Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-23
BATTLES WITH THE STORM

1t has been matter of curiosity and no
little interest to compare the labors that
have been put forth upon the railroads of
California for two months past to keep the
roads open in the face of the greatest storms
of the century, with the futile efforts of
the Eastern railroad companies, under less
difficulties and with greatly more of facil-
tiles.
We find that in the greatest storm of
snow and wind ever known in the East the
railroads were blockaded for many days
from Maine TO Virginia, and traffic abso-
lutely ceased, yet in that storm there was
not to exceed an average depth Of five feet
OF snow and the deepest drifts reported
we're but about twenty feet. Compare
that situation with the difficulties encoun-
tered on this side and the accomplish
ments achieved, and it will be found that
We have every reason to be supremacy
proud of the energy, courage and deter
nination of the railroad promoters OF the
Pacific Coast.
Here the storm has prevailed for now
nearly two months, but the actual cessa-
zion of travel across the mountains has
been for but about one week of time.
While at the East double, and even four
track roads are numerous, and the settle
nents along the lines are plentiful and la
Dor supplies unlimited, here the snow is
encountered in attitudes as lofty as Mount
Washington, and upon single tracks and
II sparsely settled regions. In addition,
Che roads run over excessively steep grades,
through great cuts, gorges and canyons,
and encounter snowfall from fifteen to
twenty feet in depth.
let the California railroad men have at
no time abandoned the fight, or despaired
OF opening the roads either over the Sierra
or the Shasta mountains They have to
this hour cleared nearly hundred and
twenty-five miles of track from drifts and
snow-cayes and regular snowfall, that to
the ordinary observer seemed impossible of
removal. Moreover, they have labored
under difficulties that have never been en-
countered on the Eastern roads, such as
being removed hundreds of miles from the
base of supplies, long distances between
stations, sparsity of population, few towns,
and failure to arrive in time, of snow
removing machinery necessary to rapidity
of action. They have had to work some
three thousand snow-shovelers at remote
points, over difficult line, at an enormous
expense, and under the most discouraging
circumstances in the matter of housing,
feeding and transporting them. They
awe, despite all difficulties, so conserved
The interests of the snow-bound passen-
gers, cared for their welfare and supplied
them with comforts, that there is not from
any quarter a word of complaint. They
have, in short, accomplished to date feats
that at the East are seldom, if ever, I'M
dertaken.
We incline to the belief that there is
something in the character of our meth
DDS of business and in the composition of
the people on this coast that nerves men
for times of trial as they are not in more
thickly settled regions, and that equips
them with resolution and vigor of pc
euliarly strong order. Certain it is, that
the railroad men of the Pacific, and nota-
bly, Of California, have shown capacity
to meet and handle such problems as now
confront them, that is rare and worthy
of all praise. Next to the heroic achieve
ment of building railroads over the Sierra
Mountains, and through the great upper
canyons and over the supreme attitudes of
the ranges on the Oregon border, stands
the splendid work of the present, and the
mastery administration that has thus far
characterized the handling of the diff
culties the storms of two months have
created