Omaha daily bee., 1892-05-18
OMAHA IS HEMMED IN
WashoutS, Land Slides and High Water
Form Gordon Round the City.
UNION PACIFIC BRIDGE ABANDONED
Approach on the Iowa Side Badly Damaged
and Unsafe for Trains.
UNDER TEN FEET OF MUD AND STONE
Burlington Track Near Gibson Buried Be-
meath Tremendous Avalanche.
'ER TEN FEET OF MUD AND STONE
BIG LAKE FORMED NEAR DEERFlELD
Water from tho Overflow Renders tho
Lines lmpassable In that Direction
Trains Mt the Dcpot-Co,lisiun
at South Omaha.

Four great headlights, ranged side by side
above four double lines of slippery, shining
steel rails over which they throw flood Of
light toward Governor Boies' land of pro-
hibition, were seemingly permanent fixtures
last night among the appurteaances
of the Union aepot. Tho cleaning rays
might have reached the other side of the
river, but if they did it was more than either
OF the pondorous locomotives behind those
headlights could do, for Jupiter pluvius had
tabooGd the crossing of the Missouri.
Washouts and landslides werI tho direct
causes, and they efrectualy blocked siz
great lines of railway. After q o'clock no
trains left for the east. west or south.
The first trouble was experienced by tho
b. ~ NJ, and came Monday night in the
shape of big landslide in tbs overh lugiug
bluff near Gibson station. A mass of earth
weighing many hundred tons fell across the
roadbed, covering all the tracks to the depth
OF ten fcot. big force OF men were at
once put to WORK clearing away the oostruc-
tion, but their Roadway was slow and the
tracks have not yet been opened. All Bur-
lington trains between Omaha and Pacific
Junction Yesterday were run by way of the
Union Pacific bridge aud Council Bluffs
transfer, aud Omaha-Plattsmouth trains
Last Avenue Cut on.
The great troube, however, was caused
about $50 o'clock last evening, when part
of the roadbed at the east end of the Union
Pacific bridge settled and slid down toward
the ditch. 1t was of such q nature as to
block the passage of trains, and coming as it
did just before the tinc of departure Of
nearly all the evening trains stopped travel
Nta al, IaFt h,,pl l,nI
passengers fuming within the narrow con-
Gnes of tue depot.
The last train to pass over tho bridge for
the west was Uaion Pacific fast mail No. 3,
which came over at 6:l5 ana departed for
the Pacific coast on time.
The last east bound train to get over was
the Rock Island No. 2, which went, over at
6:30. Bo,h the Rock Island aud Milwaukee
backed over here usual from their yards
on the other side of the river about $3.50,
and the Milwaukee should have followed the
Rock Island Chcagoward at I'D, but n delay
of a few minutes was occasioued IN trans
ferring the Milwaukee sleoper from the
Burlington, and before the train was ready
to start the word came forbiddlng an
further travel between Omaha and the
Bluffs, and The Milwaukee was tied up.
Where tho Trains Are.
The B. 81 NJ, flyer No. 2, from tho west,
due at 4;l5, came IN two hours late, and be-
fore the baggage could bo transferre the
fiat had gone forth and another lot of pas
sengers had been made miserable.
Union Pacific No, 2, due at 6:5o, arrived
| two hours late and, Of course, could not get
across to the transfer.
The outgoing Kansas City train was ready
| to pull out on time al 9:l5, but it didn't pull.
| The engineer couldn't jump the washou:,
and wouldn't if he could.
The b. Il M train, No Z, that should have
| left for Llncoln at $50, couldn't get over
from the Bluffs and that settled that ques-
ton. IL couldn't have gone il it had been on
this side, because OF the dangerous condition
OF the roadbcd near Dccriield, where the
water rose on both sides of tho track, until
| only The rails aud the very top of the grade
appeared above the surface of the newly
| formed lake. No, 3, leaving at 4;40, got
| through without difficulty and was reported
| o. X. at Lincoln, although somewhat be-
| hind time.
The Rock Island night train for the west
| did not leave Council Bluffs and nothing
went over tnat road after the regular train
at 30 p. m.
No % on that road, due here from tho
| west at o'clock yesterday morning, did not
| get in until after 8 O'Clock last evening" aud
| that, too, after an exciting experience at Al
bright.
| The Milwaukee officials, finding that it
! would be impossible to get their train back
! to the Bluffs, sent their passengers over by
motor shortly after 9 o'clock, made up an
| other train on tho other side and started for
| Chicago about four hours late. The same
was done with tho passengers on Union Pa
| citc No. 2, VINO were to make the North
| western connection at tho transfer.
The Burlington passengers pu: in several
| hours asking questions which elected no
| definite information and many finally sought
! the hotels and went to bed.
| What the Superintendent Learned.
| At 10 o'clock it was announced that tho
| B. ~ NJ. would start no tram westward before
! morning, ard nothing could he told as to
| what would be done with the cast bound
| train until the return of Superintendent
| Bignell, who had taken an engine and gone
| TO DeerheId TO make personal examination
| of the condition Of affairs there existing. 1t
| was stated that II the roadbed was in shape
| to allow train to pass. the train would bo
| pulled back to Ashland and run TO Platts-
| mouth via tho cut Off, but at midnight 1t was
| still standing on the second track at the
| depot and Bignell's report of the situation at
| Deerheld was very discouraglng.
He found the track IN very bad condition.,
| with water on every hand. He was unwill-
| ing TO risk the roadbed and stated that con-
| siderable filling would have TO be done TO
| protect IT from the water He started al
| once for South Omaha TO make arrangements q
| for the prompt delivery of several train
| loads of manure from the stock yards to Dd
| used in dyke building at several points along
tho line between South Omaha and Deer.
| field.
The situation Is not serious, as the roads
east of the Bluffs are open, ana passengers
| will transfer by motor In case the bridge ap-
proach washout proves TO be serious one.
| 1t is probable that in that case trains will be
switched TO the Chicago, st. Paul, Mime
apolis Il Omaha tracks and will cross at
| Missouri Valley.
| The B. 81 M is the heaviest sufferer but
IL has easy access TO both the Rock Island
| aud Union Pacific tracks, and in case Of q
washout at Deerield can readily reach Lin
coin over either Of them
Where the Trouble Is.
Tho earth was washed away along the
bridge approach three quarters of . mile
| from the Council BUNS transfer for Q dis
| tance of hundred feet or more, so that IL
was unsafe for trains TO pass. Another wash
out fully as bad was AT the west end oI