The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-17
HORROR IN THE
PINE FORESTS
OF MICHIGAN
Relief Train Carrying lnhab-
itantS of Blazing Village of
Metz Wrecked.
FIFTEEN LIVES LOST
IN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
MOST OF THE VICTIMS WOMEN
AND CHlLDREN-FARM
AND FAMIL BURNED.

Alpena, Mich, Oct. 16.-Fifteen people
lost their lives last night in the burning
of the Detroit & Mackinac railway relief
train,-Which was carrying the inhabitants
of the little village of Metz, twentythree
miles north of here, to safety from the
forest fires, which were sweeping away
their homes The Inflated train was
ditched by spreading rails at Nowick
siding. a few miles south of Metz, and
the terrified refugees were forced TO
abandon the cars and rush for safety
either down the track with burning for
estS on either side, or into the ploughed
fields near the siding. Eleven of the VIC
tins were women and children who We're
unable to escape quickly enough from the
gondola car which they were occupying.
charred Bodies Found.
Their charred bodies were found there
today when rescuers reached the scene.
Two OF the men victims were members
of the train crew Four additional fatali-
ties occurred in the neighborhood OF the
wreck last night. Mr.. and Mrs. Fred
Wager died from heat and exposure on
their farm near the scene of the wreck
and Mr.. and Mrs. Fred NowiclIi. jr.. lost
their lives in their burning house near
lowing is the list of the dead in the
wreck i
The Dead.
William Bartlett. Alpena. brakeman.
Arthur Lee Alpena. fireman.
John KOnieczky.
Mrs. John KonieSzny.
John Konieczny, jr., aged ?.
Joseph KOniecZny. aged 3.
Helen konieczny, aged I months
Mrs. George Cicero.
Margaret Cicero. aged ?.
George Cicero. aged 3.
A third Cicero child. aged S.
Mrs. Ernma Hardies.
Pauline Hardies. aged 9.
Mary Hardies, aged g.
Minnie Hardies aged months.
Relief Train Rushed to Scene.
When the forest fires closed in yester-
day about the little village a special train
of three empty box cars and two coal
gOndOlas, was rushed to Metz in charge
of John f. Kinville. conductor. William
FOste. engineer. Arthur Lee, fireman.
and William Baftlett. brakeman.
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 have
reached Alpena in safety. When the train
finally started there were about leo
frightened people aboard. The flames were
already sweeping through the village. En-
gineer 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 10 dash through at full speed,
but the heat had loosened the rails and
they had spread and the train left the
track. Blazing piles of ties surrounded
it and in an instant the cars caught fire.
Frantic Attempt to Escape.
The terror-stricken people caught by the
peril from which they were fleeing.
jumped from the cars and rushed down
the track. Three mothers and their little
ones were not quick enough. They were
crowded in the gondola car. where they
were caught Brakeman William Bartlett
sprang into the water tank behind the
engine only to be literally boiled to death
as the flames swept over it, Engineer
Foster and Conductor kinVille fled down
the track through the fire and smoke
and were the first to reach the village of
POsen and report the wreck and ask for
assistance frog here. Behind them stray
gled a burned and wounded procession of
refugees from the wrecked train. 1t was
a fearful march over the hot ties with
the flames from the burning woods
on either side of the track roar
ing and swapping in their faces.
burned about the head and face but it is
thought that he will recover. Conductor
kinville was badly scorched. James
White was totally blinded by burns. John
bert Hardies and her young son. were
also seriously burned.
Survivors Dazed.
Many more of the refugees are suffer-
ing from painful burns. The survivors of
the frightful experience seemed dazed by
their peril and suffering. They seemed to
realize nothing except the necessity for
running to escape the intense heat and
menacing flames 1t was difficult TO get
any coherent statement from them as TO
loss of life in the-wreck or as to whether
there had been any people left behind in
Metz.
R S Richards. Bay City travelling
salesman, when he arrived at Posen said: I
As the train left the track the heart
rending cries of women and children
sent chill over my body. I did not wait
10 see the outcome. as l knew it would be
of no avail and every minute was pre-
cious- George Boston. also of Bay City
myself and another man started together
We walked down the track toward Posen /
In some places the flames forced us to
run. and Mr.. Boston was burned about
the face before We reached safety Sew
eral other men left the scene about the
same time we did, but when 1 reached
ConfInued On Pare