The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-04-01

one wound on each side, and ut eqnal dis
tances from the spine. The smallest bull
ranged upward, perforated the intestines,
and was extracted three inches above the
navel. INhc largest bali is supposed to have
ranged downward, also performing the in
~testines, and could not he found.
A Climate that Makes Ours Tropical.
WINTER IN MAINE-THE GREAT SNOW BLOCK
ADE-DIFFICULTY OF R~AILRoApING-A sERI-
orS LOSS TO THE STATE.
Correspondence IF the Boston journal.
BANGOR, Me-, March DIDO you know
what it means-"thc blockade Z" Have you
tried to imagine its real extent during the
three weeks since it bcSanr 1t means that a
vast mantle of ice and snow--a white pall-
has fallen over q tract Of country five times
as large rs the State of Massachusetts, and
has smothercd nearly all activity beneath it.
1t means that from Bangor to st. John,
from st. John away to the stormy Nova
Scotian coast. from McAdam. up half Il
dozen minor lines. and all over Northeast
crn Maine, the snow and ice have declared
supremacy, and maintain it.. 1t means that
if you start from Bangor TO go to Houlton,
you are six days in accomplishing it, instead
Of half a day. 1t means TINT if you leave
Boston to so to Calais you will be n week on
the road one way, and extraordinarily showed
up coming hack. 1t means losses of Thousands
upon thousands of dollars to the provinces
and to Maine. 1t means an accumulation OF
freight which will remind one of the Erie
canal blockades. 1t means IL wear and tear
of rolling-stock which n years's steady work
would not accomplish. 1t means picking
slender rails free from incrusting ice for one
hundred and eighty miles, and it means
employing nearly a regiment of men night
and day ut from s. to s. per day each.
1t means a /" freshet by and by,
when the great sur opens his fierce
eye full widely upon the snow, and says:
"Bcgone! Go and swell the streams Hurl
the logs down the rivers! Rattle the road
beds into confusion! Sweep down the tau
trees of the forest Discourage international
traffic and tansitp 1t means a prompting
to more careful provision against contin-
gencics in future, the building Of snow
fences and sheds, and the almost military
duty of faithful gai1gs of section men. And
if YOU have not considerable courage and a
!, hamper of provisions with you, you will not
he happy!
AT every station in the FOREST, before which
you obviously arrive, you find the telegraph
bringing messages of Encouragement from
above. "No. - stuck in the drifts at -.
out of wood and water" mo. cannot
: pass YOU at -; must wait for her here"
"AIen froZe their ears and noses, ut - this
morning; what's to be done?" These and
-, kindred perpleXiticS are constantly arising.
, In some eases the passengers have been snow
+ bound Il fortnight when they arrive AT their
r destination. If you get a peep III the trains
coming toward Boston from st. John You
will find them filled with merry proyincials,
l =. l,,,nl, ,t a., rtN,,,l jr..11 fln.l-1 ,-o,nI1.
, out of metal TASKS, and talk pleasantly Of an
= = neXation. There is wood enough to keep
; warm with, and accidents are rare; SO that
q q a days journey is full Of no dcadlier hald-
ships than hunger and an eternal expectation
, of getting somewhere"
=, The weather is glorious, but uLylelding.
The. atmosphere is penetrated with 4 pure
:, cold light, and the crystal vault of heaven
was never more dazzling. But the ice belt
. does not melt. The network Of roads
: through the great forest remains unob-
structed sometimes binding snow-sheet-
, arise and scurry across the plains with such
vchemencc that the whole track is hidden
for miles. But every day a new blow is
struck mt the snow and ice every day
the lifting of the blockade draws nearer.
The pick-axc accomplislleS what the sun
seems unwilling to do. The engines shout
!, der the drifts aside and crunch down the
8 ice. The weary walters ut Adan have
= got home TO st. John, leaving behind them
with no sigh the destinations of the prlmi,
tive hotels Of that Duluth of the East. But
matters to the eastward are still uncer-
. tain, even on the main line. Between FIede'
: rick junction md st. John engines have
= been frozen to the track, sn~ow-plouSls have
= been oiled uD III nameleSs tlagmentS-and
4 may be again. The weather docs not seem
. TO moderate there. Five engines which left
Sllediac in one day We're all useless before
" night. and encountered the road. Parties
were organized for reporting operations from
:. any wrt of the line, and took telegraphic in
= struuncnts with them. Between Moncton
and Shcdiac several days will, it is feared, be
required to clear the track. In the direction
of Halifax the snowfall holds absolute sway
& Communication with Fredericton has hardly
: been established yet. The great sleigh stages.
with their four and six horses, look merry
and Russian enough as they dash away from
u the depots, but when they get into the drifts
< twenty and twenty-five feet high, it isn't sc
funny. There has been some serious suffer.
ing among the adventurous overland ira
vcllers since the blockade began. 7st
), 1t will be interesting to find out what the
y exact losses have been when this unfortunate
blockade terminates. They will be very Sc
rious. especially to individuals but lily able
or prepared to bear them. All the flourish
ing little towns il Northeastern Maine are
! really having a hard trial, so completely
- blocked out are they from effective comma
= ~nication either way. The blockade has al
;, ready prompted half a dozen inventions fol
, clearing away ice and snow, one of which
the work of u Maine man, seems feasible, ant
F will be run at ordinary railroad speed along
the tracks. If work and energy can cleartht
! through line it will soon be cleared com
! pletely, but the side lines must remain GOV
cred until the snow melts.. .
4 - a.-
= c,,,,,>-nc n. Rrrr tn FuROpE VIA THE Mis-