Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1874-04-02

eng their way through the how
ling blasts, the piles and piles
Of snow which asccn1ed on Ell
ther side of the track, shut out
all view for miles, save when on
some embankment over which
the plow had hurled its fleecy
furrOw, were all the grandest Of
sights. Secure on his velvet
cushion, perched up on the en-
gineer's caboose, the reporter
smoked his cigarette and took it
all in. TO those who ride in
palace cars and think they see
it all out of the window, | would
say, if the engineer will let you,
climb up on the iron horse
From that point the whole gran
dcur Of the scene is brought i'm
mediately before your eyes,
You can see ahead, around, and
on the sharp curves, for miles
behind. Of course my view
vas somewhat impaired by the
binding snow, but enough was
seen to give an idea Of tie Won
ders Of the spectacle-tlc tall
pines sWaying in the wind; The
huge mounds of snow and lee
which rose up on the hills and
canons; the steep, sharp curves
around which
THEQUIVERING ENGINE
Sped in her ctgrrnesS to battle
with the elements; the fierce
clare from the furnace door as
the firemcn opened it to feed
the flames; the sharp ringing
voices of the men; the chatter
and din and the rush and the
roar Of the rattling train; but Il
boye all the steady, pul5c-lilic
stroke, the throbhing, beating,
trip-hammer like tread Of the
engine-in itself dennting the
very majesty of power-wcre
sights aud sounds to interest one
by the hour. Around the curveS
and up the grades the two mighty
monsters whirled their load The
snow-plow bad gone ahead and
cleared the track but few MIN.
utcs beiolr, but so fierce was The
blast and So dense the fl erV cloud
which blew upon the track, that
soon enough was gathered tDr the
forward engine TO pick up on the
little iron ploW ahead ana hurl In
the air in one constant gau2y
stream like a bridal veil 1t was
a pretty sight, this ceascIcss show
er Of frozen spray. B.ing caught
up in the current OF the rushing
train, it spread and scattered over
everything, even to the lattcrmost
car, where it drilted into the cracks
of the windows.
THE HUGE SNOW PLOW.
ODce in a while, when the snow
would tighten up, we would catch
a glimpse Of the great snow-Plow.
with its six engines, around some
bend, driving into the snow drifts
with force that it would seem
would move the world. These
snow-piows are a curiosity, both
in their construction and the man.
ner in which they do their work.
They are immense estructures-lsay
for they are as big as
two-story house. and weigh from
$4,000 to 10000 pounds. In
front they are shaped like the iron
prov Of an iron-cIad lrigate, only
the sharp verticle portion OF this
prov changes into a fiat surface
where it approaches The ground
Attached 10 this fiat or horizontal
Prov is what is called an apron.
This apron is attached 10 the Prov
by means of hinges. 1t lifts up
aud lets down on the track at
pleasure, and when it is down it
is held here bystrongsteel springs.
When in motion this apron slides
right on the rails pressing hard on
them, but from the rounded sur
face it presents to them it glides o.
yer the Joints and any other little
Irregularities with ease. The long
prov is pushed under the snow,
the apron scraping it clear of the
rails, and, lifting it up bodily, it
meets the vertical section Of the
Prov, which divides it, and
HURLS IT OFF
On the other side. When run
ming at Il high rate of speed, as is
often the case, these plows some
times hurl the snow into the air
fifty feet and plunge it in huge
masses into the deep chasms and
canons. Some such scene as this
was presented the other night
when Mr.. Fillmore, the Division
Superintendent, brought the east,
ward bound express train through
with eleven engines. The scene
was one of the widest and grand
est that has ever been witnessed
on this road. 1t had been stor-