The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-09-03

City for moro. Fivo hundred foot were
Bont, but II never reached Hinckley.
The main part OF the village lies In the
north fork, made by the crossing OF tho
Duluth and Eastern tracks, the latter 10
tho cast aud the former on tho west,
CANE SUDDENLY.
On tho west side Of tho Duluth tracks
weto few small houses belonging to
the railway employees. The flremeu's
attention was mainly directed 10 keep
ing the fire away from thom as the main
business part Of tho city was built in
solidly Just across the track,
At 8 o'clock In the afternoon the fire
literally jumped into tho town. Its
approach was not gradual. It did not
eat its way along, devouring everything
In its path, but came In huge leaps as II
to oyertake everything fleeing before II
and then burned back at its leisure. 1t
Is described by those who witnessed Its
onward progress at Hinckley and else
where as II II were forced along by
cyclones OF its own generation. Tho
intense heat would develop o veritable
whirlwiud Of fame that actually twisted
off poplar treea several inches In thick
ness and carried huge blazing fire
brands high in tho air and carrying
them forward for some forty to eighty
rods, there to fall and begin the work OF
devastation anew.
Tho fro frat struck Hinckloy on the
east side Of the Duluth track. and brave
fighters for the first timo gave up tho
unequal battle, already too late in many
instances, turned thoir attention to their
personal safety. The Eastern Minno-
sofa train from the south had just como
10, and the people OF the panic.strlcken
city fed TO it for safety. A number OF
box cars were coupled on and filled and
covered with men, women and children.
Some were bareheaded, somo were coat
less, some few clutched pltiful bundle
Of the more precious OF their portable
possessions. Families were separated.
Children Joined the throng and left
their paronts. In all there was mot
lev crowd Of about 450 or more people.
The train pulled out Just ahead OF the
fire, and succeeded in ultimately reach
lug Duluth. This circumstances, while
fortunate in degree that cannot be es-
timated, had made the confusion
greater, for it Is not known who escaped
In this way, and many people arc ro-
ported dead who may be In safety. Had
not this number Of people, largely wo-
men and children, left the doomed city
when they did the loss Of lilo
would have increased In o geometrical
ratio, for their presence would have
added immeasursbly to the subsequent
confusion.
FRIduTFuL RIDE.
About the samo hour the accommoda.
ton train on tho Hinckloy and St.
Cloud branch loft for tho latter place
with about twenty-five passengers on
board. Its path lay directly acrosa tho
path OF the fro and their situation
speedily became desperate. The ties
wero burning, thessrails were warping
md the trestles wore sagging under tho
train. The smoke had increased 60 that
tho engineer was helpless. He could
not 500 the track behind him. Burning
trees lay across the track and tossed
aside by tho engine. Suddenly the
track gave way and tho train toppled
OF to ono side. No ono was injured
and thoy pressed to Pckegama station q
few rods ahead. But few foot ahead
OF the engine was discovered o gorge
sixty feet wido and forty feet deep,
whore tho trestle had been burned
away. They succeeded In reaching the
clearing about the station mud escaped
with a few burns and bruises. There
wore burned along tho track, however,
four or five people, including d.. kel-
cey, Of Now Brighton, who had como
up to look after his brother.
The peoplo who were left In tho city
woro In what seemed to be an almost
hopeless condition. Egress by tho only
means OF transportation that could
hope to distance tho swiftly advancing
flames, was out Of tho question. Tho
men had been fighting nro ior houfs'
and the women and children wore In q
panic.stricken condition. Many OF
them were OF tho moro ignorant OF the
population, for very largo percentage
OF the people who got out on tho Great
| Northern railroad wcro Of tho moro In:
intelligent class. Horses were harnesaed
to bugCies and wagons. Women and
children were hurriodly loaded. In
some cases attempts woro made TO
carry of some housohold goods, but In
most instances tho pcoplo had no
thought for aught but their lives.
TIE PURSUING DEMON.
Probably 20Oof them loft town on foot
| or in vehicles. plunEing into tho woods
10 tho north across tho Grindstono rivor,
which skirts tho town on inc north.
They werc literally fleeing botoore thc
pursuing demon OF fire. Over tho hill
thnt rises beyond tho Grindstono is q
swamp and TO this most OF the people
With teams headed, but It proved no
protection. The tlre gave thcm no op'
portunity to go further. Some aoandoh-
rd thoIr toauis and rau-into tho lower
portions of tho mornss, but tho fire
sonvht tlIc,n ont. Not one was loft to
tnIl tho tale and thoro this morning, In
n space OF little more than four or i've
rcros wero counted over $50 corPaes:
ThcTo wcrc families Of flVe, ak and
seven, and thcro they 10y, tho mon gou-
orallv n little in advance, tho motnor
surroundod by her little ones, cut oil by
tho most horrible OF doaths.
Nearly nil tho bodies were nude, tho
fro having burned overy yesttgc Of their
clothing aud blackOnod and cEnrrea
many OF tho corpses beyond rccognI;;
tion, and whole families wero wiped
out rs thoy wcrc and some Of tho bodies
completely incIncratod. Identification
| ia absolutely out Of tro question: T;ERo'G
who flod to tho north on foot followed
tho Duluth track, and 80 rapid was the
nropross Of the flames that many Of
tbom wore actually burned rs they fled,