davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04
FIRE FIEND RAMPANT.
Northern Minnesota Is Visited by the
Most Terrible Calamity in
Its History.
( E
FIVE TOWNS IN ASHES.
Loss Of Life Estimated at Five Hun
dred and the Damage to Property
Placed at $5OO,OOO.
THE SURVIVORS DESTITUTE.
A Relief Committee Is Formed to
Give Aid to the Suferers---Hea
Rending Scenes.

ST. PAUL, Sept. 4.-Over 800 people
dead, ave towns blotted from the face Of
the earth, and over q. .ooO. 900 worth Of
property destroyed, Ii the record OF
forest fires between noon and midnight
Saturday In the counties of Pine. Mile
Laos and Chisago. The catastrophe is
the most frightful that ever visited
Minnesota.
When the sun went down Saturday
bat two buildings were left standing in
Hinckley--a water tank and a round
house and into the latter were crowded
100 people. The dead are lying In field
and forest for miles north and south OF
Hinckley, and there are 30 few left to
tell the tale that it ID almost impossible
to secure names OF the dead. Dozens
OF heartrending stories are told Of
escape and attempts al escape which
ended In death. "a
swept Town Aftsr Town.
After destroying Hinckley. place of
l,ioO inhabitants, Sandstone. place Of
400 people. and Mission Greek. The
fre then licked up Willow River.
. place Of 600 inhabitants, and other
places TO the north.
The fre started In the John Martin
Iunibsr yard - Mission Greek and
swept northward 70 Hincklsy and other
towns. cleaning everything in its
course. Itwas about 4 p. m. Saturday
when the flames reached Hinckley.
The people became panic stricken.
Many Of them rushed to the river,
where some were quickly drowned
by people piling upon them. Others
plunged undeK the water, ~ the flames
darted down III great red tongues and
hissed In their faces, singing their hair.
Some of these escaped.
Carried Away Rrightsnsd People.
a. train ON the Eastern Minnesota
road left Hinckley about the time the
fire reached there. The rushing Of the
people after the train caused the con-
ductor I'd run back to the station. About
100 people crowded into the cars, al
they would hold. and were taken
away for safety. Neither river nor
lake stopped the course Of the flames q
they swept onward in deyouring
cloud ID destroy the other towns and
settlemsutz. SIt viii probably never %
known how many
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04

Northern lines, although considerable
property has been lost. General Super
intendent Scott stated that the line was
now open from here to Duluth. TIE
company has lost three bridges and q
great deal of plant and equipment, es-
pecially at Benoit and Baronette, where
rails were twisted out of all shape and
water tanks and buildings reduced 80
ashes. 1t has not been thought neces-
sary to send relief train In that direc-
Eion.
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04
BROUGHT IN INJURED.

A Special Relief Train Arrives at West
8 Superior. ggs, 4
WEST SUPERIOR, Wis. Sept IA
special Great Northern relief train ar
rived Sunday night from Kettle river
with II injured men. They were trans-
ferred to DC. Mary's hospital. Some OF
them are terribly burned and suffering
great agony. The two most severely
injured are Archie Mcdonald and Rob
ert Sargent, who are burned about the
face and head. Superintendent Thorn,
who was with the relief train, says the
reports have not been exaggerated.
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04
Perishea i'm the Holocaust,

