The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-01-27
A SIERRA SNOW-PLOW.
A Midnight Trip on the Central Pacific
"A Train Buried in an Avalanche.

A Midnight Trip on the Central Pacific
A Train Buried in an Avalanche.
| Correspondence Sacramento Union -RecOrd.l
TRUCKEE, Jan. 1, 1S76.-Six power
full locomotives shrek defiance to the
storm, and we speed away inte the night
like an arrow. The white drifts are
tossed up over the smoothly rounded
foam. The swift wind, accelerated by
the marvellous speed of our flying train,
hurls the sleet, keen and cutting, into
our faces and eyes. Frank Satteriield,
the conductor of the snow-plow, gives
the bell-rope couple of quick pulls,
and each of the iron-throated monsters
screams out its readiness to push us
ahead faster. Each throttle-valve Is
wide open, and the old plow bounds
along with the speed of a thunderbolt.
! The track is full of snow that has drift
ed in, or slidden down from the noun
tains, and the swift apron strikes it and
tosses it right and left in billOwy fur
rows, that on our right are hurled 500
feet into the canyon. Faster and still
faster we 90! And yet the speed must
be increased. just ahead is where the
plow got stuck two years ago and laid
all night. 1t seems impossible that any
! impediment could check the onward
rush of the hot-breathing, ten-wheeled
engine behind us. But unless every
pound of steam is being used the plow
will come to a dead halt. We have
reached the region of the snow-slides.
Above our heads tower the icy SUBMITS
of the Sierras. Below us is Cold Stream
Canyon. This morning
AN AVALANCHE
came rushing down just as the snow
train was passing. The boys saw the
sudden rift along the ridge, saw the
whole face of the mountain dropping on
/ them, and in another instant an ava
lanche of 5000 tons hurled all its fury
against the train. 1t seemed as if the
storm fiends were trying to wreak ven
! geance on the fearless men and power
! full engines that dared invade their do
main. The old plow and its train of
engines struggled bravely, but it was
impossible to bore through the great
snow-slide. Iron and steel and steam,
brave men, and plow and engines were
all locked in the icy embrace of the
avalanche. The face of the mountain
is so steep that all the snow which went
over the top of the train continued its
headlOng plunge into tho canyon. A
man went to Tunnel Is and telegraphed
to Truckee for assistance. Seventy-tive
men came hurrying to the rescue with
shovels, and picks, and axes, and COM
menced digging. 1t was O'Clock in
the morning when the slide imprisoned
the train, and : o'clock found it only
partially released. The passenger
engines came up and helped drag out
the buried locomotives; yet with all the
power of the five engines and seventy
FIVE men it took four hours to clear
away the snow and liberate the train.
The avalancheS will be plentiful and un-
usually terrible this winter. A few
weeks ago Il slight snow fell, and after
covering the ground to the depth of
three or four inches, froze as solid as
ice. On this slippery surface large
quantity of very damp snow has fallen.
Eight feet of new snow has been piled
up during the last storm. Imagine an
I area of five or ten acres, eight feet deep,
on a steep mountain side, suddenly Skat-
ing into the canyon over hard smooth
surface of ice, and you get some idea of
a Sierra snowslide. Eagerly we peer
out over the plOw to see if we are to
plunge into a fallen avalanche. AnX-
iously we look upward to see if there is
anv indication of the white mass Slip
ping again from its foundations. If we
pass this place we are comparatively
safe Yet why should we acknowledge
any particular fear, for there is
ALADY ON THE SNOW PLOw.
Miss Ida Munsen stands boldly on
the very top of the plow, as fearless and
unconcerned as the conductor himself.
When the drifts are tossed over the
plow she makes no effort to avoid their
fury Through all the sleet, and storm,
and darkness, she has unfiinchingly
watched the battle! A curve enables
US to look back at the army of giants
that are straininc muscles of iron and
nerves of steel to hurry us onward de-
spite the wrath of the clements. They
pant, and struggle, and seem to be eX-
erting all the marvellous strength they
possess. Their hot, labored breath comes
in short, quick, labOred Puffs that
could be heard for a mile. We are on a
heavy up grade, and the snow has so
filled the track that tits almost impossible
toproceed. Satterfield again give thebell-
rope couple of quick pulls. The head
engine is like wheelhOrse, always
ready to do whatever is hidden. Two
loud determined whistles startle the
echoes along the ridge and in the depths
beneath us. Is sounds like demon S
war cry. Every locomotive must re.
peat each signal that is given by the
head engine, to show that it understand,
what is wanted. There is a marvellous
power Of expression in the voices Of
engines. The first is determined and
steady. The second has been strainine
every nerve, and evidently has its level
clear back " around the corner" anC
the querulous angry screams which burs
from its brazen throat seem to say, sc
faster if you can; I'm doing my best al
ready" The third is perfectly indiffer
ent about the matter, but is quite will
ING to try, and like a sailors ''Yo heav,
no, - its voice cheerily responds. Th'
fourth is utilizing every particle o
steam, and cannot afford to whistle
long; so it snappishly demands, ''Mor
: work less talk The fifth gives half
frightened cry, as if it cOulc
90 faster, but was almost afraid to d.
so. The sixth is reckless, whoops lik
. drunken Piute, and gives a suddel
; bound forward that breaks its coupling
bar short off. We are at Tunnel IS
. however, and the mischief can be re
paired. When danger is in the way a
engine will snort so wildly that you ar
startled with horror. When there i
fire, or the speed is too great, or a
engine is running ''wild " or is disabled
or, in fact, when any signal is given
the tone of the engines voice convey
full half the meaning.
; WaShOe COasting.
} As persons at a distance, says tn
; Virginia City (Nev) Enterprise, ma
, 4binlr StraDro of 90 many SpriOI1S ace