Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-03


on the north. They were hteraliy nee
ing before the pursuing demon OF nic.
Even the hili tnat r.ses beyond the 4
Grindstone ~ a swamp ana TO thls
most OF the people vita teams heauvu'
but IL proved no protection
the nre gave them no opportunity 70
go fufther some abanaot "a .h.t 'sen's
and ran into the lower portions OF ehe
morass, but the FIRE sought them out.
Not one was left TO ten the tale, and
IN 4, space OF little more than 1--WE acres
were counted over $50 corpses, There
were many families OF nNe, slN Ana
seven. and there they lay, the men gen
orally a little in advance, the mother
surrounded by her little ones, cut ON
by the most horrible OF deaths
Nearly all the bodies were nude the
nre having burned every Nvsdge OF
their eluthing and bla tNanod and
charred the bodies beyond recognition,
and where whole families are wiped
out, as they are. and some Of the bod
les completely ineinerated. idenuhen-
| tlon Is absolutely out OF the question.
] Those who he'd 10 the north on foot FOL
I lowed the Duluth road and 30 rapid
WAS the progress OF the flames That
/ many were actually burned as they
| fed. falling on the right OF way for a
l distance of three miles or over, Nearly
| thirty bodies were recovered along
| here.
Some OF the foremost OF the escaping
citizens met the Duluth train coming
In from the north. IL was due at Hinck-
ley at i.06 Engineer Jim Root was
at the throttle. He stopped the train
| and took on board about one hundred
! md twenty-five OF the refugees. whit
/ crowded into the train. completely mn
lng II, for T, had passenger list al
most as large. By this time the woods
We're blazing ON each side OF the track
and ae Rfoot reversed his engine and
started back the ears sootehad and
oraolded In the heat Root ran back
about three miles to Skunk creek. and
tie people escaped nom the burning
cars To the water and no lives WIRE
lost, either OF passengers or refugefH
The people who remained IN l.inDitlty
farNd the best Of all. The Eastern Min
nestta track marks the the EASTERN
edge OF the city proper. Just beyond
the company owned u tract ui iau.
embracing at least ten acrcH II WAS
purchmed FOR Il gravel Pit, TO fuiHlsh
material for the nll-up approichn-
tue eompany's bridge across the Grind
stone aud at other puiuts Ia tlta
fact about 100 Hlnekleyites owe th'ir
lives, Tor the space had been cleared In
digging the sand
The whole area Indicated had been
eNcaNaied for "a depth In the centre ~
thlfty or forty feet There was a
, stagnant pool Of rain water In the
centre three feet deep. The pit was
, Wide and deep, ara to {; fled those of
the citizens who we're willing 10 trust
, TO ~ friendly aspths There were
, probably hundred Of them ana IN
addition 60 the Huiran beings, quite a
e number OF domesl.c animals. horses
e COWS oxen, hogs, chickens. ETC. sought
: SAFETY II was rtsiiy the safest place
l hpout Hinehey Three or four hum
I drcd trunks which We're rolled only half
h way down the slopng banks passed
!, through the iiro unacntiered The pen-
. pie went In here as the eastern train
g pulled out a few minutes after 4
e o'clock ana her they remained uutll
G after ., while the smoke und fiamea
n from the burning city rolled over their
e heads. They dashed water over each
z Other and covered their heads with wet
e cloths 10 prevent snffocation. One I'm.
II known man succumbed TO the smoke OF
u the terrible strain and fell Ia the water
= and was drowned. SO far as known to-
8 day this was the only tragedy OF the
= gravel pit.
@ Others or the citizens sought refuge
I, IN the Grlndstone river. tho adult
u ments OF the two railway bridges. and
4, the foot bridge. The exact number
/, cannot he known as they were scat
a tered along considerable distance.
,. That many escaped and some were
"a drowned " well known. Mrs Marlin
3 MarllnsOn and her four little children
k were taken. drowned. from the water
Il this morning.
Il In the meantime Hncigily was burn.
q Ing With frlghtful rapidify and In a
l. lew hours nothing WAS left but black.
lie ener ruins The loss will exceed a
y million dollars with but little inHur,
- hnce. Mr. Gilroy. conductor on the
< Eastern Minnesota road, says ali
u bridges have been burned. One gentle
y man found forty-seyen dead bodies q;
X Sandstone lying uncovered I'm the sun
The people are destitute Of everything
" In addition 10 forty-sevon bodies AZ
e Sandstone. there are twenty NJ Kettl,
e river junction. All the settlers ia the
% vicinity are probably burned TO death
II o'Neill Bros. had twelve camps In IN.
&c woods there, and all these were burned
II Most Of the Inmates, however are be
u lleved TO have escaped with their lives
II There are twelve homeless families NJ
e Mission Greek and the same story Il
a. true Of several other places In tha
!. vicinity.
As night closed IN. the people begaf
e 10 come out from their hiding plec'
y and made their way over the hot en-
~ bers OF their city. They were absp
"a luiely dazed by the disaster, and III
y night was spent In an endeavor 70 IN.
NJ Continued on second Page)