The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-09-04

Pine City have been so far put in shape,
and the Associated Press operator is
able to send his report as he sits on an
empty keg in the open air, there being
no shelter of any kind in town. Most OF
the survivors went to Pine City yester-
day for food and shelter, and the women
and children are still there, but many
men have returned to their ruined
homes to see if by any possibility any
thing remains.
The limited train that left Duluth at
L o'clock Saturday afternoon had an ex-
perience north of this place that will
place the entire crew on the roll as
heroes. They came to within mile
and half of this place through the
smoke, although Engineer Root could
not see 100 feet away. Fires were bear
ing down on on them from every side,
and there seemed no chance for their
lives but to go ahead. The number of
fleeing homesteaders and residents of
this place was so great that finally the
engine was stopped, and as many as
could get aboard the train were taken
on. Meantime the engineers clothes
caught fire as did also those of the fire.
man, and both men seemed overcome
with the fury of the flames, which had
seized on the engine. Fireman Nc
GowaD put out the fire on his own
clothes by jumping into the water tank
and threw water on engineer Root, who
staid at his post holding the throttle and
nerving himself to stand to his duty,
though he perished. There seemed to
be no chance ahead. The train was
backed at full speed as soon as the refu-
gees were aboard until the swamp near
Skunk lake, six miles north, was
reached, where the passengers and over
250 residents of Hinckley, who had
boarded the train, buried themselves in
mud. They remained there through the
night, and early in the morning were
brought down the road. Many cars
were badly burned and much shattered
by the experience. The windows on the
coaches were burst by the heat, and a
number of men became crazed by ex-
citement and terror, and threw them
selves out of the windows to their deaths.
The cars were all on fire before the
swamp was reached, and the entire train
was soon in ashes, tie tender being also
burned.
Engineer Root was taken to his home
at White Bear. His physicians hope he
may recover, although inhaling the hot
fumes, smoke and air may be too much
for him. The glass in the cab windows
broke and he was badly cut about the
head, while his clothes were nearly
burned from his body. One piece of
glass laid bare his juguIar and it seems
miraculous he escaped alive. His only
thought was for the safety of his passen-
gers. He said in reply to the remark
that he had become the hero of the
country 81 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 was probably
burned after the passengers and crew
escaped, although no definite news was
received. A remarkable thing connected
with this accident is the fact that only
few feet in front of where the train was
dltched bridge had been burned. which
would have caused a very serious acci-
dent, with certain loss of life. It is
not thought any other trains have Ebeen
caught in the fires. None are running
today. All the bridges have burned and
in some places the track is useless, rails
being twisted out of shape and the ties
burned. Only one dead body has been
found at this place this morning, and is
likely the dead here will not exceed 200,
the figure given last night. All the
bodi,s will be buried today. as it will be
impossible to keep them any longer.
A call has been sent to the Twin Cities
for more shovels and men to bury the
dead, and they will get here on a relief
train during the afternoon.
Destruction of RarrOnette