The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-06
BRAvE-HEARTED MEN
Saved Nearly Five Hundred Persons
From Forest Fires.
Some Very Narrow Escapes--Loss of
Life. is Now Placed at Four Hun
dred.


PINE CITY, MINI, Sept. 6.-The heroes
Of the forest fires are many, but Engineer
Berry and Conductor Powers Of the east
ern Minnesota freight came to the front
rank among the heroes who have stood
trial by fire.
-Four hundred and seventyeight people,
whom they picked up and carried TO safety
In the box cars, were carried through the
midst Of the furnace over burning ties, in
the face of the knowledge that another
train in the opposite direction had the
right OF way, and was liable to be met
anywhere In the smoke, fire and flame,
and a terrible ride over the 130-foot bridge
across the Kettle river, which was blazing
and trembling under the wheels, appar-
emily ready TO fall
Fifteen minutes after the train passed,
the bridge went into the river 1t was at
this time that a crowd of alleged men
crowded into the cab and begged Engineer
Berry to uncouple the train and carry
them TO safety, leaving the people in the
cars TO perish. They were summarily
fired out by the engineer, who could find
no words severe enough for them.
One of the most pathetic and heart
rending tales is that Of James Kelly and
Ernest Hogan. As result Kelly was
buried here yesterday, and Hogan, with
his feet and hands terribly burned and his
system exhausted, lies at Sandstone with
small chance of recovery. Kelly was camp
foreman for O Brien Bros, whose camp is
eight miles from Hinclsley. When the
fire drew perilously close TO the camp and
they could fight it Off no longer, they
started to walk to Sandstone, seven miles
away.
An Awful Experience.
They trudged through the blistering at
mosphere, encouraging at every step and
picking each other up when either fell.
Finally, about a quarter of n mile beyond
Kettle river, Kelly became exhausted. BY
this time Hogan's shoes were badly
burned; his feet were so blistered that he
was compelled TO take to his hands and
knees In this shape he managed TO crawl
into ravine near by. Kelly stopped for "A
moment on the ridge. He fell in a hemp
and rolled over and over until he struck
the bottom of the ravine, dead.
Hogan Lay all Saturday night In the
ravine, expecting that every moment
would be his last. Sunday morning he
did what few men would do-started for
Sandstone on his hands and knees No
one knows what he suffered as he toiled
wearily along. Fully six miles more, In
credible as it may seem, he crawled, reach
ing Sandstone after having spent the en-
tire time since Saturday night on the way
His hands and feet suffered, and he will
bear the marks to his grave.
Grim Figures.
Corrected figures are of q character cal.
culated 60 lower, rather than raise, the
total number OF dead
There has been an increase over previous
estimates at Hinckley but the prospect
OF any considerable number remaining
still i'm the woods Is decreasing.
There are 233 buried In Hinckley grave
yard, and perhaps n dozen more buried Mt
other points in the vicinity, increasing tho
total here TO about 250, but the additional
number here may be safely taken away
from the liberal estimate allowed for those
yet unbound, leaving the total between
$40 and 400
Reports from the north arc TO the effect
that Carlton, Kerrck and Barnum are i'm
danger The fire now surrounds these
places, and is raging furiously. 60 dense
Is the smoke at Carlton that the operator
cannot see across the street.
A report was current that Barnum had
been destroyed, but it has been impossi-
bic to confirm it. Kerrick, previously re-
ported as in great danger, is not yet safe.
The men of Kerrick had sent the women
and children to West Superior and Du-
luth for safety, and remained behind to
fight the fires.
VIII he Rebuilt.
There was good deal of talk to tho
effect that Hinckley and Mission Creek,
having been wiped from the face Of tho
earth. would simply remain memory.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Hinckley, being a junction and a source of
labor supply, could not help being resur.
rccted, and the work Of restoring the
town rs fully q possible will be begun at
once. The same will be done at Mission
Greek.
subscriptions Rolling In.
The subscriptions for the flrc sufferers
have jumped up rapidly Altogether, the
money contribution will aggregate, up to
this time, s25,0O0. Two carloads OF pro
visions from this city have reached Sholl
Lake and Cumberland, Wis, for the desti.
tute at those places.
nrer the