The record-union., 1894-02-20
THU LATE BIG STORM.
One Of the SeVereSt Experienced
in Several Years.
1t Causes a Temporary Delay to the
Overland Trains.
SnoWsleds Crushed and a Big PlOE Ditehe1
The Men All Rescued Alive.
Heavy Rains EV8TyWhge, and the Rivers Booming
Serious Situation Along the COSumn6S.

The storm king had everything his
own way yesterday in his stronghold in
the heart of the Sierra Nevada, where the
brave railroad men fondly believed, al
che termination of Sunday nights fierce
battle, they had conquered.
At o'clock yesterday morning the
railroad officials in this city received the
welcome news that the road across the
mountains was clear, the trains all run
ming, and that no further interruption
was then looked for.
Two hours later all their fond hopes
were dispelled by the receipt of news
that about one thousand feet of snow
sheds between the Summit and Tunnel
13 had been crushed in by an avalanche
of snow, and that another stretch of shed,
between Cisco and Tamarack had been
carried out.
These catastrophes were bad enough
insuring as they did a serious blockade
of the road, but there WAS worse news
TO come. 1t was to the effect that a
frightful accident had occurred near
Coldstream, between Truckee and Tun-
mel Is, where seven big locomotives and
the mammoth push plow had been de-
rallied in consequence OF drifting snow on
the track.
The plow train was descending the
mountain toward Truckee, when sud-
denly the great plow Ieaped from the
track and shot off 10 one side some fifty
feet, turning over and burying itself in a
huge bank of snow.
News of the disaster was brought to
Tunnel IL by Conductor Paul Tremblay
on snowshoes, the telegraph wires being
down all through that section.
hof mr. Fnh hot
neer Lovelace had been seriously injured,
and that Conductor h. B. Higgins,
Brakeman d. w. Terrill, Engineer /. +.
Graham and the fireman of the latter 8
locomotive, Michael Brennan. were all
missing. AT least, when Conductor Trem-
blay left the scene of the disaster with
the news the men had not been found.
Whether they had simply been hurled
into the snow banks and temporarily sub
merged, or had fallen under the wreck ed
plow and locomotives, had not then been
ascertained.
RELIEF TRAINS SENT OUT.
Immediately on receipt of the news
Superintendent Wright left his office in
charge of Assistant superintendent T. r.
Jones, and, organizing relief train,
started at once for the Summit, accom-
soied hy several surgeons. Phil Doug
las and his wrecking crew were also dis
1t was understood that q messenger had
been dispatched from the wreck to
Truckee, and that relief was also sent
from there.
MORE SNOW-SHOVELERS.
Word was sent out from the railroad
Office that large force of laborers was
wanted for work in shoveling snow on
the mountain, and within few hours the
depot here was crowded with several
hundred men anxious TO be drafted for
the work. Some were comfortably clad
and had rolls of blankets, while others
had only thin clothing and no bedding
There were among them gray-haired, de-
crepit old men and boys not far advanced
in their teens, but there were also scores
of young, StalWart men who looked
strong enough and courageous enough to
face the terrible storm known to be rag
ing ia the high Sierra, and who looked as
If they would be able to fight the storm
king successfully TO a finish.
The work TO be done was hard, and re-
quired men Of the strongest constitutions,
but there were enough of that quality on
hand from whom to select a small army
of shovelers. Assistant superintendent
Jones said the number of men sent up by
last night would probably reach three
hundred. which was as many, with those
already there, as could be conveniently
handled.
THE MEN ARE SAFE.
There was only one way of getting in
formation from the wreck last night, and
that was by way of Truckee and Chicago.
thence north by way of Oregon, the lines
being down east of Emigrant Gap.
A bout 8 o'clock Assistant Division Su-
perintendent Jones received a telegram
by this roundabout way bringing the
gratifying news that the physicians who
went out from Truckee had returned
there with all the men supposed to have
been lost in the wreck.
They were all badly shaken up, and
some had sustained slight bruises, but
Conductor Higgins was the only one
whose injuries amount to anything. He
was scalded somewhat by steam from a
locomotive.
This will be cheering news this morn
ing to the families and relatives OF the
men, who feared from the first report
sent in that all had been killed.
MORE OFFICIALS TO THE FRONT.
Last night General Superintendent
Fillmore and Master Of Track J. II.
Wallace came up from San Francisco.
They were joined here by II. j. Small
and departed Immediately on special
train for the front.
WIRES DOWN.
Last night the telegraph wires were in
working order only as lar as Emlgrant
Gap. Beyond that there was no commu-
nication from any point this side OF
Truckee. A force of linemen were sent
up yesterday to repair the wrecked wires.
and it is thought that possibly by this
morning they may again be in working
order, provided the storm on the mount
ain did not break out again with its
former fury.
There WIS no storm to speak of last
evening from here TO Emigrant Gap, but
the outlook Tor clear weather was not en-
couraging.
MOVEMENT OF TRAINS.
At q o'clock last night special train
was sent to the mountains with 100 more
snow-shovelers. Attached to q was a
coach carrying passengers for all stations
between here and Celfaz.
Last nights East-pound overland was
held here until this morning or until the
track is clear to Truckee.
The West-bound overland due here
this morning is being held at Truckee.
tFhe overland leaving here yesterday
noon is at Colfax, where II will be held
until the road is clear.
wAsHoUT NEAR WHEATLAND.
Yesterday small stream near Wheat
land overfiowed so as to injure the rail-
road track. and that route had to be
abandoned temporarily.
THE train for Portland last night was
sent by way of Davisville. Woodland,
Tnioht;s Landing aud Marysville, and