The
summer of 1894 had been very dry. Throughout that year small fires
were a frequent occurrence, and residents of Northern Minnesota had become
used to a little smoke and ash in the air. But no one was prepared
for the events of Saturday, September 1st. On that day, a great fire
ragged across Northern Minnesota. It would eventually claim 418 lives
as it destroyed the town of Hinckley and 350,000 acres of surrounding forest
(M1). But amidst
this horror, several heroes emerged. Foremost among these was James
Root, a train engineer, from Stillwater. His battle with the blazing
north woods, as he piloted his passenger train to safety, has become a
legendary tale of courage...
Inferno
Desperate Flight
Out
of the Frying Pan
Into the Fire
The Battle
for Survival
Salvation
at Skunk Lake
Aftermath
Others fled, but the flames pursued...
One
mile north of town; over 150 men, women, and children were desperately
trying to stay ahead of the flames. They fled along the railroad
tracks, but no salvation was in sight. The impotent afternoon sun
was obscured by smoke and ash. Only the eerie yellowish light from
the blazing countryside lit their way. Burned and asphyxiated bodies
lay along the tracks. In a mortal panic, they stumbled northward
through the unnatural twilight.
There efforts seemed futile...
Suddenly
a light pierced the darkness in front of them. It was the head lampof
a passenger train. At the throttle was James Root, engineer of the
southbound Limited No. 4 out of Duluth. Onboard were 135 people in
five passenger cars. Root ground the train to a halt upon witnessing
the horror in front of him. The fleeing citizens of Hinckley quickly
boarded the train, aided by the other passengers.
They were momentarily safe, but the flames were still closing in...
Their train would have to back
through the blazing North Woods to reach safety...
James
Root battled ferociously to bring the train to safety. "Fire everywhere,
his hands were blistered by the heat as he still held the lever, his clothes
were burning as were also those of his fireman, Jack McGowan. Jack
leaped into the manhole of the water tank and put out the fire in his own
clothes, then grasping a pail, completely [doused] Jim with the contents
of the tank; still on they flew. Jim holding the lever and Jack dashing
water over him and helping him on. The glass in the cab window at
Jim's side burst with the heat and a piece of it struck him in the neck
and cut a horrible gash close to the jugular vein, and it bled profusely.
Weakened by the loss of blood, the heat and smoke which he was obliged
to endure, and feeling the terrible responsibility of saving so many human
beings, twice was Jim overcome and fell from his seat to the cab floor
and twice was he bolstered up by the faithful Jack." (B1,
p.47) At long last, Root saw the waters of Skunk Lake through
the smoke and ash. He ground the train to a stop, and told McGowan
"...go help the passengers into the water." (S1,p.54)
They had reached the safety of open water...
The
frenzied passengers piled off the blazing train, and ran for the safety
of Skunk
Lake. A barbed wire fence lay in their way, but "with bare hands,
men ripped wire from posts. Then almost three hundred persons plunged
into the slimy water... Root was too far gone to make it by himself.
McGowan and two other men pulled Root's hands from the throttle, gasping
as they found that all the skin had stayed on the iron. His eyebrows
were burned off. Most of his hair was gone. His entire face
was a mass of livid blisters." (G1,
p.36)
They dragged Root to the shore. The fire still raging all around. But shallow waters provided sanctuary from the flames. "One survivor counted three waves of fire, each accompanied by tremendous heat and showers of sparks and cinders. Each wave was carried on a roaring blast of wind, and people screamed as burning torches struck them. If such a wave had hit as they left the train, none could have survived its onslaught. After the third wave of fire had passed and the wind had abated, a strange phenomenon occurred- a shower of black 'snowflakes' [drifted] down, almost beautiful in the tragic setting." (S1, p.55) At last the flames subsided. Relief swept through the passengers, as they realized that they would live.
The Great Hinckley Fire of 1894 had finally subsided...
Almost 300 people owed their lives to the heroic efforts of James Root...
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Copyright 2000, Wayne Pafko