The Indianapolis journal., 1890-01-22
Fifteen Feet of Snow on the Level at Cisco,
CAL, and Three or Four Times as Deepin the
Drifts-How the Travellers Are Faring.
One of the Oregon Lines Opened at Last,
but the Other HOpelessly Blockaded.
Terrible Experience of Ocean Steamers While
Crossing the Atlantic-VesselsB Badly DAM
aged and Several Lives Lost.
sNow-BLOCKED RAILWAYS.
Efforts to Clear the Track of the Central p,
cific in the Mountain Region.

EuOrtS 10 clear the lracA Oh the Central E8-
cific in the Mountain Region.
SAN Francisco, Jan. 2l.-The prospects
are that the great snow blockade on the
Central Pacific will be cleared tonight or
tomorrow, to the delight of the snow
bound passengers. Clear weather is re
ported at all stations from Rocklln to
Truckee, save at Colfax and Cisco, where
the weather is still cloudy. At each of
these places one inch of snow fell last
night. There is now three feet of snow on
the ground at Colfax, while at Cisco the
country is covered to depth of over fifteen
feet on the level. and in the drifts the snow
is three or four times as deep.
Last evening the Central Pacific was en-
abled to open the road In the Sierras to
the five dead engines near Champions
Spur The rotary plow was pushed by
eleven engines, and the snow was thrown
fifteen feet on either side of the track. One
hundred and fifty snOw-shovelers, who
were engaged in digging trench, were
surprised and completely buried by the
snow from the plow. They were badly
scared, but the only injury sustained was
ducking. Five engines and plows were
taken to Truckee. and the way is clear to
tunnel No. 49, with the exception of a few
minor drifts of the Blue canyon side. They
have passed to the Cascade. where the ro-
tary is again at work, and it is said by the
railroad officials that the road will be open,
possibly, tonight.
East of Truckee plow, with sufficient
power to back it, will plow to Reno. Heavy
slides and drifts are reported between
Truckee and Boca. A rotary plow is clear
ing road to Blue canyon. and during the
night it is expected to clear the track 60 the
two imprisoned passenger trains between
Blue canyon and Alta. None of the snow
sheds have fallen. although the weight of
snow in places is incalculable. The aver
age depth of the snow along the sheds is
twenty feet. Over 1000 snOw-shOvelers
and workmen are on the mountains to-
night. Truckee is cut OFF from all commun-
icatou with the outside world. but this is
true of all mining and other towns in the
Sierras.
A passenger named 4. A. Lanford died of
pneumonia superinduced by an attack of
Ia grippe. and was buried by the men on
snow shoes. at Truckee. yesterday, it being
impossible to break the road to the Gem
etery. Jacob Duntz, a snow shoyeler. was
killed at Colfax yesterday by being struck
BY car. ---------------
Most of the passeng gers in the two trains
near Due canyon are Well IOT
the delay. There are a few secOnd-class
passengers who had only enough money to
buy tickets, and did not figure on the block
ade. They also did not prepare for cold
weather that commenced when the storm
ceased. Among the Eastern passengers on
the imprisoned trains are the following: E.
j. Dalber. POcatellO, H.; +. p. Roberts,
Maple Park. ILL.,. and Miss j. 5. Brendal.
Galena, Ill.
At Dutch Flat. OH the western slope of
,f
the level or two feet more than ever be-
fore recorded. The wagon roads and ditcnes
are blocked. Many houses have been
crushed by the snow. but no lives have
been lost. SnOw,-shoes are the only means
of getting anywhere. The damage to fruit
trees will be considerable. Should the snow
go off with rain. the damage to the valley
would be very great.
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 a
distance of five miles. John j. Jen-
nings, n New York newspaper man, who
came out to meet Miss Nellie Bly, in San
Francisco, and escort her to New York,
was caught in the blockade several days.
He made the journey from Blue canyon TO
Alta on snow shoes. and then rode on an en-
gine TO Sacramento, where he arrived this
morning, and took special train to con-
meet with Miss Bly, at LathrOp. In speak
ing of his experience, Mr.. Jennings said:
York. but people back there don't know
what snow is."
On the Oregon road the passenger trains
bound to and from Portland are still stuck
in the deep SHOWS of Siskiyou range. The
muir. between Dunsmuir and Sims and be-
tween Sims and Reading. Supplies are be-
ing taken to the imprisoned trains at Sims
from kedding. The passengers are short of
rations.. From Sims on north to Edgewood
the road is still blocked.
Oregon blockade Broken One Line.
PORTLAND, Ore, Jan. 2l.-The first
through train for the past week arrived
here this evening at o'clock from over the
Union Pacific from the East. About $50
passengers arrived on the first section, also
q large quantity of baggage and mail. An
other train arrived at q o'clock this even
Ing with more passengers and mail. A
third train is due here about o'clock A.
NJ, and a fourth is due early tomorrow
forenoon. The trains will probably bring
six hundred delayed passengers in all, and
not less than 800 sacks of mail. The
blockade is broken and unless sanotherstorm
follows the company Will be able to keep
the road open and the trains will run on
time after tomorrow.
During the weeks blockade the passen-
gers have been well provided for by the
railroad company.
The blockade on the Southern Pacific re-
mains unbroken. There have been no trains
from San Francisco for over a week.-~A
great snow storm has been prevailing in
the Siskiyou mountains. and it now looks
as if there will be no through trains before
the last part of the week. The company is
doing all in its power to open the road and
raise the blockade but thus far all efforts.
in the face of the bowling storm, have been
futile. All trains over the Northern Pacific
lines, going east and coming west, are re-
ported on time.
Nellie BLY, Starts East on a Special Train.
SAN Francisco, Jan. 2l.-The steamer
| Oceanic, with Miss Nellie Bly, among the
passengers, arrived here at $3.50 this morn
| Ing. Miss BY was taken in tug as soon
| as the steamer entered the harbor and was
| taken at once to Oakland where she board
| ed special train which was i'm waiting
| and started on the overland journey via
| the Southern Pacific and Atlantic d Pa.
citic routes.
| HURRICANES ON THE ATLANTIC.
J The Cunarder Gallia Encounters N Terrible
Storm at Sea-Her Life Boats Smashed.
| LONDON Jan. 81. The Cunard line