Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-18
ROADS IN FAIR SHAPE.
THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO AND PENN
sYLvANIA SUFFER THE MOST.
Through Trains Not More Than an Hour
Behind the Scheduled Time Great
Trouble to Keep the Wires Open-Put-
ting on More Motive Power.

Az the baltimore anu OnlO OUceS al mlQ-
night they had succeeded in patching up a
wire to Cumberland, and trains were coming
over the mountains helped along by push
ers. The Baltimore and Ohio trains will be
on time this morning. so they claimed, if the
trains are delivered on time to the Pitts
burg division. No word had been received
from the Wheeling division, and the men
could not say where the Cincinnati Express
was tied up. It is due here about o'clock
In the evening.
About o'clock last evening the snow
measured 27 inches at Altoona, and the
same depth prevailed along the mountains.
In some places the operators said it was
raining. The Pennsylvania road put on
extra power and cut up their through
trains in a desperate effort to bring
them in on time. Three pushers were
put on to help the limited over the
mountain, but it arrived over an hour late
last night at midnight the Pennsylvania
wires were in bad shape, and the dispatchers
would venture no predictions about the ar
rival of trains this morning.
Western Trains in Line.
The trains from the West were not more
than half hour behind time on the Pan
handle and Ft. Wayne roads. Passengers
who left Cincinnati yesterday morning said
it had not been showing there, and they
were surprised to see so much of the beauti-
full, with good prospects for more, in Pitts
burg.
Most of the roads yesterday Jared better
than one would imagine under the circum-
stances. The greatest trouble was expert
enced within the city limits, where many of
the wires were useless. As usual, the pas
senger trains on the Baltimore and Ohio
road from the East arrived on time yester-
day morning. The through express from
Washington ploughed through 10 inches of
snow on the mountains, and with the assist
ance of an extra engine made the scheduled
run. Fortunately in the mountains the
weather was colder and the snow feecy,
which helped the wires and trains very
much. There was little wind blowing, and
the snow did not stick to the wires or drift.
Yesterday afternoon this road had a wire
open from Connellsvllle to Cumberland, and
train dispatcher was sent to the former
place to rnn the freights on the mountain
division.
No Wires Mile Out.
: In the city Chiet Train Dispatcher Day
said they hadn't wire mile out of town,
and they couldn't tell what trains were
moving, if any. The passenger trains
evening commenced to be delayed. Nothing
was heard from the Wheeling division after
8 o'clock in the morning, when the last wire
went down. They started four freight trains
about 9 o'clock for the West, but they had
to turn out for the east-bound trains, which
had the right OF way.
On the Ft. Wayne the wires west OF
Jacks Run and beyond the Southside on
the Panhandle were in good running order
and making the best time they could. All
of the passenger trains were DELAYED. In
the city the wires were down, but freight
was going behind time. "It is return to
the old days of faiiroading," remarked
Chief Clerk Blair in Manager Woods Of
flee, when every man looked out for him.
SELF"
Some Wires Open.
The Pennsylvania road was in pretty fair
shape yesterday afternoon. They had two
wires open to Altoona, and the telegraph
operators said they were running a number
of freight trains of 20 cars each. In the
morning three sections of the Western
express were annulled, and No 9 came in on
rs time, several hours behind time. Up to
this time the road had no accidents.
Chief Train Dispatcher Day, of the B. &
O., said that they have not had such storm
for four years, when the roads were badly
blockaded. He was thankful they didn't
happen oftener than every ten years. As
for extra help needed at such times, he saws
they were trying to hire men to repair the
telegraph lines, but they couldn't get them.
The Western Union had gobbled all the
available hands in the town.
Last night the Pennsylvania road had at
least 20 extra men around the Union depot
and sheds cleaning away the snow. The
station police found some trouble in hiring
men at 81 30 0per night. A stone mason who
was asked if he wanted a job shoveling snow
said he would do it for 40 cents per hour.
He wasn't hired. The B. & O.. also had q
gang of extra men engaged on the same
work.
At the West Penn depot trains during the
day were behind time from half an hour to
two hours. The road was all right, but the
wires were down and it was necessary to flag
them at every station.
On the Lake Erie Superintendent Beach
said they had one line open to Youngstown
and the trains we're moving, but coming in
late.