Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-05-07
The Western St0rms-A Fear.
fal Ride.

A daring feat was performed on
Sunday night between Emigrant Gap
and Blue Canyon, by Thomas Forsyth,
engineer on the snow plow locomotive
No. rs. 1t seemed that the snow
plow and FIVE engines left Emigrant
Gap in the evening to clear away the
snow to Blue Canyon, so that the up
bound passenger train could get
through. When within two and three
quarters miles from Blue Canyon, the
four rear locomotives ran off the track,
also the tender of the forward locomo
tive No. rs, It was storming at a
fearful rate, and the snow lay on the
track to the depth of from one to
three feet. No help could be expect
ed from the passenger engines at Blue
Canyon to pull the ditched engines on
the track again, unless the snow plow
could be forced through first and clear
the track. The only ray of hope to
speedily raise the blockade, was in
getting the tender of locomotive No.
IS on the rails again. and using the
full power of the single engine in max
ing an opening through to Blue Can
yon, and getting the assistance of three
passenger engines By dint of almost
superhuman exertions, and crew of
nearly one hundred men, Nate Webb,
Superintendent of the snow-plow de-
partment, soon had the unlucky ten
der on the rails again. Steam on tie
engine had been nursed up in the
meantime until the pressure indicated
130 pounds to the square inch.
When all was ready for trial, Webb
told engineer Forsythe that he must
make Blue Canyon or land his snow
pillow, engine and tender at the bottom
of the American river canyon. The
throttle valve was thrown wide open,
the engine on the 40-t plow in front
started forward on the steep down
grade as if impelled by the force Of
gunpowder. Fortunately, Immediate
ly in front of the plow for a hundred
y
lively free from snow, and the locomo-
tive was under full headway when it
struck the first drift. On it flew with
irresistible force, at the rate of nearly
a mile a minute, dashing the snow
fifty feet in the air as if it had been
the ightest spray. Around the steep
curves it circled and swept with full
head of steam, and crowded to it's ut
most speed. Superintendent Webb
had telegraphed to Blue Canyon in
advance to have the switch turned so
as to throw the plow on side-track,
and thus avoid collision with the
passenger train. The result of the
trial was watched with ''bated breath"
by the force Of men who were with
the ditched engines, and also by par
ties at Blue Canyon, who was advised
Of what was going on. All seemed to
understand the extreme peril of the
ride, and that if the engine or snow
plow jumped the track, certain death
at the bottom of a canyon awaited the
daring men on board. In just three
minutes from the time Forsythe re-
ceived the command to ''go," dis
patch came back to Webb--"No. rs
has arrived--all right . The dis
tance, it will be remembered, was two
and three-fourths miles. Webb COM
municated the glad tidings to his men,
and all united in three rousing cheers
for Forsythe and the daring feat he
had accomplished. The enthusiasm of
the moment was so catching that even
the seventy-fve stolid Mongolians
present mingled their shrill yells in
the general chorus of cheers. 1t
would be unjust tor US to omit to men
tion that Robert Robb, during that
lightning ride of three minutes, was at
his post on the snow-plow in front.
But it made little difference where a
man rode on that train. 1t was GER
tain death in front or rear in case of
ccident.-Truckee Republican.