Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-09-07
n Burning Train.

Rushing Through the Forests of Fire
---Saved by the Bravery of the Engi-
neer.
One of the most thrilling events was the
experience of the "limted' train passen-
gers who left Duluth at 2 r. NJ. Saturday
for st. Paul. The train was crowded
with passengers. 1t got within a mile of
Hinckley and then had to 90 back. Dr.
w. Ii. Crazy of Duluth, who was on board,
tells the following story: 1.-The woods on
either side were dashed by fierce wind
blowing so miles an hour. The situation
was growing more alarming at every mile
As the train neared Hinckley it was dis
covered that the fire had reached the rail
road, but on it sped, the engineer hoping
to pass Hinckley in time to escape the dan
ger. 1t was not until the train had come
within mile of Hinckley that the engineer
discovered his train was burning and that
it would be impossible to pass.
1.-The bridge had already been consumed,
together with the mills and homes of
Hnckley. Here the train was met by 100
or more fueitives from the burning town.
Mothers carried in their arms small chill
dren, Others hanging to the mothers skirts.
Some carried a few household goods and
Others were crying and moaning on ac-
count of losses already sustained. Many
were so nearly exhausted that they could
scarcely climb on the train. Nearer and
nearer the flames approached, until finally
the engineer was compelled to reverse his
lever and run back, leaving behind scores
of unfortunates who had not been able to
reach the train.
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 fields
from small settlements, hoping to escape
on the train, but only disappointment and
death awaited them. As the weary pas
sengers retraced their steps Sunday, some
afoot and others on hand-cars, they found
along the side of the track and in the fields
the charred bodies of those poor wretches
In four miles some "a bodies were thus
found, some burned beyond recognition
and others unscarred, having died from
suffocaton.
at was four or five mile run back to
Skunk lake, which is little more than a
mud-hole The train had gone but short
distance before it was surrounded by the
| flames. Hot blasts of flames struck the
coaches, setting them on fire in places and
breaking the windows on both sides. The
baggage car was soon mass of flames,
which streamed back over the tender and
the engine, setting fire to the engineer S
clothes and scorching his face and hands.
On either side of the engine there was a
stream of flame, but Engineer Root did not
finch. To remain was apparently certain
death to him, but could he 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 fireman, who oc-
casionally poured water on him. AT
Skunk lake the engineer had scarcely
strength to shut off the steam. AS he
pulled the lever he sank to the floor of the
cab exhausted, burned and bleeding, the
broken glass in the cab having cut him in
a number of places. Quickly two men
bore the engineer to the water below the
embankment. Here he lay all night, GOV
cred with mud and dirty water.
"a mile or two from the lake the coaches
were burning above and underneath. The
passengers became panic stricken, and il
was only by force that many of the weak
er ones were prevented from springinG