Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-24
ON THE OREGON DIVISION.

The "Record-Union's" Special Repre-
sentative Reports from Redding.
REDDING, January 23d.-The REcoRD-
UNION reporter who was dispatched from
the regular corps to go to the heart of the
blockaded district on the California and
Oregon Railroad and report the actual con-
diiion of matters in that storm-bound re-
gion. left Sacramento on the 1910 train TO-
dsy and arrived at Bedding at Pm. in a
peltiug rain, with the wind blowing almost
gale. He discovered very quickly that
there was no possibility of getting further
up the road tonight, nor possibly to NOR
row, as no trains are running.
The wires are all down above here, and
it is considered dangerous to run even a
wild engine at night. All north bound
passengers have been held here for now
eight days. There are in the neighbor-
hood of
ONE HUNDRED LEFT HERE.
Very many have been returned to San
Francisco-all who desired 10 do so in fact
and their money IS refunded, or passage
secured on steamers 10 Oregon, and the diff
ference between the fares is funded.
Many of those who still remain intend
" avail LnCIISClNCo VI luC O44Cl II lAc
blockade is not soon raised.
THE PASSENGERS SATISFIED WITH THEIR
TREATMENT.
Your reporter interviewed MANY of these
travellers on the cars, where they live and
sleep taking their meals at the depot hotel,
and all at the expense of the Southern Pa
cihc Company. Barring the delay, they
appear to be perfectly contented, and ex-
- 81 -
treatment by the railroad officials. They
say they pass their time in osrd-playing,
singing, cracking Jokes, reading and telling
stories, and altogether are jolly-lookiDg
crowd
The gang of snow-shovelers, some 200
in number, that liberated the train on
which was Colonel c. f. Crocker, are now
in town, having come down to-day. There
is large gang Of men between Sims and
Dunsmuir, about 400 strong, where the
snow is some
TEN FEET DEEP ON LEVEL.
This portion of the road. and in the deep
cuts near Motts, sre reported as being the
worst parts. 1t IS reported there tonight
that tie road cannot be opened for travel
inside of ten days.
Itis some ITO miles from Sacramento to
Redding. The more important stations
above here, with The distances between
each, are as follows kennett, II miles;
Delta, 21: Sims (where Colonel Crocker was
imprisoned by the snow, IS; Dunsmuir. II
Mott, 9; SissoU, 6; Edgewood, II; Gazalle
u; Montague, 14l; Horbrook, III; Coles
(which is within half mile of the Oregon
line), 10; and from there 10 Ashland where
all southbound trains are held is 26 miles
The road from here up TO Motts runs
| through the narrow gorge Of the Sscra
mento river, turning anu twisting snake
| like along the canyon from which the
| mountains rise abruptly, and along which
| the conditions are most favorable for both
land and snow slides. L IS diffioal. road
to operate in such weather as this.
SEVERITY OF THE WEATHER
Inhabitants hereabouts do rot remember
any winter that approaches the present one
in the severity and duration OF the storms
and of course it is a revelation 20 the rail-
road company. nothing like it having been
encountered since the road was built. The
officials on this division, as on the Central
Pacific Railroad, have
SPARED NO EXPENSE
And no exertion in the endeavor to keep
the track clear, and in looking after the
comfort of the delayed passengers. On the
section between Sims and Delta is where
the chief trouble was This was cleared
yesterday, enabling Colonel Crocker to get
out and take the back track. The road is
open TO Sims now, unless to-day's storm
has blocked it again.
From Sims 10 Ashland, in Oregon, the
road is blocked in various places, and there
is no telling when it will be cleared. Nc
sooner are the effects of one storm cleared
away than another commences. Is was
expected that communication would be
opened up tonight between Sims and
Dunsmuir. | cannot learn what Is being
done up toward Sisson's and Eigewooi,
but the snow is reported as being very
deep on that section Of the road.
HERcULEAN EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE
To raise the blockade, and Notwithstanding
the storm continues, there will be no let uI
TO fighting the snow king. 1t is safe tC
say that the most anti-railrosd man would
if he could see the situation, and note the
efforts made and the money spent in the
endeavor 10 keep the road open, give the
Southern Pacifice Company high praise
There is probably no railroad corporation
in the United States that would go to the
expense in fighting the elements that the
company named has on its mountain
roads this winter, or that would pay as
much attention to the comfort of the
passengers.
The prospects for cessation of the storm
are anything but encouraging. 1t is rain
ing hard ct this hour, and at last accounts
it was showing harder than ever from
Sims up. IF it continues ii will pile the
beautiful higher than it has been.
THE WIRES ARE DOWN
And men have been sent to find the
breaks and repair the lines, but 1t is very
difficult undertaking in the teeth of such a
driving storm. There is such an enormous
mass of snow III The mountains here and
on the western slope of the Sierras that il
dissolved by warm rain there will be q
food along the Sacramento such as 10
white man has yet seen. The Sacramento
river and adjacent low lands will have to
csrrv it all to the ocean.
The only hope is that when it does clear
up it will remain cold and freeze the snow
sufficiently that later it viii melt slowly,
in which case while the river would be
high until late in the season, it would not
be dangerously so.
1T BREAKS THE RECORD.
What Sunerinfandent Fillmore Saws of