Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1884-02-25

however, the train had come up, and
t was evident that another cut like
The last would he too much for the err
gines, as they were nearly out of
water and coal, and the tank and coal
supply at Picabo were this side of the
deepest cut on the road. Mr.. bod.
bridge therefore ordered return to
Shoshone, for coal and water, and to
leave the passengers where they could
get accommodations and provisions.
THE SECOND ATTEMPT.
Saturday morning the engines and
pillow started up again, the train being
left at Shoshone until the pillow should
reach Picabo or Bellevue. The run
of IS miles was made in easy running
time, until the engines were brought
to halt at the third cut. This had
been crosscut about every five feet,
the crosscuts or trenches being % feet
deep and about three feet wide, 60
men having been employed on the
work, and having opened each cross
cut in three tiers, as the only possible
way in which the snow could be shov-
eled out at all, owing to the depth of
the cut. The snow was found to be
almost solid bank of ice. When it
first drifted into the cut it packed SOL
id; then came a few days of thawing
weather that led to the forming of
crusts at night; then another storm,
more drifting, more thawing and more
crusts. Besides this, the water from
the melting SHOWS on the hill perco-
lated into the cut, and securely "tied"
the snow in the cut to the hillside.
This was the nature of the obstruc-
ton that the plow had to contend
with A bank of solid ice would have
been preferable, as it might have been
blasted. Besides, it would have quar-
ried out in huge masses, while the
mixture Of ice and snow could not
blast, anymore than alternate strata of
hard and soft rock in mines.
THE ATTACK ON THE DEEP CUT.
When everything was ready, all the
laborers and lookers-on retired to the
hill overlooking the cut, Superintend-
emit Doddridge walked along and above
the cut, to see that everything wa.
ready, made mark at the point where
he believed the pillow would reach
while Colonel Ravens made one 15(
feet shorter, and at signal from Mr.
Doddridge the locomotives and pillow
started back to gain Roadway. Afte1
going about J miles, the engines
were reversed, and the locomotives
engineers and firemen braced them
selves for the attack. At a shril
whistle from the forward locomotive
the throttles of the engines were half
il opened, and the plow started at
S speed of about 20 miles an hour
b After going half mile the speed wa
= increased to about 80 miles an hour
; in another quarter mile to 40 miles
: during the next quarter-mile to 5
miles. When within a third Of
e mile Of the cut, the forward whistl
It was heard, the two hind whistles re
: sponded, the three throttlcs wer
:; thrown wide open, and the spec
IS reached the maximum of about 6
l. miles.
J. At this time the engines and plo
n presented one of the most ma Jest
S sights which Colonel Ravens ever sa,
D There was a big, dark object-tl
l. plow-in front, followed by three hus
m monsters, hopping, flying over Il
he track enveloped in flames and stea'
"a and belching clouds Of black al
white smoke that marked their cour
lie for two miles. On, on, they came,
lightning speed, while all the ey
a. witnesses looked on speechless vi
amazement and admiration.
u.s. AS the snowplow, with the 60O-or
ad horse power behind, approached t
a cut, the ground shook visibly. 1t W
ee evident that something must give wi
'e; If the snowbank did not, the pl
at ard engines must be crushed int
'se shapeless mass. The pillow stru
he Immediately pillow, cabs, headligf
We every part Of the train disappear
40 and the air was thick with blocks a
ng, masses Of snow and ice 10 or IL +
ne long, 3 to 5 wide, and all the v
5ht from to 20 high, while the light
CO. the sun vas temporarily obscured
III the HvinU SNOW Nothing but ST