Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-29

Should the storm shift about and get into
the Sierras, it would make sad havoc with
the work already done. 1t would -estab-
fish the blockade, so the railroad officials
state, as firmly as it was at any time during
the past twelve days.
COLLAPSE OF THE ROTARY.
The Great Machine, After a Desperate
Resistance, Succumbs.
From the RECORD UNION Special Correspondents
CASCADE, January 2Sth.-The big rotary
resumed her attack with renewed vigor
upon the great snow-banks at this place
to-day, and, though obviously distressed,
she stayed nobly with the work.
"She's not herself at all, said her engin-
eer to your correspondent this morning.
she's Juggling hard on her gearing, and
I'm afraid she can't last much longer. But
she is dying hard, and will fight as long as
she holds together. There is no time to
grumble about sore joints and sprained
limbs. She is great machine, and there
is no telling where the blockade would be
to-day had we not had her with u.s."
The brave fellow loves his machine, and
mis- peculiar manner of referring to her
and 'her sore joints" and so forth, will be
appreciated.
SUFFERING, INDEED.
But he spoke the truth regarding the great
pillow which has done such noble work
during this exasperating and unprecedented
blockade.
She was distressed.
inspected her during one of the breath
ing spells, and, honestly, my heart sank.
Her gearing was badly worn, and looked
loose. I'm not mechanic myself, but it
did not require an experienced eye to see
that the noble machine was distressed.
But time was short, and orders from
headquarters were to break the blockade
at all hazards-even at the sacrifice of the
noble pillow.
The signal was given for new start, and
at it we went again. We had been working
slowly since last night, in order to save the
machinery as much as possible. Had we
been running at the same speed we used
when wiping out the big banks at Shady
Run last week Tor rather, had the pillow
been able to stand such another ordeaD, we
would now be through the Cascade strip,
and probably returning homewards on one
of the delayed trains from the East.
SHE sUooUMBs.
Well, this was the condition of affairs up to
noon, when another stop for breath was
taken. The shovelers were working hard
in our wake, clearing up what snow the
pillow left between the tracks and on the
rails, as well as banking the snow on either
side as solidly as possible.
After short rest we resumed the attack
The pillow, it was plain, was growing
weaker at every revolution. She creaked
and groaned piteously, and our hearts went
out to her.
Cheer upl cheer upl" called out her
engineer. There is not much more
ahead"
The great machine seemingly took heart
again, and for two hours fought on desper-
ately. Then she began to weaken again.
1t was an anxious moment for all of us.
She's a goner this time," sadly re-
marked the engineer, whose countenance,
for the first time, indicated that he had at
last given up all hope. Poor thing, she
would if she could, but it's impossible. 1
doubt if she will hold out another half
hour
Superintendent j. B. Wright, who was
one of our party, was informed of the real
condition of affairs.
"Can't she possibly pull through ?" was
his anxious query.
81 think it's impossible" was the reply
he received.
"Well," said he, determinedly, keep
her to work until the last moment"
HER WORK OVER.
The last moment was not long in
coming.
Shortly after Mr.. Wright's order the big
pillow trembled violently, and then there
was a loud crash. Her engines whirled at
double speed, but they impaired no power
to the knitted cylinder in front. The whole
train came TO a standstill, and nothing was
audible save the rumbling of the toothless
cogs. which had given way under the terri
bic strain.
A hssty examination showed that the
principal cogs in the gearing had broken,
and there was no remedy but to take the
disabled plow from the battlefield and
send her to Sacramento for repairs.
Mr.. Wright gave the necessary orders,
and an engine was detailed to start with
her for the shops at Sacramento.
The accident occurred at about o'clock
in the afternoon. The rotary was not
started homeward until several hours later.
She will be in Sacramento tomorrow
morning.
THE sHoyELERs TO THE FRONT.
Mr.. Wright Immediately directed the
shovelers 10 'pitch into the banks.
We'll have 10 so it alone, boys" he
said.
! did not leave the scene until quite late
this evening, and at that time the "boys''
were making pretty good Roadway, consid
ering that they were working in twenty
feet of snow with great banks Oh each side,
over which the snow had TO be thrown.
This they accomplished by working in
tiers.
When the pillow collapsed there only re-
manned about 800 feet of track TO be cleared.
II is thought they can get through this
by morning. and when they do the great
blockade will be broken-thst is, if some
thing has rot occurred elsewhere which We
at this dreary place have not heard OF.
Viewed from Cisco.
Cisco, January 2sth.-The blockade at