Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-05
BLOCKADE LIFTED.
A STUBBORN BATTLE IN WHICH THE
RAILROAD WAS VICTORIOUS.
Trains are Now Running Unimpeded
Both East and West-The Rotary
Flows Work.

At noon yesterday word was received at
the depot that the blockade on the Central
Pacific line at Blue Canyon, caused by the
breaking down of one of the old-style
QUICKER" snow-plows, was about removed.
| After the shovelers had cleared the track
for the injured pillow, the latter was taken
away and side tracked.
The rotary pillow then resumed its good
work, and made rapid progress through
the mountainous banks of snow. 1t soon
had the track clear in the vicinity of Blue
Canyon, and then proceeded to make its
way toward Colfax, in order to release the
four east-bound trains which were tied up
at that point This work was necessarily
slow, owing to the enormous banks which
drifted upon the track but by $50 o'clock
last evening the road was clear, and the
east-bound trains were given the signal to
proceed on their journeys.
From Colfax the rotary returned to Emil
grant Gap, and plunged into the banks
which surrounded the two west-bound
trains at that place. The track to the rear
of the trains was first cleared, after which
the trains were backed on to a side track,
Then the pillow passed them and took up
its position at the head of the two trains.
In this manner the westward trip was
made, slowly, of course, but surely, and
they arrived in this city early this morn
ing.
The rotary left the incoming trains after
they reached clear ground and returning
went from Emigrant Gap to Cascade, and
cleared the way from the Summit to that
point for another west-bound overland
which could not get further than the Sum-
nit. At last accounts good progress was
being made, and the railroad officials were
confident that this train would arrive here
to-day.
At midnight dispatches were received at
the depot stating that the road was clear
both east and west. and trains were moving
unimpeded in both directions.
One.hundred extra ow-shovelers were
sent up to the scene of the storm last night
from this city, which makes nearly seven
hundred in all who have been employed
by the company 10 battle with the snow.
Their duties are to keep the track clear
after having once been made so by the
pillow, aud also to take precautions against
slides.
1t required the services of two hundred
shovelers to release the damaged QUICKER"
at Blue Canyon, working constantly in two
shifts of one hundred men each. Four
hundred shovelers are now at work be-
tween Colfax and Emigrant Gap, and
nearly three hundred more between the
latter point and the Summit The rest are
scattered about at various points vigilantly
watching for slides and other breaks Snow
was still falling last night, but no. heavily.
All of the railroad officials are loud in
their praise of the great work which was
accomplished BY the rotary pillow. Some say
that the blockade could not have been lifted
in fortnight without its assistance.
THE old bucker pillow will have ended
its career of usefulness with the close of
this winter" said n-dispatcher Jones
last night. The trouble this winter was
that there was such demand for rotaries
in the East that we could only get one of
them. Next winter, however, we will be
fixed, and a blockade will then be some
thing unheard of. No attention will be
paid to them. These new plows can whisk
the snow off track faster than it can fall"