Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-28
THE ENTIRE SITUATION.
The Railroad Company's Losses Over
n Million Dollars

The Railroad Company's Losses Over
a Million Dollars.
SAN Francisco, January 27th-Superin-
tendent ]. A. Fillmore, of the Southern
Pacific Company, this afternoon furnished
the following summary of the railroad
situation to the California Associated Press:
Several new features have arisen on the
Central Pacific road since the last reports
which will probably prevent its being
opened for at least twenty-four hours.
The snow banks on each side of the
track from Alta 10 Emigrant Gap grad
uslly settled after the trains which had
been blockaded at Blue Canyon and Shady
Run, had been taken out, and made the
road impossible for trains.
A force of 1 800 men are now at work
cutting away the snow banks on each side,
so as to permit the passage of trains. These
banks are from twelve to fifteen feet high
The steps of all the cars will be re-
moved so as TO allow the trains to pass
more easily and prevent them dragging the
snow On the track as the train passes.
The most troublesome difficulty is the
ice-covered track, caused by the partial
melting of the snow and its subsequent
freezing. This condition exists from Alta
to Emigrant Gap. Also from Tunnel 13
to Verdi, in a more or less serious form.
The snow plow cannot contend with this
phase of the situation, and it is being re-
lieved by an immense force of men with
pick-axes and shoyels.
A langer which, with five engines, was
engaged in this work got stalled west Of
Truckee and large force is engaged in
rescuing it. One of the push plows also
became disabled and had to be side tracked.
A remarkable fact in connection with the
blockade is that that portion of the road
between Truckee and Verdi is outside of
the snow belt, yet virtually the same state
of affairs exists there as west of Truckee.
The snow on the sheds between the Sum-
NIT and Tunnel 13 is unprecedented in
depth, ranging from 90 to 200 feet, and in
isolated cases attaining the enormous depth
of 500 feet
A large force of men is engaged in brac-
ing the weak parts of these sheds and
shoyelers are removing the snow from the
roofs. West of the Summit the sheds are
covered from is to % feet deep
In East Nevada and Utah, along the line
of the Central Pacific road, the present
snowfall has never before been equaled,
and a blockade exists between Wells and
Terrace, caused oy the snowfall and ice
which covered the track.
Last night plow with six engines going
east from Wells, was derailed with two of
the engines, and one of the firemen was
killed and an engineer badly scslded.
An engine with plow which left Ter
race going west was derailed, four miles
from Terrace. The engine was turned on
its side, but no one injured. The track
east of Wells is expected to be cleared this
afternoon.
The east-b bound train at Cisco, which has
been blockaded since the fifteenth, started
west this afternoon. Between Truckee and
Summit, $50 ine-repairers are digging
trenches in the snow from eight to twelve
feet deep, in order to free the telegraph
wires, which are strung on poles twenty
two feet high.
No train will leave here for the East over