+ y
an ii Ii not known what people were In
the woods getting ready for wintel
numbering work. There were at mid
night $50 dead in the graveyard 81
Hinckley, and others are being brought
in by rescuing parties. The injured
are constantly turning up. There wert
at least 3 1000 people in the burned dis
trict, and II il probable that the deai
and injured viii run up 70 400 o. 500
The damage TO property win exceed
$500, 900.
The bridge across the Grindstons
river on the Eastern Minnesota road il
gone, and will require three months tt
rebuild it. The bridge over the sams
river on the Duluth road ID damaged
A number Of small bridges ON both
roads are gone, and it win be days be
fore either road can run through trains
without transferring at the river.
Not House Il Len standing
in Hinckley, Sandstone, Partridge, Mis-.
sion Creek and willow River. One
man saw 46 dead bodies along the rail.
road track at Sandstone.
All that is left above ground in
Hinckley are the walls of the brick
schoolhouse.
Fire, Came Like Flash OF Powder.
The fire approached Hinckley like q
flash of powder It seemed to strike
everywhere at once. and there was nc
escape for perhaps one-third OF the
population. They were caught like
rats in q trap. Death came upon them
when they were flying down the streets.
The wind shifted when the fire struck
the town, and swept the flames directly
into the faces of the flying inhabitants.
When the people rushed from theil
homes q large body of them ran to i
shallow pond near BY and were followed
by fully fifty horses and cattle. Into
the pond plunged the human beings
and cattle, and women and children
were traampled beneath the waters By
Che excited stock before the IRE reached
them. Not many Of them escaped the
horrible death by IRE.
Many Of tae deaths are due TO the
fact that families became separated, the
men Aghting tie flames iii one part al
the town, and the women trying 10
save their household goods and chill
dren.
!. The people who escaped the flames
stood about in dumb despair. They
were paralyzsd with anxiety and grief.
Most Of them had seen their loved ones
perish I'm the flames. Some were mad,
some raving and crazy. They were
thinly attired, for they had saved abb
nothing. Not i scrap, NOT i
morsel Of food could be found. They
were hungry, homeless and Wild with
grief.
The First Relief Party.
The first relief party went 10 Hinck-
Nv from Pine City, starting about II
o'clock Saturday night.
Fire was raging everywhere along
the track, and the train was obliged 70
proceed slowly,
The greatest difficulty was expe-
renced II getting through the burned
district. Fires iii the surrounding tor
ests were still raging, and occasionally
The caws would shoot Though wares of
aame. Not man Of the relief party
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04
FIRES IN WISCONSIN.

Raronnette DESTROYED and Three Hundred
Families Homeless.
WEST sUPERIoR, Wis, Sept. A.
Baronette is completely wiped of the
earth and one lone building is left Of d
city OF 100 One man was burned to
death. The total loss will reach d
quarter Of million. Shell Lake had Sc
dwellings burned with a total loss Of
$75.OOO. Three hundred and sixty peo-
pie are homeless and many without o
dollar Of insurance. +
Fires are now under control in that
vicinity. ... ..#
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04

bnt who sustained more or less serious
burns and injuries.
The sight as Hinckley was approached
was appalling In the extreme. On all
sides could be seen the dead and charred
bodies Of horses, cattle, deer, wolves
and other animals, and human corpses
were almost Is plentiful. The man ON
the front handcar, James Hurley, had
20 stop the cars every little while ID lift
= hninan body from the track.
Resinnang Of the coed work.
The committee divided and distrib-
uted themselves throukhout the town.
Then began their dreadful and heart
rending discoveries. Dead bodies lay
everywhere within. their vision, and
many . stout heart qnailed when the
shallow pond was reached and 1O5 dead
bodies cf human beings were found
lying In one group. alongside great
numbers Of cattle and horses.
In many places whole families were
found, either burned or smothered to
death. Some were found with their
faces buried in the gravel OF the road
bed, having fallen as they were escap-
ing. Others again were i'm q praying
position, and were charred beyond rec
ognition,
First News of the Calamity.
The f5rst news Of the Hinckley calam.
ity was given to the people Of Pine City
and the outside world by Mr.. Angus
Hay, publisher of the Hinckley Enter
prise, who, with two other men, had
reached safety after number of thrill
ing escapes. They rushed into Pine
City with flying engine and caboose.
Their faces were begrimed and scorched,
their hair and boards were burned off
and their clothing was literally burned
from their bodies.
Hay and his companions escaped the
first violent fury OF the flames In Hinck-
ley by running to . neighboring marsh
and burying themselves In the mud and
water. AZ soon as they saw their way
partially clear they ran four miles be-
tween rows Of burning trees and past
the remains of burned buildings. reach
ing Mission Creek more dead than
alive. They were able to tell their
story 1.-The horrifed people and give
them warning OF che oncreepine flames.
They then secured the, engine ana ca.
boose, ram 90 Pine City and gave the
news that started relief TO che stricken
town Of Hinckley.
Riled Into q Gravel Pit.
The people who remained In Hinck-
ley Jared the best Of all. The Eastern
Minnesota tracks mark the eastern line
Of the city proper. Just beyond the
road owned q tract of land. probably
embracing at least ten acres. Ii was
for agravel pit to furnish
material for the fill which approached
the company's bridge across the Grind.
stone and other points ori It's line. To
the fact that it had been used for this
purpose almost 10 exhaustion about 4
hundred Hinckleyites owe their lives.
The whole area indicated had been ex-
csvated to o depth IN the center Of about
thirty or forty feet There was d stag
nant pool of rain water III the center
three feet la its greatest depth. The
pit was wide and deep, and Ia III hed
those Of the citizelss who were willing
to frusk Ia ite friendly s1enfha
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04

