New-York tribune., 1872-02-15
WINTER WEATHER.
TRAINS sNoW-BOUND.


| THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD BLocKArT-
STATEMENT OF THE RAILWAY OFIiCIALS-A
HARD WINTERS STRUGGLE.
OMAHA, Neb, Feb. 14.-The following state
meDt Of tho history ana condition Of the Union Pacific
snow blockade Ia furnished by that Company
The first blockade the Union Pacific Railroad during
the present season. occurred Oct 2 Rawns Since
that tme with brief intervals there has been
sion OF and wind storms OF great violence. The
greatest depth OF falling the line of the road
across the mountain IL 5l inches but the detention OF
trains has been caused by drifting and not by falng
snow. Three Winters ago, blockade occurred which
lasted 2l days. This before any snOw-fences or
snow-sheds had been built During the following year.
snow-sheds and ow-fences erected at localities
where the had been Obsructed and at other points
where those persons hest acquainted with the country
and its meteOrOOgy thought 10 desirable Tor The thorough
protection OF the road. The summit cuts were shielded,
and. at various places rom one 10 lo9r
limos Of nOw-fences erected the northwest side
OF the road from which direction it the experience
OF mountain men that sDOw-stoTms lnYariaby come.
This protection appeared ample during the two winters
there was no blockade and slight detention trans
After the first blockade this Winter the three succeeding
snOw-stOrms precisely the opposite direction,
and against those snOwstOrms these fences afforded no
protection whatever An effort was then made 10 erect
on the opposite side " tho road and every avail
able resource Of the Company was used To procure
materials for that purpose in the shortest possible nme
Large OF wOrkmen were employed night and day,
In the construction OF fences al Omaha men MADE IN
fenco sent TO the proper localities for erection md
preference given 10 these and 10 the coal trains over
al Others In November the serious blockade
cured the fences having been found insufficient 10 arrest
the drifting snow An effort then made to open the
road and keep it open by the OF snow-plows. OF
which the Company had 1S that had proved to be efficient
during the past two Winters. with three heavy wagons
coupled behind each pow and, the result OF this
attempt, ~ locomotives disabled within week
by being thrown from the track and materially injured
The drifted proved 70 be dense that 1t was i'm
possible to force pow through OF into until after the
cut was tTenched at Intervals Of eight or ten rect down
TO the rails IL then became evident That manual labor
must be prOvi0ed To clear tho track with all possible
dispatch, trains were fitted ont with accom-
modatons each for sleeping ana feeding 5 aborers.
and with two weeks supplies OF provisions ths force was
set at work In addition 10 the ordinary number Of en-
plOy6s and IL has been only by the ad OF these snow
trains followed by p0ws, that we have been able 10
Ranchmen who have lived on the mountains for the
last 25 years that nothing like the present Winter
has occurred In that time considering either the depth
oi snow the duration OF the intense cold or the violence
and frequency Of the storms. For such Winter our
situation it thought that the road during tbe next
season. be prepared to pass trains promptly during any
an expense considerably less than the the
Company lost during the last three months from in
teTruptOn of travel and increased expenditures one
difficulty has been that the road passes through region
destitute OF supplies and labor. When obstructions
oxer w. cs h ,rjpS inteDSo cold The men in sons
ses became dsheartened, and refused 10 work and,
Numerous cases they had frozen limbs and were dis
abled. Until the weather shall change and these storms
cease il is expectation 10 trains the road by
preceding them by train, and, also. with train
y t6 means we srpsct to get trains through in rom
10 days depending or course on
violence OF storms No trains Will DE sent out with
ont h supply and although passengers Will necessari
ly experience the annoyance of detention II Intended
that these supplies OF fuel and provisions shall be ample
for any emergency. .,-.
The road is open from Omaha to Laramie distance
5-2 miles and from Washaki to Ogden, distance. 228
miles. The oRstructions are between Laramie aud |
Wnsha embracing the divide OF the continent, being
only lI9 miles There seven westbOund passen-
ger trains detained Separation which Is % miles
distant from the western boundary OF the blockade
eastbOund passenger trains at Green
River waiting until the wcstbOund trains shall pass the
blockade At various points along the road tbpre are
about westbOund cars OF freight and about 200
OF freight eastward bound ------->