Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-02-20
THE GREAT STORM.

THE WORST BLOCKADE FOR YEARS THE MAR
ROW GAUGE STALLED FOR TWO DAYS, AND
TRAVEL IMPEDED IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
This section of 90 untry has rarely bad
anything SO nearly approaching a western
blizzard" as was the snow storm of last
Monday night, accompanied by a high wind
and rapidly falling temperature. In Brattle-
boro the snow fall was 10 or ~ inches; on
the hills it was nearly double this On Tues
day all railroad trains we're badly delayed. 1t
required the whole forenoon to open the Val.
ley road and it was ~ o'clock when a caboose
drawn by two heavy engines finally came
through from Bellows Falls. The morning
owl train and the $3.50 p. NJ. mail came
through in one train, reaching here about
$50 P. N. The o'clock Montreal express
did not pass Brattleboro till IL p. NJ
Tue narrow gauge road had its worst expe-
rience yet. When the passenger train left at
6 o'clock Monday night damp snow was
falling, making the track heavy" and in Or
der 10 take the train through without delay
Superintendent Brooks thought best to send
both the mogul engines up with it, not antic-
ipating that the storm would prove a serious
one. By the time Newfane was reached
however, the wheeling was decidedly hard
Farther on the train got stalled two or three
times and could only be released by shovel
ing the snow out from under the trucks and
wheels. The passenger Car was left at
Townshend, and at Wardsboro station the
remaining car and engines were again stalled,
and further attempt to get through was
abandoned for the night Next day by dint
of steady sboyeling, and rammine into the
snow, the engines and car were got through
into Jamaica, distance of four miles, at 7
O'Clock in the evening.
Wednesday the engines began the fight be-
yond Jamaica with shovel brigade of 10 or
20 men in advance, and at night got as far
as Cobb brook bridge Thursday morn
ing but little difficulty was found in getting
into Londonderry. At IL O'Clock the en-
Rines were back at Jamaica the start for
Brattleboro was made about IL, and the train
reached here at 8 O'Clock, making its return
trip up at the usual hour.
Tuesday aud Wednesday the ]. L. Martin
lsbored along up the line with the big snow
pillow, getting TO Wlliamsville the first day
and to Townshend the next Yesterday,
with one of the moguls to assist, the pillow
went through to Londonderry.
Wednesday morning one of the Mclean
brothers started with span of horses to car
ry e. W. Melendy and the mail over the bill
to South Londonderry, but got stuck when
4 miles out and had to give it up and return.
Mr. Melendy took the mail bag on his back
and wallowed through the remaining 6 miles
on foot, getting home at Am.
This local railroad experience, severe as it
was, WAS more than equaed by the blockade
on the Rutland road, where not a wheel
could be moved on Tuesday, and by dint of
great exertion with abundance of men and
engines, the first train was got through to
Bellows Falls at 10 O'Clock Wednesday night.
Both freight and passenger trains were stall
ed. stock train, some of the animals O 4
which were frozen, had to be unloaded and
the stock distributed among the farmers to
be cared for.
Old residents in the hill towns pronounce
the storm one of the worst ever experienced
The Wilmington stage which left here Mon
day afternoon got through Thursday morn
ing at half past 8, and did not attempt to
start back on its return trip till this morning.
The Jacksonville stage also missed one or two
trips.
In Wilmington a minister who lives four
miles out could not get into the village to at
tend funeral on Tuesday and it was neces-
sary to take the body to the grave in the viii
lage cemetery on a sled drawn by hand, while
the funeral was deferred till Thursday.
In the Brattleboro freight yard it will re-
quire the removal of hundred carloads Of
SNOW to release the freight cars and get
things in running order again.