The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-03-18
Winter RalIroadlng--A Description Of the
OIL Territory.

Edgar, will give good idea of rail-
roading in York State this winter:
MIR. EDITOR I'll will write you little
of my experience In winter travelling.
AS long as was on the Pennsylvania,
or even on the Northern Central as far
rs Elmira, the time table was conscien-
tiously observed, but as soon MS L struck
the Erie road at Elmira, lateness began.
The day express on which l was to
travel westward, came along some forty
minutes behind, but made rapid time
during the evening hours as far as
Hornelsville. After that matters be-
came worse on the Salamanca division
of the road, and instead of getting to
my destination and resting an hour be-
fore midnight, IL was an hour after when
took cold ride of u mile or more
from station to hotel along with COM
pany of ubiquitous drummers. During
The ride they relieved the tedlum by jok-
ing about their winters experience
which had been particularly severe this
season. Sometimes an entire train stuck
In drift for day and night, and no
possibility Of provisions reaching the
hungry travellers till an outside train
with its oncomlng shovelers, should dig
roadway to them, and sometimes In
fuel rapidly declined. / was to go out
next morning on road where day or
two before the passengers had to crowd
into baggage car and tender and leaving
the remainder of train in the drifts pro-
ceed as best they might with the engine
to their destination. Two or three hun
dred miles north or south makes great
difference in winter railroad travelling.
Our own Pennsylvania road Is rarely Sc
riously blocked but not so with these
New York roads. A common question
at the ticket offices on the part of ticket
buyers was, "ls this or that road openY"
and the answer generally was, 81 do not
know IL was shut up two or three days
ago." Passengers go at their own risk.
However / started ON time the next
morning at $40, to reach my destination
by time table, at 1915. The first few
miles ran all well enough, climbing the
lower hills of the New York Alleghen-
les, sometimes on curves exceeding the
Pennsylvania Horse Shoe bend and run
ming on lofty trestle work. Looking
back we could see another engine with
box and open freight cars following.
Very soon the use of engine No 2 be-
came apparent. Our train though hav-
ing but single passenger coach and bag
gage car came suddenly TO stand still
and train hand running through the
coach jumped quickly from the rear end
and running down the road and around
the last curve gave notice to the advanc-
ing No. not TO run into us stuck as we
were and immovable. Slowing up, No.
. reached us, and with two engines we
were able to advance q few miles fur
ther, the most serious difficulties not
having been yet reached. Finally how
ever, in spite of train or two getting
through ON previous days, the night
drift of the snow, frozen on the track,
brought US to stand still. All the puf.
fing and blowing, reversing and jump
ing at the obstacles by the concerted ac-
ton of both engines, with only a single
coach, could not bulge us an inch, at
least in forward direction, and indeed
for the last mile or so before stopping
we had been at times crawling about as
fast as an infant creeps every moment
threatening stoppage, but relief occa-
sionally coming by an easier bit of road.
At least all relief from such source
was. gone and the baggage car poured
forth its brigade of shovelers, most GO
ing to the front but some to the rear to
take away the still blowing drift which
settled and froZe upon the rails as fast
as we left them behind. In an hour or
so the one engine snorted to the other
thrice as signal to back and gather force
for the onset, when one snort for halt
and two for go it at full steam on. Some
times a half dozen or q dozen such ef-
forts were necessary to get start and
even then the run was but for mile or
two only to be stuck and frozen i'm again.
AT the first siding engine No. left her
two freight cars, but that did not pre-
vent us repeating our experiences. 1t is
useless to detail them over again, as
they were all the same except that when
we had fought to within few miles of
the summit, then we had to run on
siding and wait for the train on the 9TH
er side of the summit, fighting her way
in our direction. 1t was weary wait
enlivened once in while by some scout
bringing the deceptive news, "now she's
coming" / essayed once to venture be-
yond the train steps, but sunk so far in
the drift that beat retreat. Finally,
however, the advancing train came near
enough for us TO hear her engines, and
at last Went sailing past us with flying
colors. 1t seemed an encouragement to
us but alas when we pulled out upon the
main track it was but to find that what
one train could do when it had secured
down grade, was not possible to an
other moving upwards. Our most seri-
Gus work came within the last few miles
of the summit, but when once we had
attained that, all the rest was easy and
with seven hours of lateness we reached
our journeys end.
OIL TERRITORY.
Here you see Derricks on every
hand, valley and hill top and shanty
houses in all directions. So called towns
at every mile with their slushy roadway