Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1890-02-08
THE BLOCKADE RAISED.
FIFTEEN DAYS OF HARD WORK
THROUGH DEEP SNOW.
The Wreck at AIpha-A Thirty-one
NILE Tramp Under treat Hard
s~hIps-Patsy the Hero-Frostbit-
ten Feet-weIcome Home.


After fifteen days Of continuous
work the Eureka and Palisade railroad
track was cleared, and the train ar
rived here with the blockade raised
and about so sacks OF mail last We'd
nesday afternoon. They reported
having had a very hard time of it.
After leaving Eureka on the second
trip TO open the blockade the train ar
rived at Horse Shoe Bend, and from
there to where the engines and snow
pillow were wrecked, south Of Alpha,
the snow was deep the whole dis
lance. The cuts were filled and the
snow piled up in drifts from two to
twenty feet deep. Where the wreck
occurred last Sunday week the men
had a hard siege shoveling the snow
that had blown into the cut and
drifted from two to fifteen feet deep.
When nearly through the cut it was
thought that the train could be forced
through the remainder, but the snow
had packed SO hard that when it
made the run for that purpose the
pillow stuck, with the sudden shock the
goose neck draw bar, which connected
No. 8 engine with the pillow, broke,
and the former drove forward oyer the
latter and landed the full length OF the
engine beyond the pillow on top OF the
snow, remaining in an upright position,
| but canting over slightly, and there it
stood for the time being. Engine No.
4 ran up on top OF the plow and the
latter was crushed TO pieces. The en-
g%ineers and fremen jumped from the
engines. Fortunately no n was
hurt. A. s. Longley vas ordered up
from Palisade, and he left there with a
force OF 22 men, taking along also jack
screws and a general wrecking outfit.
Mr.. Cotton had ordered that some
OF the men from the train should be
sent to the Hay Ranch to help clear
the track from that point towards the
wreck, and at 8 o'clock on Tuesday
morning, the 2sth ult., Conductor
Crowley, with ten men who volunteer
ed to 90 with him, started out afoot.
The distance was 81 miles. Van
Powell and VIM. Olsen gave out at
Mineral Station and remained there.
The balance Of the party continued
their Journey, the last OF them arriv-
ing at the Hay Ranch at II o'clock at
night. During the tramp, which was
performed under the greatest hard.
ships, seven out OF the nine men had
their feet frost bitten-Frank Wilson
and Dave Jones badly, and the others
slightly. The latter were Mr., Crowley,
Ed. Phillips, Tom Davis, Harry Jack.
son and f. /. Smith. VIM. Giles and
Patsy Green we're OF the party the
former was nearly exhausted, but the
latter, with admirable energy and
fortitude, stood the trip nobly, first
taking the lead and anon returning &c
help out his companions, But fol
this young hero some OF the party
might have persisted, al they had tc
be thumped and kicked to keep them
from lying on the snow and going &c
sleep. Harry Jackson is also highly
spoken OF as having led the stragglert
OF the party. On arriving at the Hay
Ranch the sufferers OF h party re
ceived from Judd Riddle all the at
tention that could have been paid
them.
When A. s. Longley arrived at the
wreck, the forward engine stood fully
four feet above the track on hard snow
1t took a whole day to get the engine
back on the track and this was skill
fully done. The men all speak highl!
of Mr.. Longley, particularly Of hi
consideration for them. On the re
turn from Alpha the blockade wa
heavier than on the outward trip a
the cuts had filed in the interim
deeper than before and the snow ha'
to be shoveled out in benches
Through the greater part Of damon,
Valley, the track, having filled witt
hard frost, had to be Hanged. i
would make our story too long to Civ
full particulars Of the trip, but it was
very rough one indeed, and all hand
were very glad to get back home.
number of ladies and gentlemen wer
at the depot to welcome them home
II was a memorable trip, and tn
%laurels they earned will not soon b
forgotten.