The Hawaiian gazette., 1874-04-15
snow ON the Sicrras.


People familiar with the snow storms Of the
East can form but poor idea Of the terrible
storms that sometimes rage ia the Sierras. There
the snow falls at times to the depth Of twenty
feet, and piles up in the canyons frequently to
the depth OF hundred feet or more. 1t is with
such obstacles as these that the Central Pacific
Railroad Company has occasionally TO contend.
Early in the week fearful storm ragged in these
mountains. The manner in which it was over
come is described by the Oakland Transcript.
The snow had fallen in great sheets to a depth
OF about eighteen feet, ana had drifted in vast
piles upon the track, banking up the highway Of
commerce between the extreme East and the far
West The Storm King was abroad upon the
Alpine Nights, 10 ali his s1bIimest majesty; the
iron horse with his heavy burden stood at the
foot Of the winding slope batied aud painting in
dis%sy aud between the people oC the East and
West the Sierra Nevada had reared his majestic
front Of snowy ramparts in all his wintEy grand
eur
The mighty problem was to break through aud
overcome these terrific barriers that rose more
than seven thousand feet above the level Of the
sea and TO that end the most awful forces steam
were created and combined. At the village Of
Rocklin on this side, the oGe Eastward locomo-
tive was Joined by two Others, aud the three nous
ters with hearts Of FIRE aud breath Of boiling va
por, dragged the train along up the Increasing
slope. At Coliax, the three we're recruited by
two Of equal magnitude, and the Eve toied on up
the SNOWY heights. At Blue Canon the FIVE
mighty travellers were brought to a standstjll by
the forces Of the hostile Winter King, aud in
their extremity seven other enormous eugiues,
Of ffIY-6ve tons each, cane to their assistance
and relief, and twelve black monsters, red-hot
with exertion and inspired with boiling wrath,
united their tremendous strength, and tore
through the blocked-uP gorge for more than ten
miles.
0ace more the twelve mighty and resolute
travellers were brought 70 by huge mountain of
snow. They dashed at it with all their might
and a speed Of thirty miles an hour, bat the
rampant was immogable they we're flung back
in contempt and disdain, and the Storm King
laughed in triumph aud derision from distant
pinnacle Of rock. Here a poor weak mortal,
but endowed with immortal Mind having been
spectator OF the awful contest came and hitched
0u the train OF heavy cars, giving their next on
set greater momentum. Then the tremendous
twelve, together with their additional force
moved back distance. Of a mile, and stood STILL
gathering up their strength for a more prodigi-
Gus onset, aud from each Kissing valve the Song
OF steam was heard issuing in all its fierce siguif-
cance:
Harness me down with your iron bandsl
Be surs q y5grs11b and rein;
For s,oTu the might Cryour Puuy hands,
A the tempest sc1rus the chain
At length all is ready. Each valve is culver.
ing with the throes OF the pyisoued giant within
each furnace glows with its deepest intensity.
The huge engine in the lead gives quick, sharp
call Forward ~ 1t is quickly answered BY the
next in a distant tone and 50 the word is pass
ed all along the line, FoRwAED AL ToGETHEEl7 /
The wheels creak and turn, at first slowly, then
with increasing swihuess, and the whole immense 4
battery Of more than coo tons plunges into the
drifts al the velocity OF forty miles an hour
The rampant yields little; the beSsisers back /
away, regatber their forces and charge sgain the
sheets Of snow flying high ia the air, Ike seaf0au
at the base Of az Interchangeable rock And so. all j
night long, for more than tea hours, the battle F..
ragged on tbe heights, the winds moaning and .
roaring among the sombre frs, the driving snow
shesss eovelopiag the surrounding cliffs. At .
last the blOcked-up pass was broken through, and .
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