Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-03
PERHAPS 1000 DEAD.
Latest Reports From the Burn
ing Forests
TERRIBLE SCENES At HINCKLEY, MINN.
early Reports Fell Far Below the
Truth.
HORROR PARALLELING JOHNsTOWN
Thrilling Stories Told by Those Who Sur
vived
AID SENT TO THE STRICKEN

HINCKLEY, Mimi, September IA
ger tie rain Is falling today. quenching the
burning embers of the immense forest fires
that did so much damage In this city Satur-
day afternoon and night. The blackened
ruins Of two or three brick buildings are
all that remain standing of the once pros
porous town Of Hinckley. with its LOO
people. and its busy railroad and numbering
interests The town is the junction point
for the st. Paul and Duluth and the East
srn Minnesota railway. and both these
roads have suffered immense losses that
cannot be now estimated. while the loss
to the timber interests is something be-
yond computation. This is today q place Of
mourning, and the burial of the charred
and unacceptable bodies of the hundreds
Of victims has saddened the survivors even
more than the disaster itself.
The fire was 50 overwhelming In Its i'm
mensity that none could In the first terror
Of the moment realize how great was their
loss Each was so intent on saving his
own life that little thought was given to
the disaster in general by most, although
many cases of heroism have been reported
The bodies thus far recovered have been
placed In rough pine boxes for burial and
the majority of them have been buried
without there being any knowledge Of their
Identity. The wires that were down this
side Of Pine City have been SO far put in
shape that the Associated Press operator
is about to send his report as he sits on an
empty keg in the open air. there being no
shelter Of any kind in the town.
Most of the survivors came to Hinckley
yesterday for food and shelter and the
women and children are still there, but
many of the men have returned to their
ruined homes to see IL by any possibility
anything remains.
The limited train that left Duluth at
o'clock Saturday afternoon had an ex-
perience north Of this place that will place
its entire train crew on the roll of honor Of
heroes for long time. The train came to
within q mile and a half Of this place
through the smoke. although Engineer
Root could not see q hundred feet away
and the going onward was a good deal Of
guess work. Engineer Root was taken to
his home at White Bear. Physicians hope
for his recovery, although the inhalation
Of the hot fumes of smoke and air may
be too much for him.
The glass In the cab windows broke, and
the er gineer was badly cut about the head.
while his clothes were nearly burned from
his boGy. One piece Of glass laid bare his
jugular, and 1t seems miraculous that he
safety of his passengers. and he said In re-
ply to a remark that he had become the
hero of the country that II only did my
duty"
A train on the Eastern Minnesota was
ditched near Pokegama, a short distance
west of Hinckley. but the passengers all
escaped. The train probably burned after
the passengers and crew escaped. al
though no definite news was re-
ceived. The remarkable thing connected
with this accident is the fact that only q
few feet in front of where the train was
ditched a bridge had been burned, which
would have caused q very serious accident,
with certain loss Of life.
1t Is not thought any other trains have
been caught in the fires. None are running
today. all bridging having been destroyed.
and in some places the track being useless.
rails twisted out Of shape and ties burned.
Only one additional dead body had been
found at this place this morning, and 1t Is
likely that the dead here will not exceed
much more thsn 200. All the bodies will
be buried today. as it would be impossible
to keep them longer. A call has been sent
to the Twin Cities for more shovels and
more men to bury the dead, and they will
get there on relief trains during the after
neon.
About thirty people have arrived at
White Bear from Hinckley and other fire.
devastated towns. They report the loss Of
life as appalling. The six members Of one
family took refuge in a cellar at Hinckley.
and the bodies are there in a heap. burned
to crisp. On the wagon road leading
northeast from Hinckley eighty bodies are
lying dead within six miles of the village.
Among the injured here are christopher
d. OBrien, ex-mayor of St Paul, who Is
quite painfully burned about the eyes and
head. His son was also badly burned.
PERHAPS A THOUSAND DEAD