Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-14

THE SHASTA DIVISION.
1t is All Clear Except the Slide at Tun-
mel Nine.
[From RECORD UNIONS Special Correspondent
DUNsMUIR, February 13th.-The passen-
ger train is now leaving here for the south
every morning at o'clock, in charge of
conductor Anstey. Transfers are made at
tunnel No. 9, where large slide blocks the
way, and passengers reach Redding about
noon. Baggage, mail and express are also
carried on this train.
Mail for points north of here is hauled
to Mott on sleighs, and there special un-
der conductor Brooks carries it and passen-
gers also as far north as Ashland. 1t is
said that this train will make trip every
other day, as it takes about twelve hours
to make the run each way.
The RECORD UNION correspondent ar
rived at Mott last night from Ashland on
the first passenger train that has run be-
tween these two points for month. The
road over the Siskiyou Mountains is very
rough in places, and new slides are apt to
come down, but gangs of men are at work,
and so far have kept the rosd clear.
In coming down yesterday the engine
was derailed once, and also the caboose 1t
was the work of but few minutes, how
ever, to replace BOTH. This morning the
train started north again from Mott at 7:30.
Mr.. Pratt, with his work train, was five
miles south of Glendale last evening. The
latter place is 60 miles north OF Ashland, and
is the commencement of the section where
the track is badly washed out. Mr.. Pratt
says it will probably be couple of days
before he can get over the washouts there,
which range in length from 200 to 600 feet
In most of these places the track will
have to be cribbed, but where ties and rails
are convenient a temporary track will be
laid around these washouts, and by this
means the work train can push ahead more
rapidly. The cribbiDg under the track will
have to be from six to eight feet in hight,
and the washouts are so numerous that an
immense quantity of lumber will have to
be used.
Mr.. Pratt has arranged these matters
already, however, and will have on hand
all the ties that are needed to do the crib
biDg work. Once the track in Cow Greek
canyon is relaid the train will work along
rapidly, as then the worst part of the road
will have been repaired.
Superintendent Lindberg of the Shasta
Division, which extends from Red Bluff to
Ashland, returned from Tunnel No. g.,
about twenty miles below here, where he
has been taking sctive part in clearing
the immense slide below there.
w. S. Palmer had immediate charge over
the men until to day, when hewas sue
ceeded by Division Roadmaster Cooley.
Mr.. Palmer goes north to join Mr. Pratt's
force at Glendale. This slide is probably
the largest that has ever occurred on the
division, and has kept work trains there
already for two weeks.
No one is more anxious that the road
should be cleared than Superintendent
Lindberg, and he is almost constantly
with his workmen, urging them on, and
endeayoring to push it as rapidly as it can
possibly be done. Mr.. Lindberg was seen
by the RECORD UNION correspondent last
evening, after his return, and gave the re-
porter good idea of how the work is being
carried on at the tunnel.
81 don't think we can open the road
there for five or six days" said Mr.. Lind
berg, although we have 80 men at work,
beside thirty horses and carts. The air is
so foul in the tunnel, on account Of the
north end being closed by the slide, that
the engines cannot keep any light burn
ing when in the place, and this means that
the atmosphere is not fit for the men to
work in. We are doing it, however, in
systematic manner, and have constructed
fumes running down the hill through the
center OF the slide, and the water is carried
off by this means into the river. The men
are working in tiers On the hillside and
shoveling away as fast as possible.
"As soon as the water in the fume gets
so low as to be of no use in carrying down
the dirt which is thrown into it we will
tear it down and dig down in the center of
the slide until the track is reached, and
then SLdTL Tue Inen IO WOTk DOln ways.
THAT part of the slide closest to the
mouth of the tunnel is composed mostly of
mud, and it is very hard work to remove
such material. The further end of the
slide, however, is dry material, and the
horses and carts are doing effective work
there. The track now is covered for a dis
lance of IS feet
Mr.. Lindberg also stated that they had
built blacksmith shop at the tunnel, and
also sheds to accommodate the horses
which are there at work, and the place
looked like a small sized station.
I'VE propose, after we clear the track"
said he, ITO build a strong shed over the
track, extending from the sidehill down
over the road, so that when slide occurs
hereafter it will strike the shed and glance
off down to the bank of the river. Heavy
timbers will be used, so as to be able to
withstand almost any weight"
Regarding the condition of the road be-
tween DuAsmuir and Mott, Mr.. Lindberg
stated that he had 100 men at work on the
slides, and expected to have everything in
order there by Saturday. The road then,
with the exception of that part at the tun-
mel, will be open on the whole Shasta
Division.
MONTANA SENATOR'S.