The morning call., 1894-09-04


were about thirty-fve others, which were
brought in this IN orning, making total of
upward of $50 dead in the space of four
or five acres.
Down near the river was found the body
OF Thomas Dunn, the operator at HincK-
ley. Dunn stuck to his keys until the
depot was burning overh cad Up the St.
Paul and Duluth right of way were found
more bodies.
Among those who persisted north of
town was R. E. Rickettson Of Minneapolis.
who was visiting a sou. He was out in
wagon with Dave Kane of Rock Creek,
also visitor here, and both persisted,
though their horses escaped.
Engineer Root. whose gallant conduct
with his train is on the tongue of every
body when the fire is mentioned, was
taken to his home at White Bear Ply
slclans hope he may recover, although in
haling the hot fumes of smoke and air may
prove 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 jugular. and ii seems
miraculous that be escaped alive. His
only thought was for the safety of his
passengers. He said in reply to the re-
mark that he had become hero Of the coun-
try, Il only did my duty"
A train on the Eastern Minnesota was
ditcbed 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.
No trains runpipy ba
bridges have burned and in some places
the track is useless. The rails are twisted
out Of shape and the ties burned.
Only one additional body has been found
at this place this morning, and it is likely
that the deaths here will not exceed 200,
the figure given last night.
The busiest point at Hinckley was the
Associated Press telegraph office. 1t was
not much of an Office, but il sufficed TO
serve the public with the only press re-
ports sent out of Hinckley to-day. The
wires were brought down burned stump
of pole. A dry-goods box furnished the
operator with a desk, and a cracker-bOx
made him comfortable seat A burned
railroad spike held down the copy from a
brisk breeze. A rough board, one end
resting on the operators table and the
other on a milk-can, furnished the Asso-
clated Press CORES pendent his desk, and
his seat was beer-keg. Here, under these
circumstances, was prepared and sent the
story of the day from this stricken town.
An occasional shower blurred the copy,
butt was rapidly fed to the eager wire
despite the discomforts of the occasion.
The Associated Press correspondent
took fve-mile tramp out through the
woods to the north of town this morning
through a scene of desOlation which rarely
falls before the eyes of man. The coun-
try is absolutely swept clean. There is
but one settlers house standing within an
unknown radius Of miles. 1t is that of
Miller Bean, on the edge of the river,
three miles east of town. 1t was a new
house and very substantial. Bean and his
other neighbors fought the fire until they
had to abandon IT, They put the women
and children into the water. covering their
heads with cloths kept wet by dashing
water over them. and when the fire had
passed they came out unhurt and were
much surprised to find the building stand
ing This morning when the Associated
Press correspondent entered the clearing
a house dog barked savagelv and the
not come within an ace OF death.
The handcar Darty which went north
this morning has just returned. 1t met
the Duluth construction train eight miles
up the track with word that the CITY of
Duluth had furnished the necessary relief
at Sandstone and Miller. They accord.
ingly turned back. and on the way in To-
Gated eleven bodies, swelling the total Of
those found along the Duluth tracks be-
tween HinckleY and Skunk Lake to about
fifty. One of them was recognized az Otto
ROwley OF Duluth, freight agent of tie
Duluth and Winnipeg. He was passen-
ger on the limited South on Saturday. and
had left the main body of refugees and
passengers, running back ward to the lake.
His body was Identified by his name on his
collar. On another body, evidently that
of another passenger. was found a letter
addressed to Israel Schrullstein, Chicago.
and charred business card bearing the
same name. Three others of the bodies
were probably those of passengers on the
Inflated train. Another was young man.
a splendid specimen of physical manhood,
and from his clothing and high-laced
boots, apparently prespector or cruiser.
The other five were the family of O settler
named John Robinson. Above Skunk
Lake the workman reported twelve bodies
on the right of way, presumably settlers.
In retrospectlon, the most sOrroYful
feature Of the terrible fatality at Hnckley
is the thought that had the situation been
realized 10 time not a single life among
the residents of the town need have been
lost. The Great Northern gravel Dit.
where only 100 sought safety, is about ten
acres In extent, broad enough and long
enough and deep enough to have sheltered
every soul in Hinckley with their domestic
animals. There is pool of water of con-
siderable depth. The banks are bare of
grass or shrubbery and there was no in
fammable material On the side from which
the fire came. Those who did seek this
refuge have passed the hours of their en-
forced imprisonment in comparative COM
fort.
This morning detail OF twenty regu
lars from Fort Smelling, under the COM
mand of Captain Hall and Lieutenant
Mccoy and with an army surgeon, came
in from St Paul. They brought some
tents, but finding that Adiutant- General
Mahlburg had sent up $50 State tents. the
regulars turned in and put up fifty of
them for the refugees. The local physj-
clan was played out ana there was an
abundance of work for the army surgeons.
A portion of the tents will be put up at
Hinckley.
DEATH AT SANDSTONE.