Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-01

i'eu OUT together and managed IN no,
through the Richmond drift the latter mart .,
Tue afternoon. arriving here shortly af,e, 3
= c'0ck In the evening. About 10 O'Clock
,ney nso orders to return and proceeded to
r''cnmond, where Philbrook's train still 20.
NAMED. not daring to start out alone. H.x.
s'ef' when the plev and engines came .,ono
1t took all the passengers At Richmond bound
west and followed on. They arrived ,t
brunswick at midnight, where the RAILROAD
company furnished all the passenger, with a
'.eaming dinner, which was very acceptable
AFTER the tribulations Of the day. Leaving
brunswick these trains continued on in hope.
OF reaching Portland. But at Cumberland
junction they were halted BY one of the biz.
eest banks of snow that ever covered Maine
Central rails. This was at O'Clock A. NJ.
yesterday. An engine and pillow had pre-
ceeded them and was solidly packed into the
Augusta end of the big drift. There was
nothing to do but to halt and await Develop
ments' the passengers making themselves as
comfortable as possible.
The Portland end of this mammoth drift
was also stuffed full of snow blows and loco.
motives The train which first encountered
it was that which reaches here at O'Clock
Saturday afternoon. Aboard of it were sew
eral well-known Augusta citizens on their
way home, the whole number of persons be-
ing some l5O. This train hunted the drift at
2 30 T. NJ, came to dead .top, and there
was no moving backwards or forwards. There
was no help for it. The gale Of wind packed
the snow over, under and around the unfor-
tunate train. At o'clock an engine came
up behing and drew the passenger cars off to
q siding under shelter of a freight train, and
the people aboard settled dawn and made
themselves as comfortable az possible for the
night, realizing there was no way of getting
out.
Every EFFORT was at once made to get a
passage through the drifts, of which there
were two mammoth ones. One was 200 feet
long and 10 feet deep. large crew of men
was kept constantly at work during the after
noon, but, as an eye witness relates, the wind
blew hurricane, and the shovelers could
hardly keep from being buried. Shortly af-
ter midnight the force was augmented by
Roadmaster Nevins' crew, and a hundred
men Joined their efforts in clearing the rails.
The passengers on the cars which had been
hauled back were furnished q supper by the
0c
nuts and coffee furnished by the residents in
the neighborhood. The night was passed
very comfortably, some sleeping on the car
seats and others remained awake and talked.
About one third OF the passengers were Ia
dies. Sunday morning an excellent breakfast
was served at neighboring farm house.
The shovelers worked industriously all the
forenoon, together with engines and plows.
At one time it was said there were thirteen
engines in the drift. A: noon q hole had
been cut through and Philtrook's traih, which
had started from here Saturday noon. passed
through and kept on to Portland. Aboard
of it were passengers from ST. John. who
had been snow-bound since Friday. They
slept in the Bangor waiting room Friday
night and on the train Saturday night. Some
of them were rather blue. No help was re-
ceived from Portland yesterday, as wreck
ing train sent up got of the irons below the
Junction and was not got back until o'clock
P. NJ.
At 100 P. M, yesterday, the train for Au-
gusta got started again, after the passengers
had been snow bound 20 hours. The pas
sengers from the Friday nights Pullman
train, which had been hung up in drift three
miles from the junction, were transferred to
the Augusta train, the Pullman having been
pillow and nine cars the wayfarers started
towards the capital, coming along without
much difficulty. Aboard of the train was a
lady and two young children. Her coun-
tenance was sad and fearful and on inquiry
it was ascertained that she was on her way
TO Rockland to bury her husband, who had
been accidently killed, and she did not pos
sess cent of money. The warm hearted
passengers took compassion on her, and in a
few moment purse of S42 was raised and
nresented to the unfortunate traveller. The
train arrived at Brunswick at 8 O'Clock and
all the travellers were given an appetizing
simmer. which was much relished. After the
repast they we're 80 much gratified with the
wav they had been treated by the railroad
company that they gave three rousing cheers
for the conductors, Maine Central manage
ment. and the train men, Gen. James A.
Hall leading off, At Richmond Mr.. Alden's
train was taken in tow, the locomotive not
having coal enough to pull its cars through
the drifts unaided. Three locomotives and
thirteen cars constituted the train which left
Richmond. 1t came along rapidly. The
nlough ahead would enter drift, the train
wonld ouiver an instant, the snow would
spring high in the air like yeasty spray and
fall upon the cars behind in binding shower.
The train got here at O'Clock last night the
locomotives grim with ice and cinders. There
were about 200 passengers aboard, many OF
whom had been DELAYED bv the snow for As
hours. Eastern travellers were transferred
across the city to take train which was
made up for Bangor.
Ats o'clock P. NJ. special was started
out at Portland consisting of two passenger
.o oxnress cars 1t was piloted by