Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-09-03

ST. PAUL, MINI, September 2.-Six
towns wiped out and more than 500
dead is the record made by the forest
fires In this State in the last twenty
four hours In HinckleY, Sandstone,
PokeRsma. Junction, Skunk Lake and
Mission Creek there are $50 known
dead. In addition several hundred are
Gissing, while from $50 to 200
people were scattered on farms
throughout the district burned over.
The destruction was complete in most
of the towns named, but some Of the
forest lands escaped. The loss, how
ever, will be in the millions, and the
loss Of life will not be definitely known
for several days, il ever. The relief
trains brought supplies sent out from
this city. Minneapolis Duluth and
other Minnesota towns, and the suffer
ers are being handsomely cared for at
Pine City and other points.
r Minnesota has never known a calamity
! attended by such loss Of life as that
brought by Ere which wiped out Hinck-
ley, Mission Creek, Sandstone, Sand
stone Junction, PokeEama and the
other settlements in that Vicinity.
A conservative estimate places the
loss OF life at not less than $50, while
many others have sustained serious in
juries and unknown others are among
the missing. To this horror OF death
in its wast borrihle form must be added
toe utter desolation and estitutiOn
that has come upon thousands OF others
whose all has been swept away in the
face OF impending winter. There is a
peculiar horror about the fatality in
the admitted impossjOility Of ident flea
tion OF a very large proportion Of the
dead.
The walls OF the school house, the
iron fence about the town hall property,
the bank vault and one absolutely un-
injured clubhouse is all that is left 10
mark the site OF Hinckley, where yes
terdaY stood a score of store buildings,
aud a dozen times as many dwelling
houses.
The story OF the catastrophe which
wiped out the material possessions that
had made Hinckiey, q busy, prosper
Gus little city. is a short one. The
town was built of wood. The school
house erected last year az a cost OF
SRI. 600, aud one-half the Duluth round
h-Hn
tpres 10 the city. But By one OF those
peculiar freaks for which there Is no
accounting, the Eastern Minnesota
roundhOuse and water tank 90 the
south western edge Of the town almost
IN the woods, escaped the flames, a cir
cumstance the more remarkable from
the fact that 10 stood directly 10 the
path Of the flames, which seem 10 have
Jumped il as cleanly
AS IF PLAYING LEAP FROG.
All yesterday afternoon the towns
people were apDrehensive. The smoke
rolling up from the south told a story
unmistakably plain 10 those accustomed
TO q wooded country. The fire kept
advancing, famed by the wind, which
was blowing a gale. About IL O'CLOCK K
Nlo ufo Com p4uN kut uut tucll cukiud
and laid an eighteen hundred foot line
Of hose close TO the southern outskirts OF
the town. The hose was all short for
the measure Of protection desired and a
telegram was sent TO Rush City for
more. Five hundred feet were sent,
but 10 never reached HincKley.
The main part Of the village lies in
the north fork made 0y the crossing OF
the Duluth Il Eastern tracks, the lat
ter to the east and the former TO
the west. On tina west side OF
the Duluth tracks were few
small houses belonging TO the railway
employees. The tiremen'S attention was
mainly directed 70 Keeping the fire
away from them, as the main business
part Of the city was built in solidly just
across the track.
About o'clock in the afternoon the
FIRE literally jumped iRto the town. It's
approach was not gradual lt did not
eat It's way along,
DEVOURlNG EVERYTHING
in It's path, but camefhe o''e leaps as
if to oversake everyt2 2this Week' 5uey
il. and then burned 70 10 crowded Z