Democratic messenger., 1894-09-08
A GREAT CALAMITY :!
LOSS OF LIFE
IN THE FOREST FIRES
OF MINNESOTA.
A GREAT VALLEY OF DEATH
Four Hundred Persons Report
eel tO Have Been burned
tO Death.

Four Hundred Persons Report
eel tO Have Been burned
tO Death.
ST.. PAUL, MINI, Sept. 2nd.-The
vast valley between the Kettle River
and Cross Lake is laid waste, includ
ing several villages and settlements
Besides the towns that were reduced
to ashes, farms were swept clean by
tine flames. The forests are still burn.
ing tiercely, and rain is required to
to drown the fires that are sweepin.
over vast region.
Whole families have been cremated
In some instances only one or two men
escaped from a neiehborhood to tel
OF the destruction. They saved theil
lives by running to small lakes or hid
ing in potato fields, and reached Pine
City more dead than alive.
The dead are being picked up by
the score and taken to Pine City
Searching parties are penetrating the
burned district, but find none but the
charred remains of the inhabitants.
The people from lIinckley and
Mission Creek who escaped with theil
lives are destitute, having neither
homes nor food. The walls of the
railroad roundhouse and of the school
house are the only parts of the build.
ings in Hinckley which remain stand
ing.
All is confusion and excitement
among the surviving parents. who are
searching for their children. and
children searching for parents. The
death list increases every hour.
On Saturday afternoon the fire ap,
preached. famed by strong wind
The smoke grew denser AS the day al.
vanced, and it soon become dark as
night. About 1 p. m. the wind changed
and the residents of the doomed town
saw the flames were bearing down
upon them. Asthe alarm rang through
the streets the people rushed from
their homes, and when they caught
sight of the red, Onrushing sea of fire
they became panic stricken.
The fire shot across the town and
the people fled in all directions. They
ran wherever they thought they could
find refuge. A large number ran to
u pond some three or four acres in ex-
tent and three or four feet deep.
Women and children ran side by side
with cattle into the pond and crouch
ed close to the water, for the smoke
hung low and the flames were danger
ously close.
The largest crowd of people rushed
to GrindstOne River, small, shallow
stream which it was thought would
afford protection from the flames.
But the water was too low, and all mis-
erably perished. There the relief par
ties found the bodies lying in the
water and trampled by the fleeing
cattle.
Just rs the flames were raging
iercest a train arrived over the East
Minnesota. and 800 people clambered
aboard. II was godsend to the peo-
pie, who offered up prayers Of thank
fulness as the engineer sent the train
at rapid speed away from the burning
town and back to safety in Superior.
Another party had rushed for the
limited on the st. Paul and Duluth,
but as the fire cut off their way in
that direction, they ran to shallow
pond near by. There, like rats in a
trap, they perished. one and all. One
hundred and five bodies were removed
from the miserable pond by the Relief
Committee, where they had been liter
ally roasted to death. There was abso-
lutely no escape.
East of the village there was a
stagnant pool of rain water. Over
one hundred people sought refuge
here, and of these only one man /:
known TO have perished. The i'm
mense plant Of the Brennan Lumber
Company. with sawmills, planning mills
stables and 2S,000,000 feet of pine
lumber, was wiped out in almost les:
time than it takes to write it, With
the stables were consumed ninety head
of splendid horses. The financial los.
to the company alone will reach $500,
600. OH which there is an insurance Of
about one half.
TERRoRs OF SATURDAY NIGHT.
Those who remained in Hinckley
will never forget the terrors OF Satur-
day night. As the flames subsidized
and the shadows of night closed down
over the ill-starred town, the people
LETT their place of refuge and made
their way over the smouldering EN-
bers through the one street of the vii
lage.
The fire had spent its force. but the
ruins still glowed rel through the
dense cloud of smoke, marking the
spots where few hours ago were the
homes of II prosperous and happy peo
pie. Guided by the weird light men
moved about as if dazed. locating the
spots where their homes had stood
The air was filled with meanings o
the wounded, for whom no assistance
could be had, and with sobbings ol
those who had lost friends or poses
ions, or both. When the terrible
night was ended and the light Of an
other day dawned upon the scene d
desolation, few energetic spirits re