The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-28
SANTA CLAUS CAME.
Christmas on a BlOckaded
Union Pacific Train.
CHILDREN HADATREE AND GIFTS.
How Two Seattle Men Won the Hearts
of Mothers During Weary
Hours of Waiting.

D. L. Fry and J. o. Hestwood. who
were passengers on the Union Pacific
tram which was snoWbound between The
Dailes and Portland for five days, arrived
ID the city yesterday. and tell q story of
privafion endured at time when other
people were enjoying themselves such as
entities them 10 general sympathy. Fry
related his experience 10 Posi- -lNTElII-
GEN GER reporter las: night, rs follows:
When we got to Pendieton on Thursday we
were informed that there was snow blockade,
ana that five Zee. OF snow had fallen in Wash
ington and Oregon. We got over 70 The Dalles.
and there found half dozsn trains from all
points. which had been showed in; one
had come back after having stuck in the snow.
The company got out a rotary snow plow on
Friday morning aud sent it forward driven by
TWO engines. and then made up a train of eleven
cars-two sleepers three coaches and the rest
Carrying mail, baggage and perishabe freight
with three engines. There were 800 people on
board, gathered from different trains, and every
seat was occupied, so that We ali had 10 sit up,
having 40 room to lie down The crew that
handled it had been on duty thirty-six hours
without sleep
On Friday afternoon the snowpiow broke
down aad some time lost in fixing ii UP,
ana We only advanced abont forty miles in the
day We had nothing to eat from that morning
until midnight, when we reached Bonneville,
and then We had only very slim supper. On
saturday morning the conductor came through
the car and dished ont hot coffee to the ladies
only. The men piled out through the snow TO a
little shack on the roadside and cleaned il out
OF provisions In five minutes. On Sunday alter
noon at 3 O'Clock we were at Troutdale, WITHIN
forty-eight miles of Portland when we struck a
bank oil so feet of sand and snow, ten to
fifteen feet deep. When we got half way through
ha nj b-nL
we had to go back 10 Bridal Veil, three miles
distant. At o'clock that night we had to climb
steep hill III the rain 10 get supper. The snow
pillow was fixed up during the night, and on
Monday morning at O'Clock we got TO Portland.
When it became apparent on Saturday that We
should have TO spend Christmas on board the
train. some OF the children. of whom there were
about thirty-ive, began to cry because they
would not see Santa Claus, aud Mr.. EASTWOOD
struck the happy idea OF having Christmas
tree on the train. He climbed up the hill and
cut a tree and then bought large supply of
toys, candy and nuts. ! got the mothers
to put the children to sleep early and
then We decked UP the tree and covered it
with shawl. j. VI. Lively, of Port Townsend,
was dressed up as Santa Claus. and at the ap-
pointed time went through the cars playing
harmouicon and awakened the children. We
pulled down the shawl and revealed the tree,
the toys all sparkling with spangles, aud Santa
Claus came out and distributed his gifts. The
children were delighted, but some Of the
women, who were away from home and friends
on Christmas day for The first time, burst into
tears. We spent the night in telling stories and
sing ing, and all became good friends. The pas
sengcrs held meeting and passed resolution
of thanks to Mr.. Hestwood for planning the Gel
ebration. While we were lying at Bridal Veil
Mrs. Annie Basant delivered a lecture on theos-
ophy in the sleeper and / took the musicians
and serenaded the people on board.
The Union Pacific made every effort to make
the passengers comfortable ana to make the trip
as pleasant as possible under the circumstances.
The train could not run around By the juno
ton, because there were other trains coming
right behind it; if it had been possible to do 30
the train would not have gone back, Tor it was
expected to go through the snow every hour.
The resolution of thanks to Mr.. Hest
wood is as follows:
Rtsolfed That we, as passengers on train No.
l, snowDund at Cascade, Or, return our thanks
and appreciation TO J. O. EASTWOOD, OF Seattle,
Wash. for his thoughtfulness and tenderness in
planning Christmas tree for the little ones on
board said train.
Signed: D. /. Fry. Seattle; A. n. Riggs,
William Green, J. VI. Lively, c. W. Thompson,
Tacoma; J. C. Applewhite, G. f. Grant. Seattle;
f. NJ. Poston, Portland: c. T. Brown, Tacoma;
Charles ". Ratch. Manchester, Ia; A. T. Nc
Donald. Greanvlle, Tex; F. stoner. Fort Smith,
Ark: 4. H. Brush. Portland; Ole EloruIn. Port
land r. d. Gilbert, LaGrande: Clement Msrier,
Salt Lake