The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-03-06
SOME Snow BUCKING.


Running Trims Through Forty Feet o
Snow--EnEines Buried In AvaInnches.
The distance from Wells to Toano ia
not great. 1t is only thirty'seven miles
1.-THE old man" ms the boys call him
that is. Division Superintendent Cod
dington-had ordered 4 freight train tc
move up to the latter station, with foui
locomotives to draw it. Nate Webb,
tho champion snow bucker OF the Sierrns,
had Just came up from Truckcc, witt
No. s snow plow to clear the track Of
the snow that had so long obstructed
tho traps.continental route, but had ar
rived only when tho work was done, and
had been ordered up to Toano on this
train to SEQ what was tho matter with
the plows that had proved themselves SC
efficient on this division. A reporter oil
the San Francisco Chronicle was also n
passenger in the caboose attached to
the train, and gives the following nc
count of IN interview with Webb:
Six miles out from Wells the conduc'
tor pointed out tho drift and cut in
which No. Q passenger train stuck fol
twenty-four hours couple Of weeks
ago. Nate looked ut it q moment criti'
cally, and then with disdainful expires
sion remarked:
"Do you fellows call that q drift uE
this way1 Why, men, that wouldn't
stop a handcart in the Sierras. Oul
bows would laugh at such pile OF snow
rs that. When We have nothing be-
yond six or eight fedt Of snow down il
the mountains, We think nothing Of it,
That isa driftl Why I can show you
fifteen feet Of snow on a level now down
our way"
"W6at do you call q good fall Of
snow there I" asked the reporter.
"Well," replied Nate, 81 suppose
there is now fifteen feet Of snow from
Truckee over Euigrant gap. But then
we don't have to buck against that
snow, though we did when the road was
first built, and before we had any snow
sheds. But now the worst places are
covered with sheds. But We wouldn't
think OF building shed where there was
no worse trouble that you show here.
Why, good eight wheel engine ought
to buck through any drifts you have got
hero, and not make any fuss about it. y
How deep have you seen the snow
in tho Sierrasl I" asked the reporter.
"Forty feet" said Nate, grayely ant
when the reporter expressed incredulity
he added: 81 cau show you twenty
feetthere now, and nobody pertends that
We have got any snow SO far this winter
Tho time hasn't come for that yet"
Tho reporter mildly suggested TINT, IL
his opinion, twenty feet was very re-
Specialize depth OF SHOW, though he al
mittcd that his experience had not Eccn
very great.
Nate looked at him with compassion
ato expression, and, after moments re-
Election, proceeded to relate some of his
experiences. az remember" he said,
Gin 1869 there came on heavy storm.
1t didn't blow any, but tho snow just
came down evcrlastingly. Is was not q
dry snow either, nor yet wet, but just
damp enough to be sticky. wAs sent
out with plow and seven engines tc
open tho track. We got along pretty
well until we reached the Blue canyon.
Hero tho road skirts around the sides ol
the mountains. On one side you look
straight up, and Oh tho other side
straight down. The track Just forms {
sort Of step ir IT,. rock. But when We
got along there there was no track OIL
step to be seen. l reckon tue snow was
forty feet deep on the track. That is, il
was piled up on line with tho face o.
tho mountain, growing thinner toward
tho top. Well, I told the boys to go fol
it, aud they put on all steam and let hcl
have it. But you had ought to have
seen that snow fly! You couldn't SET
no plow, nor engines, nor anything else
for that matter but just snow. The Nil
was filled with snow, the whole canyon
was filled with it. But tho mass was toe
much for ourpower. The train gradually
slackened, and when We had got abouI
three hundred feet stopped altogether
I was Just going to back out to get head
way for another buck, when the snow OF
the face OF tho mountain along which W,
had passed began to slide, It camt
down on us before We could reverse tho
engines, md before We knew il the plov
and tho seven engines were buried on
Of sight. | had about one hundred
Cinnamon following us up with shOvels
to clear mp the track behind us. These
I ordered up rs quick rs possible, ant
set them Mt work digging the engines
ont. As inst as We got ono out sent i
back to stand on trestle that was abou
half mile behind us, because l va!
afraid to leave them where they woult
be- exposed to another slide. We 60
the engines all out after n while, thougl
it was n tough job, tell you, aud th'
engineers and iiremcn were neNrl'
smothered. Just before we got the las
engine out I heard prolonged whistl
down the track. My first impression wa
that the tlestle had given way under tn
weight Oh it, and l started back to Sc
what was the matter. l wore snow shoes
md travelled on the outer bank for fear
might be caught in slide. The whistl
kept blowing long, continuous, mulllet
kind Of sound TINT puzzled me gooC
deal.
When I got about half way bNek t.
the trestle it seemed to nc that tn
sound didn't come from there. Then
began to try to locate it, and was NOR
puzzled than ever. couldp't make on
whether the whistle was down in tn
bottom of tho canyon, or where it was
All of n sudden located the SCUM
right beside me, and on tho truck
Then knew what the matter was. On
OF the engines had got caught in a slid
and was buried right there in spo
whore the roal mRdO q cut through