4 Relief Cemmittee Finds Distressins
State Of Affairs.
PINE Cry, Mimi, Sept. 4.-The, re-
lief committee returned from Hinckley
at II p, M. and reported that 400 bodies
had been found at that place, and 46 at
Sandstone. There are still number OF
unexplored parts of the place, and it 10
Thought other bodies win be found. A
conductor on the Eastern Minnesota
road reports that the condition at Sand
stone Is even worse than at Hinckley.
There are 200 people burned in
there, and they are digging up
potatoes and carrots and eating them.
They are also destitute of cloth.
ing.
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04
GATHERING THE LOST.

Three Hundred and Twelve Dead Bodies
Recovered.
DULUTH, Mimi, Sept. 4.--The Even
ing Herald has information that the to
tal number Of corpses recovered from
the forest fires SO far is 312.
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04

Heroic Efrorts save enc Town From Dc
struceiOn.

&AM&N14
structiOn. @
ASHLAND, Wis, Sept. As result
Of the forest fires Saturday and Sunday
81, ,O00, 900 can be added to the amount
OF loss occasioned this season. It Is
doubtful If that win cover the entire
loss, when the damage to standing pine
and logs is estimated.
Washburn had marrow escape from
total destruction. Itswas only By the
most heroic efforts that Ii was saved
from the flames. It still stands IN d
precarious condition with smoulderin9
fres FL around Il.
a dispatch from Brnle ont on the
Northern Pacific states that the scene
there y dark and smoky. sawmills
hare been shut down and the mon win
remain on duty lighting fires.
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04
Relief In the swamp.

At last the train reached Skunk lake,
and the order was hastily passed through
the coaches to abandon the train and
fly to the swamp close by. The train
was ON FIRE from the tender to the last
coach. The passengers fed to the
swamps, to await death or relief.
After he had saved 20 many people
from being roasted alive. Engineer Root
sank down In the mud and water, ask
ing for no attention, although his
hands, feet, face, head and arms were
badly burned and his lungs were almost
blistered by the fery blast that ne had
breathed 30 long. The entire train crew
displayed heroic bravery all through
the fearful ordeal.
One OF the sad circumstances was the
fate Of Conductor jerry Sullivan, of the
limited. who, when the train reached
Skunk Lake, did not stop at the swamp,
but ran ahead ON the track for the near
est telegraph station to telegraph for,
help. The excitement and strain
through which he had passed had nm
hinged his mind, and hours afterwards
be was found wandering aimlessly
about In b sslaxed condition. W.
u
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04

0r. Prices Cream Ba8<lmg Powder
Most Perfect Made.
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04

Not 30 Had AIong the Omaha Road.
ST. PAUL, Sept. 4.--The Omaha road
is not I'm as bad shape ais the other
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04
FROM ROASTING TO DEATH.
After Saving the Train Engineer Root
Sinks Down Unconscious,
in a Swamp.
NOT ASKING FOR ATTENTION
Though Horribly Burned---Conductor
Sulliyan's Mind Unhinged by
the Terrible Strain.

