The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-03
Grave Diggers Interring the
Fast DecompOsing Bodies.

ST. PAUL, Mimi, Sept. Six
towns wiped out and more than 500
dead is the record made by the forest
fires in this state in the past thirty
six hours. In Hinckley. Sandstone,
Pokegama, Sandstone Junction, Skunk
Lake and Mission Creek there are 355
known dead In addition several hum
dred are missing while from $50 to 200
were scattered on, farms throughout
the district burned over The de-
struction was complete in most of the
towns uamed, but some of the forest
land escaped. The loss. however,
viii be in the millions and the loss Of
life will not be definitely known for
several days.
HinkIev, Minn., about halfway be-
tween this city and Duluth. has been
wiped out by forest fires and the list
Of dead. may reach 1000. The walls
Of the school house, the iron fence
abont the Town hall property, the
bank vault and one absolutely unin-
jured out-hOuse is all that is left
to mark the sites where once stood
a score of buildings, and a dozen
times as many dwelling houses The
story OF the catastrophe which wiped
out the material possessions that had
made Hinckley a busy. prosperous
little city is a short one. The town was
built Of wood. The school house,
erected last year at cost of $40 600,
and one-half Of the Duluth round
house were the only brick structures
in the city. BY one of those peculiar
freaks for which there is no account
ing, the Eastern Minnesota round
house and water tank on the south
western edge Of the town, almost in
the woods, escaped the flames A
circumstance the more remarlxa BILE
from the fact that it stood directly in
the path of the flames, which seem
to have jumped it as cleanly as if
playing leap frog
fierce Forest Fires
All Saturday forenoon the towns
people were apprehensive. The
smoke rolling up from the south told
a story unmistaka kably plain to those
accustomed to a wooded country
The FIRE kept advancing, famed by
the wind, which was blowing a gale.
"a bout Ill O. clock the fire company got
out their engine and laid an /, 500 foot
line of hose to the southern outskirts
of the town The hose. was all too
short for the measure Of protection
desired tRnd telegram was
sent to Rush City for more. Five
hundred feet was sent. but it never
reached Hincxlev- The main part of
the village lies in the north fork
made by the crossing of the Duluth
and Eastern tracks, the latter to the
east and the former to the west On
the west side Of the Duluth tracks
were a. few small houses belonging to
the railway employees The f1remen7s
attention was mainly directed to
keeping the FIRE away from them, as
the main business part of the city
was built in sOEdly just across the
track.
About o'clock in the afternoon the
fire literally jumped into the town.
Its approach was not gradual 1t did
not eat its way along, devouring ev-
ervthing in its path. but came in huge
leaps. as if to take everything fleeing
before it, and then burn back at its
leisure. 1t IS described by the fire.
men who Witnessed its onward pro-
press at Hinclk1ey and elsewhere as if
it were forced along by cyclones Of
its own generation. The intense heat
would develop a veritabIe whirlwind
of fame that actually twisted OF pop
lar trees several inches in thickness
and carried huge blazing frebrands
high in the ar, and carrying them
forward from forty to eighty rods
there to fall and begin the work of
devasta ton anew.
The Efre Fighters Give Up
The Ere first struck Hincl<ley On