Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-09-07

were paralyzed with anxiety and grief.
Most Of them had seen their loved ones
perish in the flames. Some were mad,
some raving and crazy. They were
thinly attired, for they had saved alb
solutely nothing. Not a scrap, not a
morsel of food could be found. They
were hungry, homeless and wild with
grief.
The First Relief Party.
The first relief party went to Hinck-
ley from Pine City, starting about II
o'clock Saturday night.
Fire was raging everywhere along
the track, and the train was obliged to
proceed slowly.
The greatest difficulty was expe-
rienced in getting through the burned
district. Fires in the surrounding for
ests were still raging, and occasionally
the cars would shoot through wave of
flame. Not a man of the relief party
bnt who sustained more or less serious
burns and injuries.
The, sight as Hinckley was approached
was appalling in the extreme. On all
sides could be seen the dead and charred
bodies of horses, cattle, deer, wolves
II other animals, and human corpses
were almost as plentiful. The man on
the front handcar, James Hurley, had
to stop the cars every little while to lift
q human body from the track.
Beginning of the Good Work.
The committee divided and distrib-
utedsthemselves throughout the town.
Then began their dreadful and heart
rending discoveries. Dead bodies lay
everywhere within their vision, and
many a stout heart quailed when the
shallow pond was reached and 105 dead
bodies Of human beings were found
lying in one group, alongside great
numbers Of cattle and horses.
In many places whole families were
found, either burned or smothered to
death. Some were found with their
faces buried in the gravel of the road
bed, having fallen as they were escap-
ing. Others again were in a praying
position, and were charred beyond rec
ignition,
First News of the Calamity.
The first news of the Hinckley calam-
ity was given to the people of Pine City
and the outside world by Mr.. Angus
Hay, publisher Of the Hinckley Enter
prise, who, with two other men, had
reached safety after a number of thrill
ing escapes. They rushed into Pine
City with a flying engine and caboose.
Their faces were begrimed and scorched,
their hair and boards We're burned off
and their clothing was literally burned
from their bodies.
Hay and his companions escaped the
first violent fury Of the flames in Hinck-
ley by running to a ~neighboring marsh
and burying themselves in the mud and
water. AS soon as they saw their way
partially clear they ran four miles be-
tween rows of burning trees and past
the remains Of burned buildings, reach
ing Mission Creek more dead than
alive. They were able to tell their
story to the Mortified people and give
them warning of the oncreeping flames.
They then secured the engine and ca
bose, ran to Pine City and gave the
news that started relief to the stricken
town of Hinckley.
Piled Into a Gravel Pit.
The people who remained in Hinck.
ley Jared the best of all. The Eastern
Minnesota tracks mark the eastern line
Of the city proper. just beyond the
road owned a tract of land, probably
embracing at least ten acres. It was
purchased for a gravel pit to furnish
material for the fill which approached
the company's bridge across the Grind.
stone and other points on its line. To
the fact that it had been used for this
purpose almost to exhaustion about a
hundred Hinckleyites owe their lives.
The whole area indicated had been ex,
cavated to a depth in the center of about
thirty or forty feet. There was a stag.
nant pool Of rain water in the center
three feet in its greatest depth. The
pit was wide and deep, and to it fled
those of the citizens who were willing
to trust to its friendly depths.
Human Beings Thrown in With Cattl e
There were probably a hundred O.
them, and in addition to the human be
ings, quite a number of domestic ami
mails, horses, cows, oxen, pigs, chick
ems, etc., sought safeey here. It was
really the safest place about Hinckley
Three or four hundred trunks, which
were rolled only half way down thu
sloping bank, passed through the fir,
unscathed. The people went in here a,
the Eastern train pulled out a few min
utes after 4 o'clock, and here they re
manned until after 8, while the smok,
and flames from the burning city passed
over their heads. They dashed thei
heads with wet cloths to prevent suffo
cation. One unknown man succumbet
o the smoke or the terrible strain ant
fell in the water ard was drowned.