The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-09-05
BURNED TO DEATH.
More Than 500 Lives Lost in Three
Minnesota Towns.

Minnesota Towns.
MINNEAPoLIs, Sept. 2.-The town of
Hinckley. i'm Pine county, 10 miles north
west of this city, at the junction of the st.
Paul and Duluth and Grea, Northern
railways, was wiped out by fire yesterday,
and il is reported that from Je to 500 lives
were lost. The first train direct from the
scene reached here this afternoon The
train crew reported that they saw flames
sweeping down on house close to the
track. The place was enveloped i'll fire
before the people could escape. The
workmen were powerless to render any
assistance, although they were so close
that they could hear the people scream
ing as they were being cremated.
Mrs. Lawrence, who arrived here this
afternoon, is the Only one of the passen-
gers from Duluth who has yet rea"hed
Minneapolis. She says that the fist evi-
denee of the fire was noticeable about 10
miles north of Hinckley, when the air
became almost sufiocating. One mile
north of Hinckley number of persons,
Mrs. Lawrence estimates the number nj
20, rushed toward the train, screaming
frantically. The engineer, seeing the
danger they were in if they remained,
stopped the train to let them aboard
The heat became intense and the whole
volcano of fire seemed TO burst ont in
mighty effort to wipe the train and its oc-
cupants off the face of the earth. Mrs.
Lawrence describing the scene, said: AT
the first rush of the flames toward the
cars the window panes went out with
crash and the train began slowly 10 re-
turn toward Skunk Lake. People scream
ed and men jumped through the ear win
dows. The wild panic was horrible.
There was no humanity in ii. Every
rear -crazcd person was for himself and
they did not care how they got out of the
swirling, rushing avalanche of flame.
Ny dress caught fire but j eNtinguished
the flames.
II saw two Cinnamon. They were par
alyzed by fright and made no effort TO
get away, but simply hid their heads un-
der the seats and were burned To death.
stood il rs long as | could and then |
rushed out of the car, jumping over one
or two persons that were lying ON the
ground injured. Some of the people
jumped into Skunk Lake, but l
simply ran along the ties. The fire had
burned away and after running until my
strength gave ont | fell down between
the rails. expected every minute that
my dress would he burned from my body.
put out flames on my dress half a dozen
times and had to hold my hands over
the baby's face in order To keep it from
suflOcating."
This morning Mrs. Lawrence was pick
ed up i'm the middle of the track about
two miles north of Hiacklcy by relief
party from Duluth. which made the trip
on hand ear. The site of Hinckley.
says Mrs. Lawrence, is nothing but a
blackeiIed waste, with the bodies of dead
and injured persons lying everywhere.
There were fully l2j persons aboard the
limited. but only two were burned out
right. Those were the Cinnamon men
toned. About dozen persons, accord
| ing To her story, were injured in the pam
ic which resulted when the people tried
to escape from the car. Some rushed 10
the platform and jumped off while the
train was moving, while others fought
their way through the struggling, frantic
mass of passengers in an effort to get
away from the scene. In this way many
persons suffered severe injuries, such as
broken bones and limbs.
one of the most thrilling events was the
experience of the train which left Duluth
AT p. IN. Saturday for st. Paul. When
the train came within about a mile of
Hinekley the engineer found he could
proceed no further. a. the people were al
ready fleeing for their lives from the
town. DIR. W. ii. Crary, Of this city, who
was on board, tells of the backward run
of the train FOR seven miles until a small
lake was reached. His story j. as follows !;
"'The woods on either side were lashed
by n fierce wind, blowing at the rate of
~ miles an hour. ON through this weird
scene the limited sped, the situation
growing more alarming AT every mile.
As the the train ncared Hinckiey il was
railroad, but on it sped, the engineer
hoping to pass Hickey in time To avoid
danger. Ii was not until the train had
come within a mile of IIinckley that the
engineer discovered his train was burn
ing and that il would he impossible to
pass. The bridge had already been con
sumed, together with the mills and homes
ofTIinckley, Here the train was met by 100
ar more fugitiyes from the burning town.
Mothers carried in their arms small chill
dren, others hanging 10 the mothers
skirts. Some carried few household
goods and others were crying and moan
Ing on account of losses already sustained,
Many were so nearly exhausted that they
could scarcely climb on tbs train. Nearer
and nearer the flames were approaching
and finally the engineer was compelled
to reverse his lever and run back, leaving
behind scores Of unfortunate ones who
had not been able TO reach the train, their
only available means Of escape.
"Those on board could see many sink
TO the ground, exhausted and overcome
by the terrible heat, never again to rise.
Many came running across the fields
from small settlements hoping 10 escape
on the train, but only disappointment
and death awaited them. On rushed the
train through the fiery hot breath of the
pursuing flames, for stop would have
been fatal TO all on board. As the weary
passengers retraced their steps. Sunday
morning, some afoot and others on hand
ears, they found along the side ofthe track
and in the fields the charred remains of
those poor unfortunate wretches. In four
miles a bodies were found, some burned
beyond recognition and others unscarred,
having died from sufiocation. IL was a
four or five-mile run back To Skunk Lake
which is a little more than mud hole,
the mud and water covering not more
than an acre. The train had gone but
short distance before il was surrounded
by the devouring flames. Hot blasts of
flames struck the coaches, setting them
on fire in places and breaking the win
dows on both sides. The baggage car was
soon mass of flames, which streamed
back over the tender and engine, setting
fire TO the engineers clothes and scorch-
ing his face and hands. On either side of
the engine there was stream of flame,
but never for an instant did Engineer
Root finch. Could he hold out for four
miles the passengers might possibly es-
cane To have deserted his most wOuld