The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-24
SHOWED IN.
A SIERRA BLOCKADE
A FRIGHTFEJDSIEGE ON THE PACfIsfe
RAILROAD.
SNOW PI.ows AcSD STORM PARTIES-A ,rAnR
OFlTRIAI. AND DANGER.

|
oFiTRIAL4 AND DANGER.
!, A correspondent of the New York World.
J writing from SuIAmit, on the Central Pacific
road, under date of March TO- describes the
blockade andfthe consequences: "Here in
the very top OF the Sierra, 7l50 feet above
the level of the sea. am seated in wat was
the second story OF the Railroad hotel, but
which Is jus. now the basement, witz. snow
above, SHOW. below, and snow all around
me. Into the window of this secon dsstory
basement feeble CLEAN of light poRetrstes
down an inclined plane Or snow.
Il The railroad station, hotel, and all
the shops. aad houses of the railroad en-
ployes are built within the snow-sheSs
which here line the Central Pacific road for
twelve continuous miles. All these are
literally buried in the snow. Iwaiked from
the station to the hotel on plank which is
laid twenty feet above the solid eartb-a step
TO one side or the other would literally baye
buried me alive-and on either side the ter
rible snow was piled above in sol idl bulwarks
forty feet high. To a New York OF, to " bom
three or TDuT feet of the beautiful seems ter
rible, these figures may appear of the Nun
chausen orcer. But / assure you have
not exaggerated the situation in the least.
lt has showed more or less here cOntin-
ually since the first of December, but the
great storm of the season began last Tues
day. 1t continued through Wednesday
and Thursday, subsiding at Intervals took
a rest on Friday and a portion of Satur-
day, and then began again on Saturday
night with redouble violence 1t is
still showing, with no signs of ces-
sation, and the railroad presents scene of
natural grandeur such as never expect to
witness again. / started from San Fran
cisco in the overland train sn Friday morn
ing. reached this point, and then scent
/, ing trouble in the distance, determined
to remain here and see the trouble to the
end. L have been awarded in witnessing
no h0f lag lNaf
, L have seen them con6ner, only to be again
conquered IN his turn. / have seen the tri-
. umphs OF mechanical engineering undone by
, the grand power of nature in one short
hour. and finally have been taught to re-
alize. as / never realized before what it
means TO run railroad across the Sierras-
|, what it means to attack nature IN her own
giant strongholds.
SCENE or THE TROUBLE.
Up to this time during the winter the
Pacific road has been kept tolerably clear
from the snow. and the trains nave generally
managed to get through on time. The snow
! plougns have been in constant use, and have
: succeeded in keeping the track In an avail
able condition. The last great storms, how
q ever, has more than taxed the combined
efforts OF pl0ughs, shovellers, engines, and
engineers. The greater bulk of the snow lies
! between here and Blue Canyon, distance of
twenty-seven miles, all of which is, so tar as
human skill can do it, protected by long rows
q of snow-sheds. AS l came down the other
{ day, with eleven engines and two snow
, plOughs ahead of me, the white snow was
piled up on either side of thesroad fully forty
) feet. The glistening mountains stood there.
r forming solid bulwar.Ss to narrow ave-
3 rue, through which the long line of iron
monsters puffed and snorted its tortuous
i way. Words fail to express the significance
. of scene like this. The grade is very
g and the road winds i'm and ont
t among the towering peaks of the Sier-
y ras, now skirting some deep can
f yon and again threading the tortuous
e windings of the mountains. The snow
D flying in binding sheets before the great
{ iron plough which preceded us, now rolling
{ with mighty crash down the sides of some
r precpitouS canyon, aud again p. ling itself
a along the sides of the track; the grinding,
a groaning, agoniziDg engines putting their
. slow way along, the murky smoke mingling
, with the fieeey spray, all this combined to
{; create scene which can be witnessed no.
g where and at no time but in the Sierras, and
t at this season of the year. {.
/ THE MONSTER sNow-PLoUGH.
: The snow-pIough of the Sierras requires
: some description. 1t is not one OF the punv
3 arrangements which are brought into re-
QUESTION on your eastern roads, when two
: or three feet of snow interferes with travel.
1t is a curiosity in itself, and does noble
: work. 1t is a mas sive structure; the small
!, est in use in these mountains weighs $4,000
= pounds, and the laagest 30. 900 pounds. 1t is
i about the size of a two story house, and is
: composed entirely of iron and steel. 1t is of
a peculiar form and so constructed that it
: throws the snow, when under full speed,
y fifty feet in the air, hurting it off into the
u canyons with tremendous force. The plough
). in front is shaped like the iron prov OF an
y ! iron clad f1gate. Near the ground
:: this changes into a flat surface. At.
y tached to this flat surface is a smaller PROV,
% known as the "apron." The attachment is
e by means of hinges so that it may be raised
!, or let down at pleasure. When the ma
Il chine is in operation the small "apron y
rests upon the track, sliding smoothly along
under the snow, which is thrown up; this
d being caught upon the huge, sharp prov
il above, which is divided, much as the water
n is divided by the prov of ship, and cast
It with great violence to either side. The
steam plows of the Central Pacific railroad
are masterpiece of mechanical skill. Two
d engines are always used to push them for
J. ward and during the present storm eleven
70 have been attached to one plough. r.,.
il APLoUeH OFF THE TRACK. e.
,f The train which is to bear this letter il
be cleared between that station and Blue
d Canyon. An unfortunate accident occurred
is this afternoon which may give the snow an
10 opportunity TO win the battle and blockade
us all yet. So far, human energy and human
endurance have conquered, but to-day. while
. the storm WAS at its height, one of the mon
N ster ploughs jumped the track aboua a mile
- west of Blue Canyon. 1t was followed By
~ one of the two engines which were pushing
a is forward. This was most unfortunate, as
- fully three feet of snow were then or
a the track. The engine backed up Il
"a Blue Canyon for help. nAnother engine
~ was obtained andia squad of one hundred
- men, and start was made for the adisa ble6
= plough The two engines rolled about ID fly
: yards, and there they stuck fast in the snow
: 4 The telegraph tells me that they are nov
y Il digging them out for a fresh start. o In the
= meantime every minute thus wasted in
u creases the chances Of a blockade. The
d plough and engine across the track are being
v fast showed up. and the track itself witt