandoned his baggage, nor thought Of
aught else but saving his own life l
had a small travelling grip along with
me and carried it into the water. We
had been in the lake scarcely half a
minute when through the wall of smoke
there burst a sea of flame. The heat
was awful. Somebody shouted: Get
under the water for your lives"
Il obeyed the command, and l guess
everybody else did likewise. / felt as
though I was burning up. My mouth
got dry and l could f,l my tongue
swelling. Ny eyeballs seemed starting
out of my head, and for moment. !,
as felt the flames above and seeming :
ly all around me. | think | lost con- ,
sciOusness / don't know how long L /
had myself completely submerged I'M
der water. / suppose it was only |