News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-01-30
A WESTERN BLIZZARD
Men and Live Stock Frozen
to Death.
The Pacific Coast Experiences One o.
the Worst Storms on Record.
Trains Buried in Snow in Oregon and
washlngton-6OO Delayed Passengers
and 1900 Sacks of Mail for One Train.

At least ten human beings and thousands OF
cattle and sheep persisted in the blizzard
which began with the year and ragged over
Washington for a week. Reports from the
Colville Reservation are to the effect that
cattle are dying by hundreds from starvation
and thirst, and that the ground is covered
with over two feet of snow on the level and
In some places has drifted mountains high.
The keeper of the stage station, IL miles
from Alma, started to town Jan. 16, and the
following Sunday his body was found on
the prairie, only 3 mile from his home, frozen
stiff. The msil-carrier at Wildgoose Greek
persisted on the same day, and eight cattle
men are known to have lost their lives in the
storm. Cattle men estimate that they will
lose one-haf Of their herds this season.
Jan. 81 the Central Pacific was enabled to
open the road In the Sierras to five dead en-
gines near Champions Spur. The rotary
plow was pushed by IL engines and the snow
was thrown Is feet on either side of the track.
Five engines and plows were taken to
Truckee, Cal, and the way is clear to Tunnel
No. IL, with the exception Of minor drifts on
the Blue Canyon side.
None of the snow sheds have fallen, al
though the weight of snow In places is meal
culable. The average depth of the snow
along the sheds is 20 feet. Over 1000 snow
shovelers and workmen are on the mountains.
Truckee is cut off from all communication
with the outside world, but this is true of all
mining and other towns in the Sierras.
A passenger named A. Z. Lanford died of
pneumonia, superinduced by an attack of la
grippe, and was buried by the men on snow
shoes at Trnckee, it being impossible TO
break the road to the cemetery.
Most of the passengers in two stalled trains
near Blue Canyon are well provided for the
delay. There are few seeond-ciass passen-
gers who had only money enough to buy
They did not prepare for the cold weather
that commenced when the storm ceased.
Among the eastern passengers on the i'm
prisoned train is Miss Bader of New Hamp-
shire. At Dutch Flat, on the western slope
Of the Sierras, there are seven feet Of snow
on the level, or two feet more than ever be-
fore recorded. The wagon roads and bitches
are blockaded. Many houses have been
crushed by the snow. Snow shoes are the
only means of getting anywhere. The dam
age to fruit trees will be considerable. In
addition to the imprisoned trains near Blue
Canyon, two east-bound passenger trains are
showed in near Shady Run. The railroad
people have done everything in their power
to make the passengers comfortable, paying
the men big wages to carry provisions on
snow shoes distance of five miles. John J.
Jennings, New York newspaper man. who
came out to meet Miss Nellie BLY, i'll San Fran
cisco and escort her to New York, was caught
in the blockade several days, and then made
the journey from Blue Canyon to Alta on
snow shoes, and then rode on an engine to
Sacramento, where he took special train to
connect with Miss Bly, at Lathrop.
In speaking of his experience Mr.. Jen-
nings said: 81 have seen snow and blizzards
In New York, but people back there don't
know what snow is"
The first through train for the past week
arrived at Portland, o., at O'Clock Jan 81,
from over the Union Pacific line from the
east. About $50 passengers arrived on the
first section, also large quantity of baggage
and mail. Another train arrived at O'Clock
with more passengers and mail Other trains
brought 800 delayed passengers in all and
not less than 1900 sacks of mail. The block
ade IL broken, and unless another storm fol-
lows, the company will be able to keep the
road open. The blockade on the Southern
Pacific remains unbroken. There have been
no trains from San Francisco for over q
week.