Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-17
SECOND DISPATCH.l
The situation Growing Mere Despera

lObOO-ND bioA <AASAlsl
The situation Growing More desperate.
Alta, April 16th.-Hourly the situation
grows more desperate.
Train number six, two miles east of Emf
grant Gap, is the objective point of all efforts
and struggles made thus far. This train,
halted by SHOW slide, was subsequently
caught in a second slide Three fright cars
were overthrown and badly crushed At the
rear of the train were the emigrant coaches,
filed with men, women and children. The
shock occasioned by the snowslide as it
crashed through the train, and the constant
fear that other slides would follow and bury
them in its depths, caused the most agonizing
terror to these poor emigrants. During all
last night their terror was pitiable in the ex-
IRENE. This morning their sufferings were
augmented by the lack of food. The cries of
the women and children were perfectly heart
rending. In icy sheds, with part of their
train crushed by the terrible slides, with ava
lanches momentarily expected from the over
hanging mountain sides, with hunger and cold
and the dreadful storm and their wintry sur
roundings = the situation of these people
beggars description.
At half-past 5 last evening Superintendent
Pratt and Master Mechanic Cooley, with
fifty men, took supper at Blue Canyon and
started to relieve the imprisoned train with
FIVE engines. 1t took them over sixteen hours
to make Emigrant Gap, distant six miles
A nfOht Ioucy .ritl,or,%
they battled with the deep snow and deeper
Drift. Arriving at the Gap at IL o'clock to-
day, they ate hurried dinner and pressed
forward toward the crippled train.
The snow-plow train which yesterday left
Emigrant Gap to relieve No. was found
hopelessly imprisoned by slides, which, cross
ing the track in its rear rendered q return to
the Gap impossible. Releasing this train and
liberating the engines and forward cars of No.
6, the relief train backed to Emigraut Gap,
| reversed the engines and pillow, and then ran
to this place for reinforcement. This train
reached here at 7:30 this evening.
Meantime fifty workmen arrived here from
Sacramento on a special train, and again re
versing engines and pillow the snow pillow train
started for Emigrant Gap shortly after s
o'clock with these workinen.
NJ W. Cooley came down on the snow
pillow and returned with it. From him your
reporter IeaT0eu Lildb superintendent IfdCt
has issued orders to have an abundant supply
of provisions sent to the blockaded emf
grants.
The battle is also being zealously waged
from the eastward. The Truckee pillow, with
fifty or seveuty-hye men, left Truckee this
forenoon, with orders to run to the blockade
At pamarack this plow encountered huge
slide, and no further tidings have been re-
ceived concerning its progress Should it
clear this slide it win probably press forward
| until the heavy breaks reached at Butte
Canyon bridge.
Meantime, however, slides have occurred at
Tunnel No. Is and at Jones' Mill, east of the
Summit, SO the Truckee pillow cannot return.
Between Cisco and Emigrant Gap several
new slides have crossed the track.
The storm continues with undated fury.
The east-bound overland of to-day arrived
here this evening, and was coupled to the two
passenger trains already halted here.
A dreadful night awaits the poor railroad
men. The wind is cold and piercing, the
darkness profound, and the task both danger
Gus and herculean Working like heroes all
night and all day tomorrow they will scarce
ly be able to clear away the slides which have
already occurred.