The herald., 1894-09-05
RACE WITH DEATH.
Engineer Best's Heroic Service in I
Cab, ft


WEST SUPERIOR, Wis. Sept. 4.-En-
pineer Willis Best, OF the original res
cuing passenger train on the Eastern
Minnesota, tells the following story OF
the rescue at Hinckley:
"Soon after leaving Superior. at :15
p. M, l had to light the headlight
owing to the dense smoke that turned
day into night. The heat, as We APP
approached Hinckley, increased ex-
pected when we reached that point that
we would get Ia an opening and escape
the smoke. My surprise was great,
therefore, when we found the fire right
upon the town. 1t took but glanceto
see the town was doomed. The wind
blew with great velocity. and the flsmes
fairly lesped through the air. The peo-
pie, taken by surprise, were helpless.
The coming fire was more like stroke
OF lightning. Almost in an instant the
town was swept by pillows OF flames.
We could not pass Hinckley, and there
was no use to look for orders, for COM
munication was cut of. To stay and
rescue IS many as we could was our
duty of course, but the great question,
hAQ upUn bbo iANOs Va many
hundreds. was how long dare We wait.
Ed Barry, who was there with engine
No. %, and w. d. Campbell, conductor,
were as plucky and brave fellows as
ever passed mile poet. We knew we
were safe in making time, for we could
return on No. 23's time. We hastily
with the engine ahead, on to the rear OF
our train.
"The,people rushed toward our train
and piled into the cars. Some were aged
and helpless women and children, and
had to be helped aboard. We had to
ehiit the position of the train several
times to prevent it catching fire. We
we're all breathing fire as it was. We
saw many sights that would have filled
us with horror if seen under other cir
cumstances. but there was horror every
where. We saw people fall down, over
come by the heat and smoke. l say
mothers with babes make a last despair
ing effort to shelter their helpless
charges. We saw people surrounded by
fire; but there is no use trying to de-
scribe it to you. A few OF our passengers
became panic stricken and wanted me to
pull out, regardless OF others at Hinck.
doing such cowsrdly and selfish act.
We got about 400 people from Hinckley
aboard, may be more, and slipped away
to take others who had run up the track.
We could not rescue any more people,
for they could not get to the train. A
very large percentage OF those who re-
mained perished. Away we went through
the blazing wooda. 1t was a race vita
death.
Telegraph poles and ties were on FIRE
and strong fame pressed upon the
train. The people were packed 80
closely that it was impossible to move.
We passed several bridges that were on
fire. At Partridge we procured water
for the passengers. The people at Par
fridge supposed they were safe, but it
appears within half an hour the FIRE
reached them, thus giving an idea how
fast the flames travelled. We drew
sigh OF relief when we reached the linn
its of Superior and knew our precious
freight was ssfe."
Engineer Best now appears in adiffsr-
ent role than that he played during the
Great Northern strike. Best abandoned
hie engine and train in st. Paul when
the Eastern Minnesota was tied up in
such way az to block their yards. At
least this was the charge of the Great
Northern, and when the strike was set
tied the road refused to employ Best.
The A. R. U. officials threatened an
other strike, but the difficulty was
referred to arbitration and the arbi.
traitors decided in favor of Bsst's restor-
alton. He seems, BY his heroism, to
have demonstrated his fitness for O per-
manent place in the cab.