The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-03-01
AFTER THE STORM.
The Work Of Putting the Railroads
In Running Order.
Digging Trains out of Snow-drifts
Fifteen Feet Deep.
Terrible Experience of the Gloucester
Schooner Sylvester.

The charts of the a. m. observation of the
Signal Service on Wednesday last, showed a
barometric depression in the extreme north
west extending nearly to the Indian territory.
By three o'clock the same day the depression
had become central in the Upper Lake Re-
gion and began to show evidence of storm
of unusual severity Cautionary signals
were at once ordered from Smithville, N. c..
to Eastport Me. At seven o'clock the red
lantern was swinging from its place on the
First National Bank building, the weather
being clear and light northwest wind blow
ing. By six o'clock Thursday morning a
light snow began, soon turning to sleet, end
ing at 7.10 a. m. The temperature continued
to rise throughout the day. At two o'clock
in the afternoon the wind suddenly shifted
toisoutheast and increased in force from less
than two miles per hour to fifteen and by
five o'clock gale was blowing At 40 p.
m., rain began which continued throughout
the night. At three o'clock the storm was
central, north of Lake Huron and moving IN
an easterly direction. At Top. m. the de-
preston was lowest northwest OF Montreal.
From here it took bee line for Portland
and at o'clock Friday morning was central
near this city. At ) a. NJ the wind had al
most died out, showing that the centre was
in the immediate vicinity. By six o'clock
the vane shifted to northwest and the tenn
perature began to fall. The wind rapidly in
creased and by eight o'clock gale was
blowing and snow was falling. The wind
reached its maximum of forty miles per
hour at half past ten, but continued to blow
over thirty till after sunset. The snow at
times was very heavy and continued till 6.25
p. m. The barometer has risen very slowly
since its minimum at II a. m. ON Friday and
the wind has kept high velocity. The
charts of this storm are very interesting and
can be seen at the signal office.
The great extent of the storm was
not fully realized until the reports began to
come in Saturday and Sunday Vessels
coated with ice and seamen who tell of al
most unbearable suffering bear abundant
proof Of the severity of the weather and ad-
ditional evidence is furnished by the blocka-
ded railroad trains, buried in drifts of
depth varying from ten to fifteen
feet.
The Railroads.
So far as the railroads are concerned this
has been by far the most serious storm for
more than twenty years Coming off cold
as itdid after the rains of Thursday night
the rails were badly iced, and then the gale
of Friday and Saturday packed in the snow
on top of this ice as hard as sand.
THE MAINE CENTRAL.
On the Maine Central Railroad the storm
has occasioned most trouble near the city
and the company has had 10 engines stalled
within radius of five miles of Cumberland
Junction. those engines however, were
gotten out Of the drifts and back to Cumber-
land at about one o'clock yesterday after
noon.
The train which left Portland Saturday
noon for Bangor and which was stalled at
Cumberland Junction was again started
along for Bangor at two o'clock yesterday
afternoon
At daylight yesterday morning a train
with two engines and carrying crew of 100
workmen was despatched to the assistance
of the train showed under at Cumberland
Junction. This train met with an accident,
the particulars of which will be found else
where
When the news of the accident reached the
office here wrecking train with crew of
men was Immediately sent out from here.
arrived back at Portland at about three
o'clock yesterday
A train for Bangor was made up and left
here at about four o'clock Saturday after
noon and unless the wind blOwshard enough
to pack in the snow again where it has
been cleared away this train will probably
go along all right, but slowly.
The road east of Bangor has suffered con-
siderably. but not nearly to 50 great an ex-
tent as between Portland and Waterville.
On both lower and upper routes between
Portland and Wateryille long drifts fifteen
feet deep above the rails have been of COM
mon occurrence.
Just above Cumberlan Junction on the up-
per road near Walnut Hill three engines
were off the iron at one time, but about noon
Sunday these were replaced on the track.
The branches have all been badly blocked,
but are gradually being cleared out and it is
tween Pennington, Lewiston lower station
and Bath and on the Skowhegan, Belfast,
Dexter Mt Desert and Bucksport branches
will be all right.
All the delayed trains were supplied with
food and fire, so that beyond the inconven-
fence OF the delay there was no serious an
noyance to the passenger.
A train was made up at Bangor for Port
land and left there at about four o'clock yes
terday afternoon to bring through the pas
sengers which had been delayed east of Ban
gor.
When Conductor Philbrook's train which
had been showed in over Saturday night at
Cumberland junction rolled into the depot
at half past three yesterday afternoon, the
passengers who stepped upon the platform
were happy looking set of people. They
were greeted with cheers by their friends
who had gathered to meet them. Conductor
Phillbrook underwent round of handshak-
ing and received hearty thanks from the pas
sengers who unite in saying that Conductor
Philbr0ok efforts in their behalf were untir-
ing.
A PASSENGERS STORY.
Mr.. F. A. Gage, with Howes, Hilton and
Harris of this city was on Conductor Phil
brooks train and walked into the city yes
terday morning. Mr.. Gage tells an interest
ing story Of his rough ride. He left Dexter
Friday night and spent two hours on the
train going from Dexter to Newport, dis
lance of fourteen miles. He was obliged to
wait there until Saturday morning, the.Pull-
man train having been cancelled.
Saturday morning, Mr.. Gage started on
Conductor Philbrook's train and arrived at
Augusta about one hour behind time. Here
the passengers waited at Hotel North until
1890 when the train resumed its course in
the direction of Portland But:they didn't
get very far this time, reaching Richmond
after an hours ride and staying showed in
there until midnight. They met another
snow bound train at sRichmond and it had
to be gotten on a side track before they
could proceed. Conductor Jewett's train
which left Portland at o'clock Saturday
morning passed them at Richmond at about
six o'clock in the evening.
AT midnight the snow drifts of Richmond
were left behind and the train was this time
run to Brunswick at which place it arrived
at about 2 a. m. Sunday morning Here an
excellent supper was furnished by the road,
and the passengers were supplied with food
at other points also. Leaving Brunswick
after stop of half an hour all went well
until the drift just beyond Cumberland
Junction was encountered. The train with
its four engines and two snow plows plung-
ed into this drift and stuck. The bank was
about one-eighth of mile long, from ten to
fifteen feet in depth and so solid that it would
bear the weight of imam without giving in
the least. At the Portland end of the drift
was an engine and snow plowIalso;imbedded
Conductor Philbrook told the passengers
that it would be useless to attempt to get
through before daylight, and did everything
in his power to make the people under his
care as comfortable as the circumstances
would admit
Att o'clock YESTERDAY morning. seeing no