ST. PAUL, Sept. 4.-The limited pas
senger train from Duluth, bound for
st. Paul., was caught in the fire near
Hinckley Saturday afternoon and de-
stroyed. .- <r.,, ....
Two hundred and fifty passengers
were saved from horrible death by the
bravery of Engineer James Root and
his fireman, John MCGOWAN, who re-
manned at their posts and sent the
doomed train flying through walls of
fame until swamp or lake was
reached. where the passengers could
find refuge.
The in-fated train left Duluth at 2
o'clock Saturday afternoon. All the
way down the smoke was SO heavy
that one could not see hundred yards
away, Daylight was shut out and the
train proceeded slowly.
People Became weak From Fright.
Ten miles south of Carlton the train
was In darkness, The coaches were
filed with smoke, and breathing be-
came difficult. There was no relief
from it, and the men one by one grew
frightened and weak. The passengers
were gasping for breath, and the train
men, realizing how serious the situa-
ton had become, passed through the
coaches imploring all to keep cool and
Offering all the encouragement they
could.
It soon became apparent to all that
they had little show for their lives.
The children began TO cry and cling
wildly to their mothers. The mothers
sank to the floors Of the coaches and
offered up fervent prayers for deliver
ance from the flames.
Rushing Into the Flames.
The train was within q mile and q
half Of Hinckley when tagged by peo-
pie from town. The fire was then ad-
yancing with railroad speed towards
the train. At first Engineer Root
thought of putting on all speed and
rushing through the city, but an in
slant Of reason caused him to abandon
the idea. The fire was coming with the
speed Of the wind, and such an effort
would be worse than madness. The
roar of the fire became more distinct, so
the train crew hurried al the people ON
board and Engineer Root sent the train
spinning back over the track at rapid
rate.
The fire now became discernible. Tt
was coming like a whirlwind and Root
could see that it was going faster than
the train.
He increased the speed of the locomo-
tive. 1t was no use. The fire had
caught and surrounded the train.
But Engineer Root did not hesitate
He held the throttle open and sent the
train faster to the north, hoping to
reach Skunk Lake before the cars and
their loads Of human beings burned.
And he succeeded with the help Of
Fireman McGowan, who poured pail
after pail Of water, from the tank over
himself and the engineer, to keep their
bodies from roasting.
Relief In the swamp.
At last the train reached Skunk lake,
and the order was hastily passed through
the coaches to abandon the train and
2 II (
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-12
IT'S Great to Have n Good Crate.

Do NOT await the first frost before
you ascertain whether your CRATES are
in proper repair. Something may be
wrong and the first fire you kindle may
cause confiagration, or the old CRATE
will not draw, or it will permit coal to
fall through before being thoroughly
burned, thus aggregat;ng a loss dur
ing the season greater than the cost
OF new crate. An old crate causes
interminable trouble. Get new one.
Take time by the forelock and mako
your preparations for winter, thus OBJ
tanning the benefit OF summers cheap
ness. Old CRATES replaced with new.
handsome mantles in wood, marble and
tile, with servicesble and durable CRATES
OF all styles and prices al tha Roanoke
Mantel Con- pany, l04 Campbell avenue.
Remember that is a great convenience
to have such CRATE as will save you
great quantities of coal during q cold
winter
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-12
PROPOSALS.
V'REASURY DEpARTMENTs

TREASURY DEPARTMENTS, OFFICE SU-
perVlsing Architect, Washington, ID. C..
Angnst 25, 1S9t;-Sealed Prop0sals viii be re.
Texsa JAIN at his Office until O'CLOCK p NJ ON
opened Immediately thereafter, for all the labor
ana ana materials required for the excavation, con
CREE ioundations, cut stone and brick work. iron
roo To0t covering, drainage, &C., for the u s. Post
ollce building at Roanoke, Virginia, In accord
nhGe Win drawings and specifications. copies OF
when may be had at this Office or at the Office of
INC tne superintendent at Roanoke, Virginia. Each
pa must DC accompanied by certified check for
, sum not less than per cent. OF the amount OF
tne proposal. The right is reserved to reject any
or all Dds and to waive any defect or informaity
III any bid should 1t be deemed In the interest OF
, government to do so. All bids received after
inc timc stated will be returned to the bidders.
ir9posas must he enclosed in envelopes, scaled
nIM marked Proposal for Excavation, Concrete
Tonndations, Cut Stone and Brickwork. Iron md
Mood Floor, Ceiling and Roof Construction.
o ST, JnS M,1s Drainage &c for the U s. Post
dressed to JEREMIAH O'ROUKH, Supervising
S2S ct cod
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-12
CAPTAIN WARMERS STATEMENT.

