The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-04


The forest fires that have swept over
certain ections OF the Northwest dur
ing the past week have been SO over
whelming in its immensity that none
could, in the first terror Of the moment,
realize how great was their loss. Each
WAS SO intent on saving their own lives
that little thought was given to the
disaster in general by the people. al
though many cases Of heroism have
been reported. The appended dis
patches tell the sad story Of death and
ruin:
DULUTH, Mimi, Sept. $50 far as
heard from the forest hres which have
shut Duluth out of communication with
the outside world for over twenty four
hours, both by wire and rail, has
almost completely wiped out ak towns
as follows:
Hinkley, Mimi, at the junction of the
st. Paul and Duluth and Eastern Mime.
| sofa railways; population, 1000 or 800.
Sandstone, fifteen miles north on the
Eastern road; quarry and town, with
population OF 1000.
Partridge and Mansfield. small sta
blOUc l6ItuOT uOEGu nobI kuo w lcCOuSlu
border, with population Of 800 each.
Shelta Lake and Baronette, Wis, on
the Omaha road south Of the Spooner,
with population OF 2.OOO each, both
lumber towns.
Besides these Hayf1eld and Washburn,
Wis, on Lake Superior, from which
| nothing can DO heard, have probably
suffered considerably and numerous
| little settlements throughout the north
| ern parts Of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
No names can be obtained on account of
interrupted transportation and tele.
| graphic facilities.
A special correspondent Investigating
the result of the FIRE in the towns
burned on tho St. Paul and Duluth
road, counted 312 dead bodies. There
are 2l7 dead at Hincklev, II at Sand
stone, % at Pine City, Sc between Sand
stone and Miller, with interior yet to be
| heard from.
succorlne the Dying.
DULUTH, Mimi, Sept. IA relief
train returned at 10:30 o'clock this morn
| ing from run down tho st. Paul and
Duluth road. bringing about $50 desti-
tute and blistered people from points
| along the line.
At Sandstone fifty bodies, most of
which have been identified, were found.
The work OF searching for the dead still
continues. Another train is being made
up here TO carry supplies, clothing and
doctors, and will leave for the burned
| districts early this afternoon.
Welcome Rain Falling.
HINCKLEY, Mimi, Sept IA gentle
rain is falling to day and quenching the
| burning embers Of the immense forest
| fires that did 80 much damage in this
| county Saturday afternoon and night.
The blackened ruins OF two or three
| brick buildings is all thatremains stand
ing of the once prosperous town of
Hinckley with its 1,500 people and Its
busy railroad and lum bering interests.
Desolation and Death.
This is to day place of mourning
| and the burial of charred and unrecog-
nizable bodies of the hundreds of VIC
tins has saddened the survivors even
| more than the disaster itself. This fire
| was so overwhelming in its immensely
that none could, in the first terror of
the moment, realize how great was
their loss. Each was 80 intent on say.
Ing his own life that little thought WAS
given to the disaster in general by the
people, although many cases of heroism
have been reported. The bodies thus
far recovered have been placed in rough
pine boxes for burial and majority Of
them have been buried without there
being any knowledge OF their identity.
Four Hundred and twenty-five Victims
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept 3, noon.-Private
dispatches just received from Pine City
say the number Of victims in and near
that place from forest fires will reach
at least 425
Still Burning.
IRoNwooD. Mich, Sept 3.-Tremen.
dous forest fires are prevailing through
out the upper Peninsula of Michigan
and No,thern Wisconsin. The district
between Watersmeet and Bessemer,
over fifty miles, is q mass of seething
flames and homesteaders are making
desperate efforts to escape.
Gogebic has been destroyed and it Is
expected that Wakefield will expert
ence similar fate. Ironwood Bessemer,
Hurley and Saxon are surrounded by
fires. There is very little water and
thousa pds of men are out with picks
and shovels and succeeded in keeping
the flames back only by throwing dirt
upon the burning stumps and brush.
Later Reports Confirm the News.
ST PAUL, Sept. "a correspondent
OF the Pioneer Press at HinckleY says:
The later reports of the number of dead
do not materially alter the former esti-
|