Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-04
ABOUT THE SUMMIT.
TRAINS DELAYED BY THE TREMENDOUS
sNOW-BAEKs.
The Railroad Track Frequently Block
AIDED, and OId-style PIows of Little
Use-worIx of the Rotary.

The snow and wind-storms in the noun
tains on Thursday are reported by the rail
road people to have been terrific, and as {
result no through trains, freight or passen
ger, had arrived in this city up to last even
ing. since noon on Thursday. The TWO
overland trains-one of which was due a
6:25 on Thursday evening and The other a
GAN. yesterday morning, had not arrived
up to dark last evening in consequence o.
the blockade Of snow.
To a RECORD. UxIoN reporter Secretary
Breckenfeld O: Superintendent Wright:
Office gave graphic description OF the
storm, the operations of the force of men
fighting the snow, and the snow-plows. On
Thursday afternoon, with the wind blow
ing a hurricane and the air filed with
binding snow, one Of the old model snow
plows, with six large locomotives behind
it, together with three carloads of shovel.
eIs, started from Alta 10 pillow eastward and
clear the track to Blue Canyon II sue
ceeded in scattering the snow from the
track Up to within two miles of the latter
place, where, OF account of the increasing
violence of the wind and falling snow, il
had TO give up the attempt to get to Blue
Canyon. Snow had fallen over the track
behind the train, and the entire outfit be-
came blockaded. Meanwhile
THE NEW ROTARY PLow
Was looking after the road near Cascades,
where the sheds were recently broken
down, and it was also headed eastward, en-
deavoring to keep the road clear as far as
the Summit. Receiving the news that the
other plow was storm bound near Blue
Canyon, and being ordered thither to help
extricate il, the trainmen started for the
Summit turntable. in order to head the
pillow westward. When some distance this
side of the Summit, in place where there
were no sheds, they came upon snow slide
for distance of over 200 feet and to a depth
of 10 feet
THE SOLID BANK OF SNOW
Was bored into by the plow, and the track
for the whole distance was cleared IN grand
style, although all the windows in the cab
were smashed. The plow reached the
Summit late at night and resolved to wait
until daybreak yesterday morning before
starting back.
With tie fast mail train behind them the
Stdlk W LOdu6s Jul again eight lGEt Vi SuOM
was found on the track in the open space
which had bat a short time before been
cleared of the obstruction-e fssure in the
bank had caused tito slide back again upon
the track. Forging through this, they pro-
ceeded as far as Cisco, where the overland
stopped and the passengers were accommo-
dated in the hotel.
The pillow then proceeded TO the assist
ance of the one blockaded. and was work
ing at that place yesterday afternoon.
TRAINS DELAYED.
The overland trains which left here
Thursday evening were at Colfax during
Thursday night and most Of yesterday,
awaiting the clearing of the road
It showed as far down as Applegate yes
terday morning, and when the Collax
train came into the depot here, about 10
O'clock the tops of the cars were covered
with snow, and huge pillog Of "the beau
tiful covered the pilot OF the locomotive.
SIXTEEN FEET AT THE SUMMIT.
The depth of snow at the Summit yester-
day was increased from fourteen to sixteen
feet, and there was proportionate increase
in depth at all points above the snow belt.
Thus tremendous snowfall at such an early
date insures a high stage of water in the
Sacramento river in the spring, and posi-
Wy uttl4i ldlC into lLt suulIlHT-LUS idt6T
the better as it is not desirable that the
snow should come down too rapidly in
liquid form. II the mountains had not
been so thoroughly cleared of their timber
by the lumbsrmen and Comstock miners,
and Of their underground by sheep-owners,
this mass Of snow would provide
PLENTY OF WATER
In the river for navigation purposes
throughout the whole summer. But there
has of late years been little 10 protect the
snow from the hot rays of the sun, and the
result has been rapid melting, with con-
sequent high rivers in the spring and low
water in the summer.
As January, February and March are
usually months of the heaviest snow
storms, the probability is that there will be
upward of twenty-snd perhaps thirty
feet of snow about the Summit before the
winter concludes its efforts. In some por-
tons Of the mountains there is a fair Sec
ond- growth Of pines, and this may serve to
hold the snow back longer than usual by
preventing its too rapid melting.
THB SITUATION LAST NIGHT.
Alta late hour last night Assistant Di-
vision Superintendent Jones and Train
Dispatcher Wilder were seen by the re-
porter 1t wss learned from them that the
west bound trains were still behind the
blockade, but might reach here this morn
ing.
The rotary plow had also been stalled
near Blue Canyon, snow slides having &C.
CURED in front and to the rear of it. The
pillow was, however, working out its own
salvation" and il was expected that it
would be free before midnight
There was no snow falling last night on
the eastern side of the Summit, but some
on this side.
Assistant Superintendent Burkbaltsr
was at Cisco-as far as he could go for the
time being-and was directing operations
in that vicinity.
The company sent up some more snow
shoTelers last night, and now has upward
of 800 men between Emigrant Gap and
Truckee, and many of them are said to be
very tough customers. Mr.. Wilder said
that from sill he had heard it must be
GRAND SIGHT
To see the rotary plow strike a snowbank
and march through it. 1t throws the snow
on either side, as desired (which is natur-
ally the down-hill side, and for distance
of from 100 to $50 feet He said be
wouldn't be surprised to hesr of some oil
the little shake" hamlets along the road
being completely submerged by the snow
thrown of by the pillow. With the excep-
ton of where the sheds are intact the track
lies between walls of snow as high as the
car-tops.
On the Oregon line trains are running al
right, except that the south bound express
due here at $40 this morning is ten hour:
behind.
IN THE VALLEY.