New-York tribune., 1890-01-29
THE BLOCKADE IN TIE SIERRAS.
GRADUALLY BRINGING THE BURIED ROADS INT
s1GHT-A NAIL CONTRACT REFUSED.


s1GHT-A NAIL CONTRACT REFUSED.
San Francisco, Jan. cs.-Typical California weather
prevailed throughout the State yesterday, the suo
shining brightly, with clear Skies but the SITUATION
has not materially improved in the Sierra Nevada
Mountains, where the Central Pacific Company Is
fighting to open its lines. The track is now clear
from San Francisco to Reno New, with the ex-
ception Of two miles near Cascade, in the Sierras,
where the snow is drfted to the depth of thirty to
fifty feet The rotary ow-plough plunged into a
drift and was completely lost in the snow In addl-
ton to the railway operatives there were six Sacra-
mento and San Francisco newspaper men on the
huge machine and it required 200 shovellers two
hours to rescue them The rotary plough was released
and is again at work, but making slow headway' Be
tween Truckee and Summit there is stretch OF road
covered with ice, which has to be cleared ont win
pick and shovel; but the company expects to finish
this work late tonight and enable the overland trains
at Reno and Truckee to come through.
The Fe road is the only line operating to the
East and is running trains time. Thirteen days
Eastern mail is in the mountains or at Reno, causing
great inconvenience and loss to the business public:
On the Oregon division Superintendent Platt and
500 men are stn fighting snow. 1t VIII take three
or four days to open the track with the most favorable
circumstances 1t showed last night. and the condi-
ton of the weather is favorable to more snow The
high water the northern part OF the State Is fast
subsding.
Superintendent Fillmore. Of the Southern Pacific,
says the blockade the Sierras is practically raised
and all westbound trains at Truckee, Waasworth ana
Reno will move tonight.
The steamship Santa Rosa sailed yesterday TOT
Portland without carrying the United states mail
for the North, which had accumulated here III great
volume, owing to the complete railway blockade.
u appears that the steamer Columbia which sailed
for Portland last week, charged the United states
Government 81 per mail bag, but the Government
only offered so cents per bag for mail to go by the
Santa Rosa, whion one steamship company refused
The company cites that the British Government pays
this American line $40 per mail bag for carrying
mails from this port to Victoria, and that when the
home Government cut the rate to so cents they de
clined. Two weeks mail for the North remains here,
and the situation from a commercial standpoint Is
serious.
received long dispatch from the General supeFin
tendent of the Central Pacific Railroad, at San Fran
CISCO giving all account Of the snow blockade In
the Sierra Nevada Mountains The dispatch says
fe situation has not materially changed for the better
and that it is impossible to start any Of the delayed
Westbound rains. On each side Of the mountain the
snow is piled up until II three to four feet higher
than the cabs OF the locomotives, on each side Of
The track and the push ploughs and hangers cannot
throw the snow out OF inc cdahei; ed Inc nspatch
vaiied In Eastern Nevada and Utah, and that two
ENGINEERS and three fremen were Killed by engines
Sncnming derailed by the wind Several trains have
"s. OGDEN for the East, but all have been deraed
after Going short distance by the ice On the tracks
Teavy land and snow slides have occurred at Delta
ana .s mSr d,snatch from Vice President Crocker Of
the Central Pacific, says that he has been blockaded
niscn ~ % rbe Storm he adds, has been the severest
sancc the road was constructed Twenty-Five hundred
extra men have been employee 20 IN m proVson
~ tb.,n a All supplies have to be carried by means
Of snow-shoe service, and at an enormous expense