- u Il.
To THE EDITOR OF TIE TIMEs:-The
theory that the burning of the Bridge
water Carriage Works building Sunday
morning was due to the carelessness of
members of the Roanoke Light Infan-
try does the company great injustice.
1t is stated that several of the young
men belonging to the company were
known to have been In the armory dur
ing the forenoon" This statement has
no foundation. I have interviewed per.
sonally every member of the company
and drum corps, and 1 find, as matter
Of fact, that no one connec.e with the
organization had been in the armory
since the regular meeting of the drum
corps on the Saturday night before.
Mem bers of the company did not have
access TO the armory at all times. 1t
was kept locked except when opened
for meetings and drills, and keys were
provided only for the commissioned Of
ficers, quartermaster, leader of drum
corps and janitor. These keys were in
the possession of tho proper parties
Sunday, and none of them were used
upon that day. II any one was in the
armory Sunday morning it was some
one not connected with the company
and who WAS there without permission.
Some young men were seen to come
out OF the building just before the fire
but It has been ascertained beyond
doubt that they were not members of
the Roanoke Light Infantry. 1t does
not seem by any means certain that
the fire originated in the armory.
Rather the contrary. In the first place
there was no inflammable material n
the drill room. 1t was bare, with tho
exception OF the stove and a few chairs
and benches. The ofiic srs' and quarter.
N sster's rooms and the the lockers con-
tanning the uniforms, etc, were locked,
and had not been opened since the
Monday before, nearly week.
Almost all the windows in the armory
were open. establishing a thorough
draught Is it not reasonable to sup
pose that, if the FIRE started in the
armory, on the top floor of the build
ing, with all the windows open, smoke
or fire would have shown long before
the whole building became involved, as
it was when the fire was first discov-
cred? Parties who were there when
the fire first made it's appearance saw
flames under the ceiling OF the second
story, below the armory, az soon as fire
and smoke appeared at the armory
windows. The fire might very we'll
have originated In some of the rooms
under the armory or on the west side of
1t, and having no draught burned
through into the armory where the
smoke first found an outlet.
b. L. WARNER, Captain.
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-12
ALL in, boys fall ana winter suits.
JOSEPH COIN.
Marvellous Results.

FROM letter written by Rev. j. Gun
derman, of Dimondale, Mich, we are
permitted TO make this extract: II have
no hesitation in recommending DR..
Kings New Discovery. as tho results
were almost marvellous in the case of
nv wife. While L was pastor of the
Baptist Church at Rives Junctio She
was brought down with pneumonia sue
ceeding la grippe. Terrible paroxysisms
OF coughing would last hours with little
interruption and it seemed as ii she
could not survive them. a friend recon q.
mended DR. Kings New Discovery; it
was quick i'll it's work and highly salts
factory in results" Trial bottles free
81 Christian IL Barbee's drug store.
Regular size, so cents and 81.
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-12
THE BASEBALL SEASON.

The baseball season Of 1894 will soon
be thing Of the past. IL the Virginia
State league this week will see the end
of the struggle while in the national
league the end Of this month will also
close what has probably been the most
successful season the national game mas
experienced. As tho end approaches it
begins to look as though Baltimore
would win the penanC, Il consummation
that ls most devoutly hoped for by
every lover Of the sport in Roanoke. 1t
is wonderful tho amount of interest the
citizens of Roanoke take in Baltimore's
success. If Hanlon's men do finally
land the flag Roanoke will be almost
as proud of it as baltimore herself.
O. P, Caylor, one OF the greatest
baseball writer's Of the day. who has
devoted much time and space during
the season to showing that Baltimore
had no ghost Of show to end first, has
changed his song. he has long screed
in Mondays Issue OF the New York
Herald in which he admits that his
pets, the New York giants, stand a poor
show OF winning out. He comedies that
Baltimore will probably have that
honor. Among other things Mr.. Caylor
says
In this same spirit of fairness and
honesty, csnnot now, at the close of
the season, tell Herald readers, however
much we all may wish it, that the
fyto q n olo
the pennant during the three rem aiming
weeks of the race. With knowledge
that the Herald has not been guilty OF
at any time roofing" against New
York's representative team, but, on the
contrary, OF having always dealt fairly
with them and told the plain truth
while giving all the news, there Is no
desire on my part at this late dav to
mislead the thousands who have read
the Herald through the season and
thereby made it the chief baseball
authority of Nov York city.
Now, this Is why the New Yorks will
do wonders il they win the champion.
ship. They have eighteen more gam es
to play. The Baltimores also have
eighteen more games to play, including
yesterdays. But the Baltimores at the
close OF last week had clear lead OF
two games won and four LOST, an aver.
age of three. If both teams play all
their games, and the Baltimores lose
three more than the New Yorks, thew
will still lead by a few points. There
fore, they must lose four more games
out OF those eighteen than the New
Works to lose the championship Such
result Is possible, but by no means
probable, for the Giants would have to
gain one game out of every four played
to beat the Baltimores out. Hanlon's
men are playing good game, and. bar
ring Jan unforeseen slump" will carry
off the pennant. B1rring toeis team,
nearly all New York enthusiasts @ou i'd
like to SEQ the pennant go to Balti