Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-09-13
A SEA OF FIRE.
The Fearful Journey Of a Passen-
ger Train Ia Minnesota
Many Lives saved by . Brave Engiaesr-
The Cars Take Fire and q Number
II Perzons Leap to Certain
Destruction.
A TRAIN ON FIRE.

A TRAIN ON FIRE
PIKE CITY, MINI. Sept s-The ST
Paul & Duluth train No A, south
bound with eighty passengers. ran
into Hinckley at o'clock Saturday
afternoon and proceeded thence 70
Mission Creek. miles further south,
only 70 find that village In ashes.
Conductor Sullivan issued immedi-
ate orders 70 his crew 70
back into Hinckley, but before the
train, running at 20 miles an hour,
could reach Hinckley the place was in
flames The train stopped at the depot
one fatal minute, during which the
woodwork of the engine and the bag
gage ear caught fire. The train quick
ly resumed it's backward journey
toward Duluth, and the very motion
of the cars famed the flames to a fury
and they soon enveioped the sleepers,
passenger Goa ahes and the smoker
A He -ible Picture.
While the trs IN was stopping at
Hinckley nearly % panic-stricken peo-
pie of the place rus led upon the plat
forms and into the cars. When they
discovered the train on fire they began
to moan, shout and pray, which, with
the awful roar of the flames, made a
horrible picture.
mile out of Hinckley people on the
platforms, rendered frantic lunatics by
the heat and their terror, began to
jump from the cars and plunge into
streams, into sand heaps or into the
amoke-encompassed forest A little
farther on those In the cars, stified with
smoke. began to smash the windows of
the coaches in q frantic attempt to get q
breath of fresh air. Driven back by
the flames eating their way up the
sides of the freshly vanished coaches,
they stood In baffled amazement for q
moment, when dozens of them In
sheer desperation tumbled themselves
out through the open spaces to the
ground below, some being instantly
killed by the fall and others lingering
In the horrible heat and smoke until
suffocated.
Took Refuge In the Lake.
In spite of the fact that the train
was on fire from engine to rear end
the Grew bravely stood at their posts
euo Con the brhlu DACh niles 10
Skunk lake. where the passen-
gers rushed out and into the
water. Some of them were in such
state Of exhaustion that they
were unable to walk, and half dozen
were entirely unconscious ALI of
these latter were rolled in the mud and
laid on their backs just far enough out
INTO the lake to keep the water from
running into their mouths.
All around the lake the forests were
roaring like the furnace of an inn
aginary 100000 horsepower engine.
Many of the people in the water stood
and offered prayers in loud voice for
deliverence. The scene was one of the
most remarkable ever witnessed.
Hero of the Throttle.
Engineer James Root who had SO
bravely piloted the train through that
awful miles of fire, was found to be
fatally burned. He stood faithfully at
mis- post with his clothes afire, and
manfully battIed to save the lives of
those on his train.
Conductor Sullivan, cool and col
lected all through the awful journey,
after it was all over, became raving
maniac. A little later he was put
aboard a special and taken to Du-
luth hospital