Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-09-07

pluuSinS iuto tuo W.
roth across the CIR Ids 10 the
which skirts = 'ndstone rlVei
north. Over -e town on the
hind the the hill that rises be
and ) Grindstone is a camp
p 60 this most of the teams
.eaded. The place gave no pro-
lection, for the FIRE gave them no
opportunity to go further.
WHOLE FAMILIES SLAIN.
Some abandoned their vehicles
and ran into the lower portions oil
the mOraSs, but the fire sought
them out. Not one was left to
ell the tale, and there this morn
ing in a space of little more than
four or FIVE acres, were counted
over 30corpses, including families
of from five to seven. The men
we're generally little IN advance,
behind were the mothers surrOun-
ded by ther little ones.
Nearly all the bodies we're
nude, the fire having burned
every yestige of their clothing
and blackened and charred many
of the corpses beyond recognition.
Those who fed to the north on
foot followed the Duluth track.
Many we're actually burned as
they fed, falling on the right of
way for a distance of three miles or
more. Nearly thirty bodies were
recovered along here.
Some of the foremost Of the
escaping citizens met the Duluth
train coming in from the north.
1t was due at Hinckley at 4 80. 1t
was there that Engineer Root
stopped and took aboard 125
refugees. When he got back
three miles to Skunk lake, with
his cars ablazP, the refugees took
to the water, and none OF their
lives we're lost.
SAFETY IN A GRAVEL PIT.
The people who remained In
Hinckley Jared the best of all.
The Eastern Minnesota tracks
marked the eastern edge of the
city proper. Just beyond the
road lay a track of ten acres,
which was purchased for a gravel
pit. To the fact that it has been
used for this purpose about a
hundred Hinckleylties owe their
lives.
The W. ole area Indicated had
been excavatcd to q depth in the
centre of thirty or forty feet.
There was a stagnant pool Of RAIN
water in the middle about three
feet deep. The pit was wide aud
deep. and to 1t fled those citizens
who were willing to trust 10 its
friendly depths. These with
number OfdOmestic animals scram-
bled ont and buried themselves in
the mud and water. The cars
were all thoroughly abiaze by this
time, anG it was but short time
before they were in ruins, even the
tender of the engine beng con.
sumed.
The people renamed until after
S. While the smoke and finn es
from the burning town rolled over
their heads they dashed water
over one another and covered their
heads with wet cloths to prevent
suffocation. One man succumbed
to the smoke, fell into the water
ard was drowned. SO far as
known TO-DAY this was the Oaly
tragedy near the pit.
Other citizens sought refuge in
GIindstone river under the abut'
ments of the two railway bridges
aud the foot bridge. That many
escap d and that some were
drowned is we'll known.
The loss at Hinckley viii certain
~ exceed a million dollars, and
there is little insurance.
LOSSES AT OTHER SETTLEMENTS.
The situation at SandSt one is
even more appalling than az
Hnckley, except in point of num-
bers. OF the two hundred residents
10 the town, one?Ourth are dead.
O to Stafferfeldt reached here from
that place tonight. He says the
people were just preparing to leave
when the fire closed in on three
sides AMI not a single person
saved a thing.
About $50 went to the river and
30 or 90 were bur ned TO death. AT
o'clock this morning lie saw
more than 40 bodies C harred and
burned lying on every side. The
people who were saved are living
on potatoes and carrots left in th g
ground. Mr.. Dllroy, conductor on
the eastern Minnesota road says
all bridges have been burned. One
man counted Al bodies at Sand