The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-09-12
HEROES OF THE FIRE.
Noble Work of Rescue by Train
Crews of Various Lines


PINE CITY, Mimi. Sept 5.-The he
rOes Of the forest fire were many. The
stories Of Engineer Root and crew of
the St. Paul & Duluth train and that
of the Eastern Minnesota crew. so nobly
headed by Engineer Best. have been
told, but Engineer Ed Berry and Con-
ductor Harry Powers of the Eastern
Minnesota freight come in the front
rank also among the heroes who have
stood the trial by fire. Four hundred
and seventy-eight people, whom they
picked up anu carried back to safety in
the box cars. were carried through the
midst Of the furnace over burning ties
in the face Of the knowledge that an
other train in the opposite direction had
the right-cf-way and was liable to be
flames and a terrible ride over the 100
foot bridge across the Kettle river
which was blazing and trembling under
the wheels, apparently ready to fall.
Fifteen minutes after the train passed
the ruins Of the bridge went down into
the river. 1t was at this bridge a crowd
of men crowded into the cab and begged
the engineer 70 uncouple the train and
carry them to safety. leaving the people
in the cars u perish. They were sum
marily fired out by the engineer, who
could find no words severe enough in
speaking OF them.
One Of the most pathetic and heartrend-
ing tales Is that of James Kelly and
Earnest Hogan. As = result Kelly was
buried today az Pine City. and Hogan with
his feet ana hands terribly burned and
system terribly exhausted. lies al Sand
stone with a fighting chance Of recovering.
Kelly was camp foreman for O'Brien
Bros, whose camp is eight miles from
Hinckley. When the fire drew peri.ously
close TO the camp and they could fight
It of no longer they started to wax
to Sandstone. seven miles away. About
a quarter OF Il mile beyond Kettle river
T[<lf mo cd no
could go no further. and Hogan could
not urge him on. BY this time HOgan's
shoes were SO badly burned and his feet so
blisteTsd th3t he was compelled 10 take
TO his hands and knees. In this shape
he managed TO crawl into a ravine near
by. Looking around he saw Kelly rise
again and drag himself over ridge. Cool
up TO that time he appeared TO lose his
head. Hogan thought that Kelly
had wandered IN frenzy into the flames
but soon he reappeared and stopping for
a moment on the ridge where ne had
gone, he fell in a heap and rolled over
and over until he struck the bottom OF
the ravfne-dead. Hogan lay all Satur-
day night in the ravine expecting that
every moment was his last However
he did what few men would do, started
for Sandstone on his hands and knees
No one knows what he suffered as he
Rolled YEARLY along, suffering agonies at
every movement. Fully six miles more
reaching Sandstone after having spent
the entire time since Saturday night on
the way. His hands and feet suffered
and he viii bear the marks to his grave
When Hogan had told his story, jim
Welsh and Frank Lord went in search Of
Kelly and his body was found in the
ravine. It was taken TO Hinckley and
then conveyed by the work train to
Pine City. The dead man was a Knight
OF Pythias and his remains were buried
today by POkegama lodge, K. Of P, of
Pine City.