The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-10-16
TRAIN LOAD Of
FIRE REFUGEES
MAY Be BURNED
Train Derailed Because Of
Burned Ties in Getting
Away From Fire
ENGINEER AND F|REnEn
TOOK REFUGE N WATER Tank
Wires Are Down in Fire Swept Ter.
ritory and Details Arc Lsckfng
While Later Reports Indicate That
No Lives We're Lost !.

Alpena, Mich, Oct. 16.-Accorline
to reports coming into Alpena today
from the north, there has been q
heavy loss of life in the forest fires
which yesterday and last night swept
over Presque Isle county. Tho most
serious reports are to the effect that
the relief train which went to the vii.
lage Of Metz last night from Hawks
has been burned with a number Of
refugees. It is impossible as yet to
secure either confirmation or denial
Of this report. The wires to the north
are all down as the result of the
fires, and 1t is impossible to reach
Nowich station. near where the train
Is reported to have left the rails and
to have been destroyed. The reports
received here say that after the re-
lief train had been loaded with peo-
pie and goods at Metz 1t started north,
but was unable to get further than
Hawks. Then the train was headed
south for Alpenx. The report says
that at Nowicki station, t.ae.fre had
burned through. number 81 railroad
ties weakening the track and that tho
rails spread, derailing the relief
train which was then destroyed by
fire. 1t is not yet positively known
what became of the people reported to
be On the train, but the reports which
have filtered in here say that they are
believed to have been burned to death.
Engineer Forter and Fireman Lee
took refuge in the water tank where
they stayed until the water became
SO hot that they had to leave the tank
and run for their lives. They are re-
ported badly but not seriously burned.
There are rumors, also vague and
unsatisfactory. that others escaped
with the two trainmen, but up to noon
they can neither be confirmed nor
denied. The forest fires above Al
pena suddenly become threatening
again yesterday after it was thought
that the heavy rains early in the
month had extinguished them. They
spread rapidly and were soon menac-
ing number of the towns along the
line Of the Detroit and Mackinaw rail-
road. The little village of Metz with
about 100 inhabitants was one Of
them. Its situation became actually
dangerous last night. It is not
known whether any of the farmers
from the outlying points had come in
to Metz seeking refuge from the
flames. If this is the case there may
have been more people on the train
than the inhabitants of the little VII
lage could have furnished.
Later reports are that there were
no people on the train which was de-
stroyed. A train left here early this
morning for the north carrying ply
sicians.
Fifteen Skeletons Found.
Detroit, Mich, Oct. 16.-The dis
patcher Of the Detroit and Mackinaw
railroad at East Tawas stated over
the long distance telephone to the AS
sociated Press that he does not know
how great was the loss Of life in the
burning of the Metz relief train. .He
has been and Is making every effort
to get into communication with some
Office near the scene Of the fire. Re-
ports. he says, have come to his Of
flee in various ways of the heavy loss
OF life, but he knows absolutely moth
ing that is authentic.
A dispatch to the Journal from MIL
lersburg. about twenty miles north Of
Metz, states that seventeen people
were burned to death with the Metz
relief train and that fifteen skeletons
have been found in the burned wreck
of the gondola car. which made up
part Of the relief train. The dispatch
says that the train ran into burned
out culvert which was the cause Of
its derailment.
Among those who perished are Mrs.
Cicero and her three children. En-
gineer John Kinville of Alpena and
another member of the train crew
escaped with their lives, but terribly,
burned by creeping along the track.
on their hands and knees to Posen.
1t is reported from there that Kin
Vile is blind from his burns and wfil
die. The other man will live.
Another Version.
Bay City, Mich, Oct. 16.-AccordinR
to the meagre information available
49,. . - - -,