The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-03

Hlnckley in time to escape the danger.
1t was not until the train had come
within mile of Hinckley that the engi-
neer discovered his train was burning
and that it would be impossible to pass.
| The bridge had already been consumed,
together with the mills and homes of
Hinckley.
MET BY FUGITIvEs.
Here the train was met by hundred
or more fugitives from the burning town.
Mothers carried in their arms small
children, with others cinging to their
| mothers skirts. Some carried a few
household goods and others were crving
and moaning on account of losses already
sustained. Many were so nearly
| exhausted that they could scarcely climb
on the train. Nearer and nearer the
hames were approaching, and finally the
engineer was compelled to reverse his
lever and run back leaving behind scores
OF unfortunate ones who had not been
able to reach the train, their only availa-
| bic means of escape.
| Those on board could see many of them
sink TO the ground. exhausted and over
| come by the terrible heat, never again to
! rise. Many came running across the
I nelds from small settlements hoping to
| escape in the train, but only disappoint-
| ment and death awaited them. On rushed
| the train through the fiery hot breath of
! the pursuing flames, for a stop would
! have been fatal to all on board
! AS the weary passengers re
traced their steps Sunday morning
! some afoot and others on hand cars, they
| found along the side of the track and in
the fields the charred remains of these
| poor unfortunate wretches. In four
! miles thirty-four bodies were found,
some burned beyond recognition and
Others unscarred, having died from suffo-
| cation.
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
sit was four or five miles run back to
! Skunk lake, which is a little more than
mudhole, the mud and water covering not
more than an acre. The train had gone
! but short distance before it was sur
! rounded by the devOuring flame. Hot
! blasts of fame struck the coaches. setting
| fire to them in places and break
ing the windows on both sides.
The baggage car was soon a
| mass of flames, which streamed back
over the tender and engine, setting fire to
the engineers clothes and scorching his
face and hands. On either side of the
| engine there was stream of flame, but
! never for an instant did Engineer Root
! finch. To remain was apparently certain
death to MN, but could ne hold out
for four miles the passengers
| might possibly escape To have
deserted his post would have been death
to all on board. Back of him stood his
| trusty fireman, who occasionally poured
| water on him. When the heat became un-
| bearable for the fireman he took dip in
the water tank from which he drew the
supply for the engineers sho wer baths
AT Skunk lake the engineer had scarcely
| strength left TO shut on the steam AS he
pulled the lever he sank TO the floor eX-
hausted, burned and bleeding the broken
glass in the cab having cut him in num-
| ber of places. Quickly two men rushed
to the cab and bore the form of the brave
| engineer TO the water below the embank-
ment. Here he lay all night covered with
| mud and dirty water, and dying as most
| of the passengers believed.
| PANIC STRICKEN PASSENGERS.
A mile or two from the lake the coaches
were burning above and underneath. On
board the passengers became panic
| stricken, and it was only by force that
! many of the weaker ones were prevented
| from springing through broken windows
! or rushing out at the doors. To prevent
! this men guarded the doors. Scarcely a
| soul on board had any hope of escaping,
| not knowing at what moment the burning
| train would jump from its track of fire
| into bed Of hot Goals.
WATER AT LAST.
At Skunk lake sixty or more women.
| children and men found refuge in the
| shallow water and dirty mud, the women
walking out in the water until it reached
| their waists. With their hands they
| bathed their burning faces in mud and
! water. Many Of them were seriously
| burned on the train. Many lay in
| the mud, covering themselves with
| it, and as often as this
/ became baked fresh coat
! had to be added. Many on leaving
| the train rushed off toward marsh and
| others ran further along the track. 1t is
thought that many of those are lost
Some few died of sutfocation within a few
rods of the pond. Many women had their
| clothes partially burned and torn from
their bodies.
ABANDONED AND BURNT.
One mother was found nursing her
sucking child to prevent its being suffo-
Gated. This place was reached some time
near O'Clock in the evening, and when
morning came they ventured on Journey
to Hinckley, some five or six miles dis
tant. The rails had been so badly warped
that nothing but a hand car could
be run over them. Two hand cars
were lashed together, and on these
some of the ST Paul passengers were car
ried to Hinckley. Betweens Skunk lake
and Hinckley twenty nine bodies were
counted and several more were found
near the lake. One man is reported TO
have found ll5 bodies along the old terri
torial road leading into Hinckley. The
train, after having been abandoned, was
completely consumed.
THE DEAD OVER 300
St. Paul, Mimi, Sept. 2, 10 D. ma
special to the Pioneer Press from Pine
City gives the following: Estimates of
the dead-Hinckley, 200; Sandstone, 4G
Sandstone Junction, 25; Pokegama, %
Skunk Lake, % miscellaneous 30. Total,
800. st. Paul was quick TO respond 10 the
needs of the stricken people. Hardly had
the news been read this morn
ing before sympathy was aroused The
Kelly Mercantile Company, the Hackett
Hardware Company, Finley Vanstyck
and others responded in practical way
TO the wall Of distress, and these were
followed by a score Of others. In an in
credibly short space Of time $4,000 worth
of provisions and supplies were raised
Horej Bros performed yeOman service at
their bakery Beginning at noon, their
furnaces we're aglow and their great
ovens filed. This firm at once turned,
out 2, 300 loaves. Five barrels Of pork,
large quantities Of hams and bacon, great
bales Of blankets, quantities of crackers,
canned beef, coffee. sugar, kerosene, lamp
wicks, ten large sacks Of beans and other
supplies were speedily hauled TO the de-
pot 20 be carried out In special trains TO
the stricken people. Gen. Wesley Mer-