Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-09-06

OF. TAub, MINI, sept. S.-lhe town
OF Hinckley, Mimi, about half way
between this city and Duluth, has been
wiped out by forest fires, and the list of
dead there and at other points may foot
up 1000. The total now amounts to 255.
and the reports now being received
would indicate that larger figure may
not be too great
Several other towns, it is feared, have
suffered total destruction, as the whole
country about Hinckley is on fire. The
estimate Of the dead so far is as follows:
Hinckley, 200; Sandstone, 40; Sandstone
junction, %; Pokegama, %, Skunk
Lake, 80; miscellaneous, 30. Total, $50.
ASHES WHERE TOWN STOOD.
The walls of the schoolhouse, the iron
fence about the Town Hail property
the bank vault and one absolutely unin-
jured frame house is all that is left to
mark the site of Hinckley, where yester-
day stood score Of store buildings and
dozen times as many dwelling houses.
ALI yesterday forenoon the towns.
people were apprehensive. The smoke
rolling up from the south told story
unmistakably plain 10 those accus-
toned to a wooded country. The fire
kept advancing, famed by the wind
which was blowing gale. About II
O'Clock the fire company got out Lheil
engine and laid an 1,S00-fo0t line oil
hose to the southern outskirts Of the
town.
The hose was all too short for the
measure Of protection desired and a
telegram was sent to Rush City TO,
more. Five hundred feet were sent
but IL never reached Hinckley.
The main part of the village lies in
the north fork made by the crossing OF
the Duluth and Eastern tracks, the
latter 10 the east and the former on the
west. On the west side of the Duluth
tracks were few small houses belong,
ing to the railway employees. The
firemen's attention was mainly directed
TO keeping the fire away frGm them, a:
the main business part of the city was
built in solidly just across the track.
About o'clock in the afternoon the
fire literally jumped into the town. 1t,
approach was not gradual. 1t did no
cat its way along, devouring everything
IN its path, but came in huge leaps, as il
to overtake everything fleeing before it
1t is described BY those who witnessed
its onward progress at llnCkley and
elsewhere as If ii were forced along BY
cyclones of its own generation. The
intense heat would develop o veritablt
whirlwind of flame that actually twisted
off poplar trees several inches in thick
ness, carrying them forward for some
forty to eighty rods. The fire STRUCK
Hinckley on the east side of the Duluth
track, and bra5g lighters for the irs,
time gave up the unequal battle, and
already too late III many instances
turned their attention to their persona
safety.
The Eastern Minnesota train from
the South had just come in and til,
people OF the panic-strlcken city fled L
it Tor safety, A number of box car
were coupled on and Tiled and covered
with men, women and children.
Some were barehGaded, some were
coatless, some few clutched pitifu
bundle OF the more precious Of thei
portable possessions. Families wel;
separated. Children joined the thrOn,
and left parents. In all there was
!, alnsmotly crowd Of about 450 or more PEG
oeehie. The train pulled out Just ahead o
4 fire and succeeded in ultimatel
a'-Ieaching Duluth.
About the same hour the acCommolu
ton train on the Llinckley and 81
Cloud branch left for the latter plact
with about 20 passengers.
RACING THROUGH FLAMES.
Its path lay directly across the patI
of the fire, and their situation speed!
became desperate. The ties were burn
ing, the rails were warming and til
trestles were saEging under the lrail
The smoke had increased SO that til
engineer was helpless. lie could nc
see the train behind him. Burnin
trees lay on the track and were tusSe
aside by the engine. Suddenly til
track gave way and the train t3apic
off TO one side. No one was iniunt
aud they pressed on to Pokugama station
a few rods ahead. But few feet i
front OF the engine was discovered
gorge 90 feet wide and 10 feet dral
where the treStle had been burned ava,
They succeeded in reaching the cearn
about the station and escaped with
few burns and bruises. There wei
burned along the track, however, fou
or five people. including DR.. Kelley {
New Brighton, who had come UP t
look after his brother.
The people who were left in the cit
were in what seemed to be an alm0!
hopeless condition. E5ress by the onl
means Of transportation thatcould har
to distarce the swiftly advancing flame
was out Of the question.
The men had been fighting fire Il
hours and the women ana children wei
IN Il panic-strlCkeu condition Many {
them were Of the more ignorant p0py
latiou, fora very large percentage Of ii
people who got OuJ on the great NOrti
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