Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-03
EVERYTHING FOR COMFORT.
sNOW-B0UND PASSENGERS CoMPLI-
MENT THE RAILROAD SERVICE.
Praising the Pluck of the Oficers and
Men Who Opened the Pathway
Through the Snow.

and Ticket agent, Southern PdciFc Company,
City-DEAR SIR: l have been spoken 10 by
somewhere in the neighborhood OF SEQ
people since my return to San francisco
relative to the alleged hard time | expert
enced in the snow blockade in the Sierra
and nay treatment at the hands Of the rail-
road company.
Regarding our position on the mountain,
1 would say that we were sidetracked at
Emigrant Gap, with engines attached to
the train. i'll order that we might proceed
as speedily as possible should the road be
cleared. The main track was being occu-
pied by engines busily engaged in moving
back and forth in securing supplies of
wood, water, etc. Train No. was on the
main track, just below Shady Run, stuck
in the snow, and the push pillow was work
ing behind it. 1t worked steadily all day
Thursday endeavoring to perform what
they afterwards learned was an impossi-
bility. The company had probably fifty
engines there, and l am certain they had
eleven or twelve on the push pillow.
Regarding the statement made by Mr..
Grub, who claims to be Director of the
Pennsylvania Company, | would say that
this gentleman has probably inherited con-
siderable property from his grandfather,
and lived on the interest of his Investment,
l.
mia Company, had never had any practical
railroad experience; hence his criticism
cannot amount to much.
Regarding the operator being danger
ously sick at Cascade, would state that we
learned of his sickness. The road not being
open, as alleged, it was an impossibility to
get an engine or car to him, and while l
was at the station it again set in to snow,
and had piled up to a tremendous hight.
The correspondent of the New York World
telegraphed Superintendent Wright, and he
replied to the effect that help had been sent,
and we all read the telegram received by
the agent at Emigrant Gap, and DR.. Foulkes
was informed that assistance had been sent
to the distressed telegraph operator as soon
as 1t was known he was i'll, but it was i'm
possible to send an engine from Emigrant
Gap.
Regarding food furnished US, l would re-
spectfully say that we did not pass single
meal without bread, which was provided at
the regu ar Pullman rates. | wss eight
days in the blockade, walking out on Thurs
day, the balance of the party being released
on Saturday morning, they being there two
nights longer than myself. We had canned
peaches and apricots, which were furnished
at the regular Pullman rates also a surfeit
of canned corn, beef, and plenty of canned
tongue; also chicken curry and veal saute,
with tomato sauce of the very best quality,
which was very toothsome diet, consider
ing we were exiled.
In regard to the killing of the COW, I
would say that there was a train of cattle
which ran into the sheds, slightly MAIN
ing a number of the steers, which were, in
excellent condition. One of these was
bought by Gaf1in's hotel and served in good
shape. 1t was not carved in frst-class
order, but was very acceptable neverthe-
less. There were more steers to be had, if
desired, and the railroad people informed
the hotel that they might have all they
wished. So this entirely dispels the state
ment that the animal was killed by a fall
ing shed and its carcass dug out from under
the snow.
Regarding INDECENT passengers having
nothing to eat, l found there were two
ladies in the sleeper "Paraiso," one OF
whom had been previously in our car, the
San JUAN" and at my solicitation she
made change and joined the other lady.
Upon inquiring as to the condition of her
funds, she replied that her money had al
most given out, and l told her if she de-
sired more it would be forthcoming at
once. and that anything she might call for
in the way of eatables would be furnished.
and would see that they were paid for.
Our conductor, G. W. Broadway, took
charge of the snowplow on Friday morn
ing, and only came to our car once for
about five hours during our entire stay. 1
went the next day after this to where the
pillow was working and told Mr.. Broadway
of the condition of few of the passengers;
that is, in not having sufficient funds to
pay for their meals, and also to inform him
OF several railroad employees who were
going to the hospital at Sacramento, being
in need. He told me that when l ascer-
tanned of any needy passengers to see that
they were properly fed, and also that
all the passengers had enough to eat, and
that the company would see me through.
| asked him if it was necessary for them to
have an order or ticket, and he replied that
he would stand the expense; to simply
turn in the buffet stub given them and he
would see that everything was paid for by
the company. returned and gave this in
formation to the passengers, and said that
the company was not only able but willing
to pay for the meals of all needy persons
on this train. Everybody understood;
there could be no mistake about it. Every
body knew that the company was ready
and willing to see that they were properly
cared for
The cars were all warm; they were very
comfortable indeed, especially the cars be-
hind US, which were not Pullman. There
were three engines on our train, and with
the cars FILLED the side track in the shed.''
When these engines were taken from our
train and put on the pillow the train was
moved ahead, occupying the space previ-
ously taken up by the engines, and in this
way the cars got better air and little more
light. The atmosphere in the car "Paraiso'
was somewhat close. owing in q great
measure to some of the occupants taking
very strong. smelling medicines, and two
ladies from Boston having a large chest of
very powerful smelling drugs, which gave
the car the flavor of an apothecary store.
Regarding the sanitary condition of the
car, must say, in justice to the road, that
it was very good. The air was, as usual
musty in the she'd but there were no Of
fensive odors. The excrement was frozen,
thereby leaving no offensive smell. l
can truthfully state that the sanitary con-
dition of the car was so per cent. better than
l have experienced in regular trains run
ming on regular time, the usual offensive
odors from the closets being entirely absent
in this cold altitude.
Mr.. Johns of New York accompanied me
on my walk out Thursday. The railroad
men had made a trail in the snow. and we
walked down it to Alta and there found an
engine and caboose, the conductor of
which, as soon as he learned we were be-
lated passengers, carried us down to Col
fax, where we met a work train about to
start for Sacramento. There were some
where in the neighborhood of thirty-five
passenger stalled at Emigrant Gap in our
train. While we were all more or less dis
gusted at our situation, still the number of
passengers who vented their spleen by de-
nouncing the railroad were but few: vet
their continued complaints and growlings
could not fail to affect the preiudices of
nearly all the balance of the passengers and
made them imagine they were upiustly
treated by the railroad company.
The telegraph operators did all they pos
sibly could in the way of sending and re-
ceiving kilograms for US, notwithstanding
their facilities we're very limited.
Gaffin, who runs the hotel at Emigrant
Gap, would not serve a meal except at rs
cents per head, and no meal would be served
unless the money was forthcoming.
In regard to the Chinese cook refusing to
perform his duty this Celestial was EN-
ployed at the section house, which is dis
tinct and separate from the railroad COM
pany, and as it was he had great many
more mouths to feed than usual, and when
asked to do more additional work, refused,
like his race, and threatened to quit. The
lady connected with the section-house fur
nished us and the Pullman buffet with a
larce nuanfitv nf Good bread Yonrs trrlv