Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1894-09-08
NERVE OF TRAIN MEN
Engineer Root. Surrounded by
Fire, Stands at the Throttle.
GRAPHIC STORIES OF THE FIRE
Aid for the Stricken People Called for
st. Paul and Other Cities Respond
Promptly and Literally.

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. From
the stories of passengers Oh the linn
ited train. which was burned near
HlnckIey, the entire train crew de-
serves to be placed on the roll of honor
for personal heroism. Engineer James
Root OF White Bear heads the list. He
was badly burned and almost blinded
and fell from his seat Unconscious
Immediately OH getting out of the fire.
When about two miles north of Hinck-
ley, Il 'ot first discovered that the fires,
which had been raging on both sides
OF the track, We're racing him for his
life and the lives cf his passengers.
Cinders were flying i'll every direction
and the smoke was so dense tt at it was
we'll nigh impossible to see beyond the
car windows. even with the aid of
powerful headlight.
Flames Outrun the Train.
He thought to outrun the flames,
which were coming after and bearing
down upon him at 60 mile gait
When about mile and a half from
Hluckley, he discovered that the nre
Was too fast for him. 1t overlook the |
train and overleaped it so that it was
literally surrounded with flames. The /
air was sitting, and the clothes of
10th the engineer and the fireman
caught fire. Fireman MCGOWAN
leaped into the water-tank, and, seiz.
ing bucket, dashed water several
times over the burning engineer. Root
steadily kept at his post, although
scarcely able to sit upright.
Leaped Into He'll of Flame.
LIN the meantime the passengers
could see nothing, but heard the roar
OF the incoming tornado of flame
and soon the glare outside
was toe much for the reason
of number of them. The rear car
caught fire, and as the flames overlook
1t the passengers rushed headlong into
tue forward cars. The shrieks of
women and children, as we'll as the S
terrified shouts of the men, increased, f
aud terrible feelings were aroused Dyy q
The urroar of the flames on every
hand. Several of the male pas-
'eng,rs, tco terrified for further
self control, leaped headlong through I
be broken windows and were swal-
owed up in the flames outside. 9th
'rs, seeing this act, quickly followed,
md altogether in the next 10 minutes =
! dozen men leaped to their death in '
he flames in a like manner. The |.
women, whose terror had been uitilu! :,
or few minutes before, now came /.
leroically TO the help of the trainmen !.
II endeavoring to soothe the affrighted : :
:
Escaped to Skunk Lake. -
Engineer Root saw that there was no n
u(let, apparently, for his train ahead, d
nd concluded to turn back through I
he distance already burned over Il
ather than encounter possibly greater =, y
erils for them. He backed at top :
peed to Skunk lake, five miles from
1inckley. The passengers deserted
he train there an d took refuge in the .
wamr, where they spent the night.
his morning relief train from the
orth brought them to this city. The ta
elief train carried a supply Of hand OF
ars. which were used in picking up 10
he bodies of the dead along the track. al
Engineer Root lies at his home at 81
bite Bear too badly injured to he in al
srviewed. He was badly cut by brok-
u glass, but his worst injuries were
ON inhaling hot air and smoke. w