Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-05
BURYING THEIR DEAD
THIS CONSTITUTES THE AFTERMATH
OF THE FOREST FIRES.
Of Burned neutrality-suspicious. de-
tails Of the Disaster.

DULUTH. MINI, September Ain a
stretch Of territory twenty-six miles long
and from one TO fifteen miles wide not
o single human habitation has been LETT
standing, except a section-house at NIL
Ter. and In every part of the track oil
the flames bodies Of men, women, anu
children, horses, and cattle were FOUND
The position OF everybody found outside
OF Hinckley shows that shelter of some
kind was sought by the sgonized suffer
ers and the dead are found In holes, be-
hind overturned stumps. trees marshy
Gepressions, and In every water-eourse.
COMPLETE AND CYCLoNlC.
The general shape Of the fire-swept dis
trlct Is Ike a huge cigar. with south
western end about Mission creek. ana the
upper terminal. few miles east OF FIN
hoy son, or Rutledge. From this number
% branches extend northward TO beyond
tracks OF the Eastern Minnesota railway.
-.ls work Of the flames has been COM
,e and cyclonic In character. Where
o., fire held sway not single tree Ia
snaing except as a blackened stump.
Thousands OF overturned trees are lying
PROSTATE, and the roots were burning
aercely up to last evening, when the wei
come rain fell. A careful canvass reveals
the fact that u settlers homes outside
Of towns. fell. As near az can be learned
there were 600 people In these homes.
REFUGE IN A CREEK.
At Brookdale. little town on the
Eastern Minnesota railroad, south OF
Hin kley, ABOUT ninety persons took re-
fuge in the water Of small creek. out
OF this place seven dead bodies were
taken and buried. and some thirty living
persons were rescued, some badly
burned. All the bodies were carefully cX-
amined. and In many cases were fuzzy
identified, and I'm every case complete
record was made Of everything that could
possibly lead 10 identification. Remarkable
work has been done by the Duluth relief
committees.
OVER $50 ARE DEAD.
The death-roll is on the increase. ana
now over $50 are known to be lost, the
greater part women and children. The
greatest percentage OF deaths occurred
among settlers. where whole families were
swept out OF existence in the tWinkling
of an eye. Not in any one direction but
in every part OF the fire-swept district
the finding OF bodies hourly sWeilS the
list. At an early hour this morning a
party Of thirty experienced woodsmen ieit
on special conveyance 10 scour the WOODS
for bodies OF settlers in out-of-the-wdy
cabins and clearings. They are expected
10 bring back appalling reports.
CARING FOR THE LIVING.
Hundreds Of people, including those Of
the very highest social standing in this
city, have been working day and night
since Saturday night, have organized
thoroughly into all needed sub-commt-
tees, and have in a systematic way taken
care Of men. women. children, and babies.
several committees have been caring for
tie little ones. over $500 in cash has
Been given for temporary relief, and
a0ds and clothing valued at as much
i.re have been donated
s. A. Thompson, who went out on the
rial train yesterday has returned. All
o. way down the trainnen almost had
to throw people off who wished 10 so
long and take in the grave sights. AT
Flnlayson a party. headed by Ed. Fin
layson, dropped off and went east sew
cral miles visiting among other places
the Bnledeut farm. where the bodies Of
three children were found. The rest OF
the family had gone 10 Sandstone.
PICKING Up BODIES.
A party, headed by Fred. Reynolds.
dropped off near Skunk Lake and got
the bodies Of Mrs. Lind and five children,
whose home was a half mile west Of the
track. The train picked up the bodies
Of Littel and Elder two operators OF the
North American Telegraph Company.
the trouble Ialso eleven bodies including
that Of General Passenger-Age Rowley.
Of the Winnipeg, near the track.
It was learned that Pine Lake, set
Element seven miles west OF Finlayson,
was untouched, but nothing has been
heard OF Sand Lake, settlement away
from Tire railroad and IL is feared II
has gone up In smoke Another body was
discovered in the mud at the edge Of
Skunk Lake, but 1t could not be gotten
out.
PILED Up IN BOXES.
At Miller A. A. Harrington and Robert
Forbes headed parties and started for
Sandstone and have not since been heard
from. Thompson himself headed a party
that picked up seven bodies In the Wester-
lund cellar half a mile west OF the wreck.
Another party. headed by Lynch, found
five dead children near the track The
burial train reached Hinckley at r. NJ.
The Coroner Of Pine county said there
were i6 bodies already picked up in
Hinckey alone, with more 10 follow.
They were piled up in boxes and collins
near the track like so much cord-wood.
Looking After the Injured.
HINCKLEY. MICH. September 4.-The
special train sent out by citizens Of Min
neapolis, bearing supplies and medical re-
lief to the suffering people Of Hinckley and
vicinity. had on board eleven physicians
and surgeons, with full supply OF drugs
and instruments and fifty canvas cots.
Pine City was the main objective point,
for IL was there that the relief supplies
were to be distributed and the temporary
hospitals had been opened. The medical
committee were met at the depot by the
heroic wife of DR.. Barnum, the local ply
stefan, who, with her husband. had been
working day and night from the time the
first victims were brought In until both
were almost completely worn out. ION.
we're SO glad you've come almost sob
bed the little woman 10 DR.. Mcdonald as
he stepped from the train.
A PITiFUL CROWD.
The platform was crowded with inquisi-
tive but glad-looking people. with black
ened and SCARED faces and bandaged
hands and arms bearing pathetic witness
OF the terrible experience. Near the edge
OF the platform rested a cOflin-box, in
which were enclosed the remains of what
was once the general passenger agent OF
the Winnipeg and Duluth road-O. Sow
ley, The poor fellow was one Of the pas
sengers on Engineer Jim Roots Inflated
train, and the body was found yesterday
morning a short distance from the burned
train. but SO charred and disigured that
It's identity was only established by the
name printed on the inside Of the burned
fragment of linen collar He had been
In the habit Of coming down from Duluth
every Saturday 10 spend Sunday with his
family at Merriman Park. and was on
his way home when he met his death.
REPORTS EXAGGERATED
The correspondent found that, notwith-
standing the reports received, matters
relating TO the number and condition of
the wounded and the necessity for sup
plies had been greatly exaggerated so
far as Pine City was concerned. Instead
OF 200 wounded to be cared for there were
bare twenty, and many OF these had
not been seriously hurt All the injured
had been brought in, too, and It was
learned that even those at Duluth scarcely
outnumbered those at Pine city. 1t APP
pears that IL was clean cut case OF
either life or death. Most Of those who
escaped did so with little or no physical
hurt The most severe and dangerous
cases In Pine city had been taken TO the
improvised hospital at the rink. and here
nine OF the medical relief set 10 work
VIII lie the other two men went on 10
IL ~ u. A..