, 1872-11-27
THE WESTERN BLOCKADE.


Return Of the Relief TrAin-lncidents
OF the Great Storm-A Terrible Time
with the snow Drifts.
From. the Htnona {atinn,) Republican, Nop. o..
Superintendent Stewart arrived in this city
about o'clock, on Friday evening, with the re-
lief train, which had been sent to raise the snow
blockade at the western end Of the Winona d St.
Peter Railroad.
The Superintendent describes the storm and
the fight with the SNOW drifts as one of the most
terrible experiences that he has ever heard of
in the history Of railroading in this: country.
The wind blew perfect gale, and drifted the
that at times it was absolutely impossible for
the men to sec each other when ouly two feet
apart.
After making two or three sallies out from
New Ulm On Friday and Saturday of last week,
Mr. Stewart concluded to lay in for regular
through to the relief of the engines and the men.
Accordingly q large supply OF provisions wasIaid
in at New Ulm. Fifteen hundred dollars worth
of beef, pork, flour, and other eatables were laid
five cooks were engaged to run the kitchen, and
they were kept busy, day and night, baking
bread, and preparing provisions for the army Of
shovelers and railroad men on the relief train.
Conductor Palmatier was appointed Quartermas-
everybody was fed.
Everything being in readiness the relief train
started on its er1and OF mercy for western drifts
headed by the formidable snow-plow. They
made good progress until they struck one heavy
cut, twenty three hundred feet in length, on
Tuesday. The shovalers were almost exhausted
with the ti1esome work. Night and day they
had kept it up, and they were well nigh dlscour-
aged, and would have abandoned the work had
not the. Superintendent implored them to keep
working for the sake Of the men at the western
end. "We must get help to those men, he said,
ssWeu, d-n it.' said one of the shoYelers,
striking his shovel into tho drift, ''if
they want us to help 'em why don't
fofe toe 6aea 0qEa Nth aa sba hs ps ~e f @ the
almost as fast as it WAS shovel1ed out. At length
through the bowling of the storm came the
shriH whistle of q locomotive from the other side
Of the drift, announcing that John Gallagher
The whistle inspired the men to fresh efforts,
and before many hours the immense drift
yielded to the combined forces, and the two par
ties shook hands heartily across the snowy
chasm.
ARRIVAL At MARSHALL.
On Wednesday the relief train got into Mar
shall. more joyous set Of people could not be
imagined than the distressed families of the
track-layers and graders as they rushed
to welcome the train. All were anxious
to- ana th5 8eensd p around inc supsrn
tendent Stewart, begging that they might be- al-
lowed even the cold privilege Of throwing the
iron of the fat cars and riding in on them, but
this cold ride was not to be thought Of. Mr.
Stewart assured them that he would take all that
wanted to 60, and preparations we're at once
started for the home trip.
APPEARANCE OF MARSHALL.
The condition OF affairs at Marshall when the
train arrived there was one that will not soon be
forgotten by those who looked upon tile frontier
town. The gale had leyelled tho new building
nearly enclosed for q church and school house.
and had also blown down large warehouse
which had but recently been put up, and vas not
The graders and tracklayers came Aocking in
from the west as though they were perfectly
eha1l thev n1tched their Ett1v tents to the lee
wnrd Of hnnsos: barns, OF wherever foot Of
srould could be found sheltered from tie pierc-
ing wind.
OF cou1se sucn an a7alaoche Of people wes