Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-03-26
From the San Francisco Chronicle
SNOW Pl0WS.
How Snow Blockades are Broken on
the Central Pacific Railroad.

How Snow Blockades are Broken on
the Central Pacific Railroad.
Once in while, when the storm
would tighten up, we would catch Q
glimpse Of the great snow-plOw, with
its six engines, around some bend, driy-
ing into the drifts with force that it
would seem would move the world.
These snow-plows are a curiosity, both
in their construction and the manner
in which they do their work. They are
immense structures-1 say structures,
for they are as big as two-story house
and weigh from 5000 to IS, 900 pounds.
In front they are shaped like the iron
plow Of an iron-clad frigate, only the
sharp, vertical portion of this prov
changes into fiat surface where it ap-
proaches the ground. Attached to this
fiat or horizontal prov is what is called
an "apron." This apron is attached to
the PROV by means Of hinges. It lifts
up and lets down directly on the track
at pleasure, and when down it is held
there by large steel springs. When in
motion this apron slides right on the
rails, pressing hard on them, but frem
the rounded surface which it presents
" LucA IL SAiuCs OVSi tuC JOhAto ouu
any other little Irregularities with ease.
The long PROV is pushed under the
snow, the apron scraping it clear from
the rails, and lifting it up bodily it
meets the vertical section of the plow
which divides it, and hurls it off on
either side. When running at a high
rate of speed, as is often. the case, these
plows sometimes hurl the snow into the
air fifty feet, and plunge it in huge
masses into the deep chasms and ca
mons. Some such scenes at this was
presented the other night when Mr..
Fillmore the Division Superintendent,
brought the eastward bound express
train through with eleven engines
The scene was one Of the widest and
grandest that has ever been witnessed
on this road. 1t had been storming all
day and nigt, and all the next day, and
the snow had fallen and drifted some
places ten and fifteen feet in depth.
The train started out from Colfax with
three engines, but at Alta it took q
fourth. A snow-plow with seven heavy
fifty-five-ton engines went on ahead to
clear the way, but at Blue Canon the
plow stuck in huge drift, and the
bulge it an inch ahead. After shovel
ing awhile the express train and the
snow train were coupled together,
making team of eleven engines, a
snow-plow and six cars. Such sight
was never seen. The long chain of
putting monsters backed down for
mile or two, and then, taking fresh
start, came at the drift at the rate of
forty miles an hour. The only wonder
is that the plow was not crushed into
sawdust. 1t not only stood this enor-
nous strain, but it kept to the track
and cut an eleven-foot passage in the
drift with the precision of a surgeons
knife. With the power go increased,
the plow cut its way through to Emil
grant Gap. At one point near there
the spectacle was magnificent. On
sharp curve on a steep embankment the
snow had been piled up to the very
height of the smOke-stacks of the en-
sines for distance Of one thousand
yards. The curve was so situated that
1t was in full view of the station at the
Gap. The weather had cleared off and
the moon shone brightly on the snow.
In the distance, slowly forging ahead,
were the eleven black and begrimmed
leviathans, while in front of them was
the great plow throwing up snow in
huge masses like ocean billows, and
rolling it down the mountain sides
thousands of feet into the yawning
chasms below. The smoke and fire
from eleven tunnels, the tops OF which
could just be seen above the drifts, the
horrible noise and din of the putting
steam, and the great GLACIERS being
thrown high in the air and tumbling
down the mountain side, all furnished
scene which those who have net wit
messed it can never appreciate.