St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-22
A sNow-IMPRI .oNED TRAIN.

giving an account of the great blockade on
the Oregon railway, section OF which Is
used by the Northern Pacific. The train was
released six days after the letter was written,
being imprisoned twenty-five days. The
is the letter:
The experience Of the passengers on the
snow bound train on the Oregon railway and
Navigation Company, road is probably with
out parallel in this country. The train be-
came fast in the snow on Dec. 10, and the
efforts of more than 1000 men, score OF
locomotives, and half dozen snow ploughs
have been powerless thus far to release it.
Snow began falling on the 10th, accompan-
led by high wind, and before night the Co
lurn bia aud Willamette valleys were COM
pletely buried. Toe west-boun train of the
Northern Pacific came along with about $50
passengers 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 piou5h became stalled wien ABOUT four
miles the other side of Wyeth, and the train
was forced to come 10 a stand. Every able
bodied man on the train TOOK shovel, anu
repeated efforts were made " clear the track.
The wind was high and the snow dry aud
shovellng was founG to be useless. Repeated
snow slides from the mountliEs soon con-
WINGED the conductor that there was i'm min
ent danger Of the train being buried, and he
backed up 10 a trestle, which had only Just
been gained when u tremendous Slide oc-
Cured, covering the engines and baggage
cars almost out Of sight. Tue snow storm
continued with undated violence, and the
wind, which soon became hurricane, Was
iptolrrabIv SEVERE With the locomotives
covered and the track ahead of and oehipd
them buried to a depth of forty feet In snow
and ice, 1t became evident that long siege
was at nand. There was little food on tIe
train, and great CONSERVATION prevailed 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 ill.,
ducing any one to make the return journey
with them, but they at length found men
willing 10 undertake the errand, and sue
ceeded In reaching the train at 2 2. NJ. VITA
several hundred poun Is OF provisions on to-
borgans. In the express car we're found
a lot of jack rabbits, two quarters Of beef,
and several cases OF oysters in cans. These
were cooked and served along with the other
ratious, each passenger receiving regular
allowance twice a day. After this the rail-
road CON pany organized expeditions at Cas-
cade Locks every two or three DAYS to carry
food TO the beleaguered train. the proyi-
sions taken were such only as could be
packe easily aud were carried on poles, 9
man at eachI end. The sufferings Of these
messengers In making the trip were fire.
| oueutlv terrible Several Of them overcome
| by fatigue and cold aud had to be carried By
the com panious.
! A ter this had been going on for few
drys the authorities notified the passengers
! that food could not be furnished for sOmluy
J In that way, aud that all able-bodied men
/ would be expected TO abandon the train and
set out for Cascade Locks on foot. Twenty
i've started the next morning In driving
snow storm, and all made the Locks tina
evening except four, who had to be left at q
farm house. MANY suffered from frozen
faces, hands and feet The next morning
/ thirty-hve more started, and all made tn,
Journey safely, although some OF them wer'
in a pitable condition. Tue snow was from
i've 10 City fee: in depth, and much Of the
way the path lay along hillsides so icy that {
misstep would have ended at the river IA
below. In some places the travellers had L
cut holes 10 the ley crust for their hands aud
feet. and crawl along with the greatest care
Some other small parties left the train after
ward The women aud children wept pitt
fully when the meu left, fearing that the!
were 70 be abandoned to starve and freeze
but the assurance of the conductor that the
would be safely guarded by the train hand
and the meu who were not thought able 4
make the trip after time put them at ease
Thus relieved Of one half OF the passrn
gers the tran portation OF food became a les
difficult problem. Several times during tn
last two weeks It was thought that the shov
oilers and snow ploughs wonld be able soor
TO relieve the train, but just as they appeared
10 be gaining on the snow and ice little
fresh storm would set 10, and then thing
would be worse than before. Toe train I
surrounded with STOW and the track az tina
place for about four miles is coveredin man
localities to a depth Of 40 feet with solid Ice
During the high winds the spray from th
r numerous falls was blown upon the tracks
and this, freezing, caused the formation o
hills Of ice, which could only be removed b.
blasting.
In the cars the passengers made them
selves as comfortable as possible. Thus "a
there has been no sickness, though thel
{ are scores OF children aboard, and the op
! poriunities for exercise are necessarily limi
: ed. When the coal gave out the brakene
. went out aud chopped wood, which wa
l found near by in abundance. Hundreds q
] 49,, h..v ~, he fraf.Ea vrft
! picks aud shovels, and there Is now boz
that the blockade will soon be raised. II hi
I been found that the only way to make pc
maneut progress without destroying Il
tack Is to PICK the fee out in chunks an
carry them away. At first there was plent
! OF vhiskey aud tobacco on the train, bJ
when all the travelling mems samples Ia
1 been consumed the people who used the
: luxuries had TO do without. for the men vi
: packed provi sious 10 the train refused to
2 loaded with al ything bur necessaries.
! Although the prospect that the train y
q SOM Dc released Il now good, It Is not 70
gotten that things have appeared equally
= vorable mauv times before during the pa
: sixteen DAYS II ne have no more storm
| or severe cold 1t will not take long to ope
I the rOad. The passengers on the train a
Q as cheerful as could be expected, DO. the e
l perieuce is une which they win never forge
' Most 81 the men who walked 10 C&sess
: Locks continued on 20 Portland in parti
: or ten Or twelve, also on foot The distsn,
Z Is ffty-sve niles, aud much Of the route
4 vs-y dangerous. Nearly all of them have a
. rived here 10 bad coalition. 4 few are la
Cd az farm houses on he way. One par
: took Ire railroad tack. and by ei.nZiug
1 the telsErapy wires most os the var, the snC
> being 81 d.ep that they could easily rez
: them. they made the trip without nu
" troubie- Tie blockade has cost the rzilrOi
ecmpauv about s.. 600 DAY for the show,
Iers al ! ploaghs. and has caused an enti
! suspension OF business oy the SoFtheEa
!. ei.ic.