Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-02-19
0ales aud Skttfhfs.
SnOW.B0und For Weeks.

The most extraordinary snow blockade
in the history of railroading in this coun-
try is that on the Oregon Railway and
Navigation Co.'S road, by which passen-
gers were detained in drift for at least
three weeks. How they lived, and how
some of them escaped is told by corre-
spondent of the New York Sun in letter
| dated Jan. 2.
The train became fast in the snow on
Dec 16, and the efforts of more than 1000
men. score of locomotives, and half
dozen snow-plows have been poweress
thus far to release it. Snow began falling
on the 10Th, accompanied by high wind,
and before night the Columbia and Will
| lamette valleys were completely buried.
The west-bound train OF the Northern
Pacific came along with about 100 passen-
gers on board, and had no great trouble
until it reached the Dalles, though the
snow was three feet deep. At that point
a snow-plough was sent on ahead. and
the train followed. After leaving Hood
River the pillow became stalled when about
four miles the other side of Wyeth, and the
train was forced to come to stand. Every
able bodied man on the train took shovel
and repeated efforts were made to clear
the track The wind was high and the
snow dry and shovelling was found to be
useless. Repeated snow-slides from the
mountains soon convinced the conductor
that there was imminent danger of the
train being buried, and he backed up to
trestle. which had only just been gained
when tremendous slide occurred, cover
ing the engines and baggage-cars almost
out of sight. The snOw-stOrm continued
with unab ated violence, and the wind which
soon Eecame hurricane. was intolerablv
severe With the locomotives covered.
and the track ahead of and behind them
buried to a depth of forty feet in snow
and ice, it became evident that lOng
siege was at hand There was little food
on the train. and great CONSERVATION pre-
vailed for time, more especially among
the women and children, of whom there
were many.
The next morning the conductor sent two
train men to Cascade Locks for food. The
distance was eleven miles, and the trip in
binding snow and cutting wind. was one
of great difficulty. When they arrived at
their destination the men had much
trouble in inducing anyone to make the
return Journey with them, but they at
length found men willing to undertake
the errand, and succeeded in reaching
the train the next day at 2 P. NJ, with
several hundred pounds of provisions on
toboggans. In the express car was found
"a lot of jack rabbits, two quarters of beet.
and several cases of oysters in cans. These
were cooked and served along with the
other rations, each passenger receiving a
regular allowance twice day. After this
the railroad company organized expedi-
tons at Cascade Locks every two or three
days to carry food to the beleaguered
train. The provisions taken were such
only as could be packed easily. and were
carried on poles, a man at each end. The
sufferings of these messengers in making
the trip, were frequently terrible. Sever
al of them were overcome by fatigue and
cold, and had to be carried by their COM
panions.
after this had been going on for few
days. the authorities notified the passen-
gers that food could not be furnished for
so many in that way, and that all able
bodied men would be expected to aban-
don the train and set out for Cascade
Locks on foot. twenty-five started the
next morning in driving snow storm,
and all made the Locks that eve
ming except four who had to
be left at farmhouse. Many
suffered from frozen faces. hands and
feet The next morning thirty-fve more
started, and all made the journey safely,
although some of them were in ptiable
condition. The snow was from five to
fifty feet in depth, and much of the way
lay along hillsides so icy that misstep
would have ended at the river far below
In some places the travellers had to cut
holes in the icy crust for their hands and
feet, and crawl along with the greatest
care. Some other small parties lett the
train afterw ard. The women and children
wept pitifully when the men left, fearing
that they were to be abandoned to starve
and freeze but the assurance of the con-
ductor that they would be safely guarded
by the train hands. and the men who were
not thought able to make the trip after a
time put them at ease.
Thus relieved of one half the passen-
gers the transportation of food became a
less difficult problem. Several times dur
ing the last two weeks it was thought that
the shovelers and snow plows would be
able soon to relieve the train, but Just as
they appeared to be gaining on the snow
and ice h little.a fresh storm would set in,
and then things would be worse than be-
fore. The train is surrounded with snow.
and the track at that place tor about tour
miles is covered in many localities to a
depth of forty feet with solid ice. During
the high winds the spray from the numer-
Gus tails was blown upon the tracks, and
this, freezing. caused the formation of
hills of ice, which could only be removed
by blasting.
"In the cars the passengers made them
selves as comfortable as possible. Thus
far there has been no sickness, though
there are scores of children aboard. and
the opportunities for exercise are neces-
sarily limited. When the coal gave out
the brakemen went out and chopped
wood, which was found near by in abun-
dance. Hundreds of men have been work
ing on the track with picks and shovels.
and there is now hope that the blockade
will soon be raised. 1t has been found
that the only way to make permanent pro-
gress without destroying the track is to
pick the ice out in chunks and carry them
away. At first there was plenty of whis-
key and tobacco on the train, but when all
the travelling mems samples had been
consumed, the people who used these lux
uries had to do without, for the men who
packed provisions to the train refused to
Al