The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-02-09
rhe Pacific Railroads in Winter

The experience OF this season has
'howm cOnclnsivcly that il regular time
Is to be made on the northern tran scon-
inental railroads in winter. snow sheds
of great strength must be built, and
kept constantly in repair. Since the
2oih Of December the service has been
Extremely irregular. Three hundred and
fifty passengers came into Chicago ON
the morning Of January 8. who had been
nearly three weeks on the road from
San Francisco. Most Of the delay oc-
Cured between Percy and Cheyenne
The distance between these points i, only
one hundred and fifty miles, but almost
two weeks was taken in travelling ii. II
appears that the heavy snOwstorm Which
began about December 20 was tho occa-
sion Of this remarkable delay. the drifts
having packed 50 heavily in tl,e cuts and
gullies along the route as to make pas.
sage impossible. The average depth Of
the snow, did not. we are told. exceed
twelve inches. 1t was. however, cx.
tremely fine, light. and dry. aud easil! !
blown from place 10 place. THE fall Oi
snow was succeeded by treinendou.
gales which swept the plains in every
direction. Hence the ravincs and exca.
vations along the line of the railroad
naturally became choked up. The en-
gincs could make no impression Oh this
frail yet potent obstacle. Even the snow.
plows. OF which there seems 10 have
been an sufficient number, were only
partly successful. They often ran of
the track. and even when they did their
work. and train gOt by. in very short
time the rails would be again inpassa-
bic. Between Ogden and Cheyenne il
is stated that two thousand laborers
many Of them Chinese, have been kept
steadily at work to clear the track: yei
with snow-p!ows. spades and all, the de-
tention has exceeded by Il fortnight the
regulation time.
Some of the experiences Of the showed
up passengers were novel, rather than
agreeable. Happily, in no instance did
coal. OF wood and water give out: o!
these there was always abundance. Bu'
a> regards food. matters were different
No one actually starved TO death. but
many must lave been ,incomforiablS
near il. II j. hard to make i've days
supply ok. ont 10 twenty. and this. Will
most of the passengers. WAS just III,
problem that lad to he solved. Oi
course. there arc the "-cction eating.
house," the Mugby-.J r,slaur-
a,iis of our great plains: hut in these. Al
the lc.i OF tmcs the fare is Of doubtful
excellence. aud, their regular supple.
hciny cut o." nv the Storm. what wa.
bad ia quality. became alnios, moth
in- in quantity. One train was furn-
i,lel by the Railroad Company viii
the curious proven,lcr Of "halibut and
crackers" on which MANY people fof
da,s smb-isie,i. B,ack coffee and bread
were sometimes Ia he hal. aud few
lucky soul, had elk aud antelope sieaks
fried in pork lat. Occasionally an en-
ierprising wayfarer would get square
meal" by gaining the favor Of q telc.
graph operator. on some other potent
official along the road. Some uniortu-
mates who, either from motives of econ
omy. or because they could not be 9th
erwi,e served. had no bcrhs in the sleep
ing-cars, had TO pass all the nights fol
three weeks in day cars. The discoml-
fort of this. added 10 the deprivation of
food. may be easily imagined. Yet there
seems TO have been little sickness and
much hiarity. Whist parties were got
ul,. aud the time was enlivcned BY song
and STORYTELLING. The festivities reach
ed their climax AT Percy here two balls
were held in the back part OF u grocery
store. The music was furnished by ~
guitar, a mouth har,nonicon and a fine
tooth comb:" and, on the authority Of !,
Chicago journal, we are glad TO know
that the pleasure was exquisite. and
that the programme" which consisted
of round and fancy dances, was proiract-
ed until late hour.
Happily, all got through in safety.
No one was starved, or frozen, or scalp
time. for the adventure. The Railway
Company should take care, however.
that after this season such adventures
do not happen again. Mere sheds, with
open sides. afford liulc protection
against drifting. and it j. clear that these
structures. in exposed places. should be
provided with walls as well as ROOFS. II
will bc costly work. NJ doubt. 10 make
such provision: but after aii. Tie line oi
track likely TO be- snow-bound is com
parativcly short. aud II ceitainly ni,ls'
prove more expensive tn the tonpaB,
10 have their trains detained. rs the,
have been this winter. than 10 pay to,
what will insure their running "oi
time"
-t---- ~---sss--
az A mathematical conunlrum Ii 1
poor lone youth, with a waXcd cnd I,
his mustachc. should write u Young lad,
in thi, city to meet him by muonIgin
done. end the young lady'> moil,ri
should come in on 4 tam,.ent and ,nn vi,
roi,i nniil tLr illanr ur liz r.,ii III