The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-03-14
Sow Ruckins.

The description of a turn OF snow
working which the writer took an active
part in a few winters ago applys says
Angus st. Clair in the American Ma
chlnls, with some notifications. to all
operations Of that kind as usually pur-
sued on Northwestern railroads. 4 di-
vision was badly showed up, and two
engines started out with a large pillow
to work towards others similarly en-
gagged. We took along car
dation for a gang Of shovelers, and q
supply of coal for the engines. The
first serious obstacle we reached was n
cutting about q quarter of q mile long,
filled with snow to the top of the snow
fences, the average depth being about
10 or IL feet. The shovelers were put
to work cutting q straight face on
the snow bank for the pillow
to strike upon, and deep
trenches We're cut on the surface of the
snow Mt right angles to the track. We
then backed with the two engines about
q mile, to take agood run. In running
at the bank the engines are worked to
reach their highest possible speed.
just before striking the now the links
are dropped to full gear so that the en-
gines will exert their full t~ractive force
in advancing among the snow. Plung-
ing into a solid looking snow bank that
reaches nearly to the top of the smoke
stack, tries the nerves of IN engineer.
But it is like jumping into a cold bath;
hesitating on the brink is the uncom-
Portable part. So soon as the pillow
touches the snow bank n dense cloud
envelopes the engine, which makes the
cab as dark as the heart of a tunnel.
In doing his work the engineer
must now depend entirely upon his
hearing, unawed by the tumult of noises
that accompany the engines's entrance
among the frozen masses. Lumps of
ice and huge cakes of snow thunder on
top and sides of the cab; steam Kisses
and crackles from the hot surfaces being
Rugged by the densely packed snow; a
whirl Of slipping wheels makes every
jointoftle engine groan and ~clatter, but
the engineer must grasp the throttle I'M
disturbedby the dismal uproar. Hemust
not appalled, byviolcnt slipping, orat-
temt to check it unless the engine is
| working water in a way to endanger the
| cylinders. This his trained ear
can detect amidst the other
noises, BY the exhaust he can tell the
moment the engine has ceased to move
ahead, and he Immediately reverses and
tries to back out. Sometimes snow is
packed SO firmly over the motion
that the engine can not be reversed till
it is shoveled out.
Those III the ground watching the eff
feet OF the run see immense masses Of
snow thrown out into fields, the rapid
| speed is converted into Il confusion Of
noises and snow missiles, then almost
instantly the flying cavalcade stops.
But the pillow has cut aswath nearly 300
feet long. The workmen at once swarm
round the pillow and engines
and shovel out the snow inlbedded round
wheels and running gear. When
the hind engine is got out the track is
cleaned out and the free engine helps
to pull ont that which has the pillow at
tached. While the resurrecting of the
engine is going on snow is shoveled in
to the tender and melted, the injectors
being used as heaters. So soon as both
engines get out of the snow they are
ready for another run, and the same
cycle of work goes on till the obstruc-
ton is overcome. Where the snow is
lighter the engines will generally get
through without stalling. They were
also able to back out without shoveline
where the body of snow is not over
! whelmingly heavy.