The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-10-29
TALE Of HORROR
FROM MICHIGAN
Fifteen People Lose Their Lives as
Result of Forest Fires Which
Sweep Over Country.
Relief Train Loaded With People
Driven From Their Homes Is
Wrecked and Women and Chill
dren Fall Victims to
Flames.

Alpena, Mich-Fifteen people lost
their lives in the burning of the De-
troit & Mackinac railway relief train,
which was carrying the inhabitants
of the little village of Metz, twenty
three miles north of here, to safety
from the forest fires, which were
sweeping away their homes. The ill
fated train was ditched by spreading
rails at Nowicki siding, few miles
south of Metz, and the terrified refu-
gees were forced to abandon the cars
and rush for safety either down the
track with burning forests on either
side, or into the ploughed fields near
the siding. Eleven of the victims were
women and children who were unable
It. escape quickly enough from the
gondola car which they were occupy
ing.
Their charred bodies were found
there Friday when rescuers reached
the scene Two of the men victims
were members of the train crew. Four
additional fatalities occurred in the
reighborhood of the wreck Friday
night, MIR. and Mrs. Fred Wager died
from heat and exposure on their farm
near the scene of the wreck and Mr..
and Mrs. Nowicki, Jr., lost their lives
III their burning house near the sid
ing where the wreck occurred.
When the forest fires closed III
about the little village a special train
of three empty box cars and two coal
gondolas was rushed 10 Metz in
charge of John L. Kinville, conductor.
William Foster engineer Arthur Lee,
fireman, and William Bartlett, brake
man.
AS rapidly as possible the people
and their goods We're loaded into the
cars Some refused to abandon their
goods or the train might have left
earlier and reached Alpena in safety
When the train finally started there
were about 100 frightened people
aboard The flames were already
sweeping through the village. Engi
heer Foster started his train for AL
pena. Nearing Nowicki crossing he
saw blazing piles of cedar ties on both
sides of the track. Opening wide the
/ throttle he tried to dash through at
full speed. but the heat had loosened
ihe rails and they had spread and the
rain left the track Blazing piles OF
lies surrounded it and in an instant
he cars caught fire. The terror
stricken people caught by the peril
rom which they were fleeing, jumped
! from the cars and rushed down the
rack Three mothers and their little
cnes were not quick enough They
we're crowded in the gondola car.
| where they were caught. Brakeman
/ William Bartlett sprang into the
water tank behind the engine. only tc
/ he literally boiled to death as the
| flames swept over it. Engineer Eos
| ter and Conductor Kinvile fed down
| the track through the fire and smoke
| and were the first to reach the village
| Of Pozen and report the wreck and
esk for assistance from here. Behind
/ them staggered burned and wound
/ ed procession Of refugees from the
wrecked train. Ii was a fearful march
over the bot ties. with the flames
| from the burning woods on either side
/ OF the track roaring and swapping in
their faces. Engineer Foster was ter
| ribly burned about the head and face
but II is thought that he will recover
] Conductor Kinville was badly scorch.
ed, James White was totally blinded
| by burns.