Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1872-02-16
The Pncidc RaIIrOad---History Of its storm
Troubles.

The Pncidc RaIlrORd---HistOry Of its Storm
Troubles.
The following is the statement made by the
management of the Union Pacific Railroad, con
corning the various snow blockades on the line
during the winter:
The first blockade on the Union Pacific Rail,
road during the present season occurrec October
18th, near Rawlins. Since that time with brief
intervals there has been succession of snow
and windstorma of great violence. The greatest
depth of falling snow on the line of the road
across the mountains is fifty-four inches. But
the detention of trains has been caused by drift
ing and not by falling snow. The Company then
detail the precautions they took to guard against
snow-storms in past years, and say that after
the first blockade this winter the three succeed
ing snow storms came from precisely the oppo-
site direction, and against those snow storms
the fences and precautions afforded no protee-
ton whatever. An effort was then made to erect
fences on the opposite side of the road. in the
shortest possible time. Workmen were employ
ed night and day in the construction of fences at
Omaha. When made in sufficient quantities,
special trains, loaded with new fence, were sent
to the proper localities for erection.
In November the second serious blockade oc-
CURED, the fences having been found insuflici-
ent to arrest the drifting snow. An effort was
then made to open the road and keep it open by
the use Of snow-plows Of which the Company
had thirteen that had proved to be efficient du-
W
gons coupled behind each plow, and al the re-
suit of this attempt twenty locomotives were
disabled within one week by being thrown from
the track and materially injured Seven snow
trains were fitted out with accommodations on
each for sleeping and feeding seventy-ive labor
eTB, and with two weeks supplies of provisions
this force was set at work, in addition to the
ordinary number Of employees; and in this way
trains have been sent over the road. Ranchmen
resident here for the last twenty-five years say
that the present Winter has been the most Sc
we're in twenty-five years. 1t is thought that the
road can, during the next season, be prepared
to pass trains promptly during any future Win
ter Of even greater severity than the present.
One difficulty has been that the road passes
through region destitute of supplies and labor,
and the men in numerous cases had frozen limbs
and were disabled. Until the weather shall
change and these storms cease it is our eXpeeta-
ton to run trains over the road by preceding
them by snow train, and also, with train Of
provisions and coal sufficient for thirteen days
supply. By this means we expect to get trains
through in from ten to fifteen days, depending
of COURSE on the frequency and violetco of the
storms. No trains will be sent out without this
supply, and although passengers will necessarily
experience the annoyance of detention, it is in-
tended that these supplies of fuel and provision
shall be ample for any emergency. The road is
now open from Omaha to Laramie, distance 572
miles, and from Washaki to Ogden, distance 229
miles. The distractions are between Laramie
and Washaki, embracing the divide of the conti-
nent, being only l79 miles, There are now seven
west-bound passenger trains detained near Sepa-
ration, which is twenty-nine miles distant from
the western boundary of the blockade and there
are two east-bound passenger trains at Green
River, waiting until the west-bound trains shall
pass the blockade. At various points along the
road there are about 500 west-bound cars OF
freight and about 200 ears of freight east bound