The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-03
AFTER THE FIRE.
Where the Bodies Were Found-NIany
Marvellous Escapes.

Where the Bodies Were Found-Many
Marvellous Escapes.
ST. PAUL, Sept 2-As night closed IN
at Hinckley the people began to come out
from their hiding places and made their
way over the hot embers OF their city.
They were absolutely dazed by the catas-
trophe, and the night was spent in an en-
deavor to find relatives or acertain their
whereabouts. Communication with the outer
world was cut off for hours as completely
as If they were on a desert island. The
fire had spent it's force, but the air was
filled with smoke, through which CLEANED
the dull blaze OF smoldering fire in the
more substantial stocks of goods. Two huge
heaps of coal which marked the location OF
the Duluth coal sheds were blazing, and
by the fitful light people wandered about
picking out the places where but six hours
before their happy homes had stood. The
fact that so many had escaped by train
added to the anxiety of those whose friends
and relatives were not to be found, while
it furnished at the same time basis for
hope that they were in safety.
When the morning broke few ener-
getic spirits began to organize the work or
the recovery of the bodies. j. w. Sargent,
a passenger conductor on the Duluth road,
got into Hinckley during the night, and
he organized a volunteer crew who manned
two handcars, whose capacity was IN
creased by the use Of planks. They went
up the Duluth track to the north and
picked up thirty-one bodies between the
river and Skunl. lake. The bodies were
wrapped up in hlankets and such cloth as
could be Obtained, and laid out by the side
Of the track where the depot had stood.
Here also were brought the Two little sons
of Tom Henderson-Sandy and Johnny. The
and
her four children, Mrs. Blanchard and her
two children, who were burned to death
Just above the Duluth roundhouse, and
man named Lambeson. who was found
near the Martinson party. Citizen volun-
teers harnessed up the available vehicles
saved in the gravel pit and went out to
the swamp across the Grindstone They
brought in ninety-sx bodies, which were
carried out TO the desoiate burying ground.
a mile east of town. There was neither
time nor opportunity to observe the sacred
formalities usually surrounding death. The
excitement of the occasion the horrible ex-
periences through which the living had
passed and the more horrible form In which
death had come to the lost had temporarily
blunted the finer sensibilities, and the dead
were heaped high on the wagons and laid
in piles at the cemetery, among the smok-
Gods acre." 1t was gruesome sight
DR.. w. D. Gown, the coroner, who was
here, there and everywhere in general su-
pervision, directed the digging OF two huge
pits, twenty-four by twelve feet, in which
interment will be made tomorrow.
FEW IDENTIFIED.
One of the saddest features of the
lamity is the impossibiity OF identification
in such a large proportion of the cases. The
ninety-six bodies brought into this point
were examined by many OF the surviving
residents of Hinckley, and but four could
be identified, Charles Anderson, Axel Han
son. Dennis Riley and Mrs. William Gin
der The remainder will have TO be buried
together. In the indefiniteness of arrange
ments. and II seemed impossible otherwise
under the circumstances. due regard was
not paid to a proper preservation or arti-
cles found on the bodies, and the list
chance of identification lost. Those
who brought In the bodies from the swamp
| reported that there were at least thirty-fve
| other bodies out there which cannot be
| brought in until morning. On the govern
ment road to the east, was found the Best
| family of six persons, father, mother and
| four children. Best was a prosperous farm
| err living just out of town. Here also
were recovered the bodies of the three un-
| fortunate creatures who lived at the stock
ade There were six OF these women in
| all They escaped to the river, but three
returned TO carry out trunk and were
| overtaken by the flames. Near Skunk lake
| was found a family consisting of father,
| mother and seven children. OF another
| family in which there were five children
| only the father escaped. There was set
| tlement of about thirty people near this
| lake. and but two are known TO be alive.
Tnhn
| n. Anderson started out by team with his
| wife and three children. Just across the
river the horses were overcome by the
smoke. They left the wagon and stag
| gered forward on foot, quickly becoming
separated. The father, mother and the
| darehter, Emily, died in the swamp.
| Charles and his little twelve-year-old
| brother struggled for the Duluth track
| The latter fell in ditch and was too ex-
| hausted to rise. He lay there all night
| and this morning made his way 10 the
| track, finding the dead body Of his brother
| but a few feet from the place where he
had been saved. The other daughter was
taken on the Eastern train to Duluth. One
| family. consisting Of man, his wife and
| four little children and the wife's brother.
| craWled out on a boom in the river, where
| they remained all night. They made their
| way TO Hinckley this afternoon and went
to Pine City. where they are now. none
the worse for their experience.
! A few miles below Hinckley stands the
/ marvel of the fire, claim shanty be-
| longing to Frank Baumcher, the Duluth
! section foreman. 1t was covered with
| ragged building paper. and presented a
| most inviting opportunity for TIE flames.
| which ragged close all sides. There IL
stands uninjured. The paper is not even
/ scorched In the same vicinity stands a
! grove Of twisted poplar trees, almost
| stripped of their branches. and evidence OF
| the cycIonic popularity of the fire.
About O'Clock this afternoon the work
| train from St. Paul reached Hinckley, with
undertaken O'Haloran and his thirty-two
caskets. He went quickly TO work upon
the thirty-one corpses that lay beside the
| track A close description of the bodies
was kept, and every fragment of cloth
| ing, the jewelry and anything else that
could lead TO identification was carefully
preserved. The work progressed rapidly.
| and by evening the bodies were all
wrapped UP and laid away In the casketa