The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-10-21
DIED IN FIRE
Forest Fires Cause Awful Dis
astsr in Michigan.
SICKENlNG SCENES

SICKENING SCENES
Relief Train Carrying Terrified In
hsbitants Of Little Village At
tennis to Run Gauntlet Of Flames
Only to be DitcheG Fifteen People
Losing Their Lives
A dispatch from Alfeoa, Mich ,
says fifteen people lost their lives
Thursday night IN the burning OF
the Detroit and Mackinac Railway
relief train, which was carrying the
Inhabitants of the little village Of
Metz, % miles north Of here, to SAT-
ETY. from the forest fres which weT
sweeping sway their homes.
The Inflated train was d!tched BY
spreading rail at Nowtckl siding,
south Of Metz, and the terrified ref
ugees 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 to
escape quickly enough from Condo
Ia car. Their charred bodies wer"
found there Friday when rescuers
reached the scene. Two Of the mel
victims were memb bers Of the tram
crew.
Fou. additional fatilities occurred
in the neighborhood Thursday night.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Wagner died from
heat and exhaustion on their farm
near the scene, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Fred Nowicki, lost their lives IN
their burning house near the siding.
When the forest fres closed n
Thursday about the little village
special train Of three empty box
cars and two coal gondolas vas rush
ed to Metz, and as rapidly as pos
sibie people and their goods were
loaded into the cars. Some refus-
ed t, abandon their goods. or the
train might have left earlier. When
the train finally started there were
about 100 frightened people aboard.
The flames were already sweeping
through the village. Nearing Now
icki crossing Engineer Foster saw
blazing piles Of cedar ties on ootn
sides Of the track Opening the
throttle he tried to dash through
at full speed, but the heat had caused
the rails to spread and the train
left the track Blazing piles OF ties
SURROUNDED it and in an instant
the cars caught fire The terror
stricken people jumped from the cars
are rushed down the track. Three
mothers and their little ones were
not quick enough. They were ere
mated in the car.
Brakeman Barrett sprang into the
water tank behind the engine, only
to be literally boiled to death as
the flames swept over it. Engin-
eer Foster and Conductor kinvlGle
fed down the track through the hrS
and smoke, and were the hrst 70
reach the village Of Posen and re-
Dort the wreck and ask for assts-
lance. Behind them staggered
burned and wounded procession Of
refugees.
It was a fearful march over the
hot ties with the flames and burning
woods on either side Of the track
roaring and swapping IN their faces.
Engineer Foster was terribly burned
about the head and face, but 1t Is
Thought that he will survive. Many
Of the refugees are suffering palnful
burns.
The survivors Of the frightful ex-
cerience seemed dazed by their peril
and suserings and were unable TO
give an- coherent statement as 70
whether anybody was left behind IN
metz. It will probably be q week
or more before 1t is known deSnlteIE
how many people perished in the
village Of Metz.
When the relief train left Metz
It carried all the Inhabitants OF the
village except George Cicero, the sta
tion agent, who stayed to handle
the railroad wire and escaped
through ploughed fields only to ind
his wife and three children ere
mated in the wreck Of the reilel
train. A fourth child, boy, about
II wears old, had jumped from the
burning car and escaped with oue
slight injuries.
Every report received Friday nlgn'
from the fre-swept country to the
north Of this city Increases the exrens
and gravity Of the ere situation, and
the death list which started Friday
with the cremating Of fifteen peop'e
in the Metz relief train. IS steaclls
growing. Presque Isle and Cheoo:-
ean counties are all flames. and the
Is miles between this city and Che
bovgan IS reported TO be almost =
solid mass Of fire. Alpena County y
ablaze in every direction. Reports
Of fatilities are coming from man!
places. From Metz Township F-ida;
night the cremation was reported o
Henry Kemps. his wife and two cni"
dren IN their farm house.
Bolton, South Rogers and Metz ac'
amons the destroyed villages. Ii
Rououe is threatened tonight on'
the church is left at the village Q
cathro. and it is crowded with rel
ugees.
A strip twenty miles wide from
rnbberd Lake to the Au Sable River
in Alcona County. is turning. MOT
,hap fftv farmers are reported 10
b,ro been swept Oy the IRE