, 1890-01-30
THE GREAT BLOCKADE.
An Army Of Men Clearing the
Last Snow Bank.
Died in His Lonely Station Ere
Aid Could Reach Him.
Two Deaths at Truckee on a
SnoWbound Train.

- DAN IhANCloCO, AL. -. iOeoiJ
blow which has been making a big fight
in the Sierra mountains towardr raising
the blockade on the Central Pacific, broke
down yesterday in the final drift remain
ing near Cascade. The pillow has been
working for fifteen days continually. and
it was thought the big machine would
hold together until the road was cleared,
but the strain was too much and it was
completely disabled when only two hun
dred yards of the snow bank remained.
1t was sent back to Sacramento and an
army of shovellers remained at work all
night under double pay to clear away the
remaining snow ~obstructing the track.
Five cars Of delayed mail was sent
west from Reno last night and will be
the first train through. John Cougnlin,
a telegraph operator at Cisco, died at his
lonely station in the mountains four days
ago of pneumonia. Three men includ
ing the doctor who went to his aid on
snow shoes arrived too late to save his life
and he was buried in a snow DRIFT. His
body was removed from its mountain
sepulcher Yesterday and taken to Sacra-
mento on a special train where his fune
raj will occur to day.
Mrs. McVean, wife of Surgeon A. G..
McVean OF Jefferson barracks, died at
Truckee Monday of diptheria, while on
one OF the delayed west bound trains.
Yesterday Lucia Zaretta, the Mexican
midget, said to be the smallest human
being in the world, and a passenger of the
same train, died at Truckee from gastric
fever.
Information this afternoon shows the
great snow blockade on the Central Paci
hc still unbroken, though according to
latest reports the only portion OF track
which is obstructed is between tunnel No.
ID and Truckee, where a suowslide this
morning covered the track for a short
distance, but it is expected this will be
cleared in a short time. and if no other
slides occur railroad officials hope to have
the blockaded trains moving this evening.
A violent wind storm commenced in the
mountains. however. last night and there
is danger that other slides may occur at
any time. Reports received at railroad
headquarters in Sacramento this morning
were not encouraging,
The fact that the barometer was falling
at the summit and high winds rising and
sweeping over the snow-clad mountains
with drifting fury ID not regarded as a ia
vorable indication. The wind which arose
last night is a f%orerunner of devastation
and made its power felt as there is an un-
protected stretch of track between tunnel
No. IL and Truckee which runs along the
base of the surrounding hills and the bur
rlcane swept one of these huge mountain
cloaks of snow into motion and the mass
fell crumbling upon the track covering 1t
completely. So much trouble has been
experienced with wires that last night it
was decided to make a radical move
toward repairing the system. Linemen
have been sent out from Truckee and
other points but their labor bore little
fruit and the wires could not be relied
upon to operate satisfactorily, accordingly
a special train was made up under the di-
rection OF Superintendent Wright and a
number OF linemen, supplied with wires
and all necessary appliances. were sent to
the mountains this morning to locate
weak spots and make the desired repairs.
The situation in the northern part of
the state on the line of the California &
Oregon road remains unchanged and there
is no hope of opening the road for some
time to come. High winds are reported
at various points along the road. Near
Oroville several parties have been formed
In different portions of the mountains to
visit persons living in out of the way
places who have not been heard from
since the commencement of the storm.
10 two or three places people searched
tor have been found dying and several
discovered who needed relief. 1t is feared
many more old miners who lived alone in
the mountains for years have fallen vic
Tins to the terrible winter.