Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-23
Disaster From Snowslides Threat
ened in California.
TEE HEAVIEST STORM OF THE WINTER
Sixty-Foot Trees Barely Show Their
Tips Protruding.
WORKING ON THE RAILWAYS

SACRAMENTO, Cal, January 2l.-The
heaviest snow storm that has prevailed
this winter is now raging in the mountains
between Shady Run and Emigrant Gap.
Drift after drift is piling UP on the rail-
road track and the plows are pulling and
blowing with might and main, in ORDER
to clear away fer the eastern mail, which
is slowly and cautiously threading its way
over the mountains.
No sooner Is one drift tossed aside by
the powerful rotary plows than another
forms. Sometimes the snow, lifted by the
force of the gale, is carried over the ELL
bankments, and forms immense drifts be-
tween the laboring pillow and the struggling
train. Then the pillow must fight its way
through the snow to where 1t can turn
and then fight it's way back again to res
cue the train from the increasing drifts
Hundreds of shovelers are at work toss
ing away the precipitous banks of snow
that threaten any moment to fall upon
the trains. These men work in day and
night shifts, struggling hard to overcome
the damage wrought by the storm, but
the snow is falling and drifting faster by
far than they can handle it.
Added to the binding volume of snow, so
that q lantern stuck in a bank cannot be
seen dozen feet away, is the wind. Never
before has it blown more ficrcely, and the
bitter wind sweeps down the cuts in which
the meu are working, sending the singing
STOW into their faces. They are compelled
to pause to get breath and turn their backs
to the biting blast There are 300 of these
men and they sleep and eat in a railroad
outfit train, which remains as close to the
men as side tracks will admit.
Although the storm is general from Col
fax to Truckee, it's center is between Rlue
Canyon and Emigrant Gap. The noun
tains. which rise almost precautionary
on the north side Of the track, are covered
with fir trees, some of which, sixty feet
high. barely show their tips protruding
through the snow. SO great is the depth.
precipitously from the road and the inn
menss body of snow covering them Is In
constant danger of sliding. If it once
starts, nothing can check its downfall, and
on the Shasta division yesterday is mo-
mentarily expected on the roads east of
this city.
A Great Avalanche.
SAN FRANCISCO, January 23.-There is
q complete blockad. Of the California and
Oregon railroad at Upper Soda Springs,
Cal, above Dunsmuir. The great avalanche
of snow, rock and trees which came down
at that point on Monday was supplement-
ed by another big slide yesterday. and
Superintendent Fillmore says 1t will take
forty-eight hours at least, and possibly
longer period, to get the Shasta route
cleared.
No passenger was sent north last ngnt.
In its llace a force OF 120 additional men
were dispatched from Oakland to aid the
400 or more already on the scene Of the
cataclysm. They took with them two. OF
the largest hydraulic pumps Of the Mon
arch pattern, which will be placed at work
at once on arrival.
The Sacramento river goes rushing past
close to the track at the location of the
blockade, and its water will be utilized by
the great rams to cut away the immense
mass of earth and rocks there. The slide
of Monday extended a distance Of 1000
feet, and the mass of debris is piled up to
a depth of twentyfcur feet. At the same
time the Sacramento was damned up by
the falling material to the depth of sixty
feet. 1t was a herculean work for the
force of men to clear away the mountain
Of obstruction.
They set about it with a will. however,
and kept up their efforts until noon yester-
day, when another immense quantity of
earth and debris came down on the rails
from the hillside, 400 feet above and OBJ
liberated all the work that had been done.
Fortunately, the men were at dinner at
the time, or death would probably have
been their fate.
The situation was considered so desperate
that report Of the condition of affairs
had been telegraphed to Superintendent
Fillmore, with a pressing demand for aid.
The effect was that more men were order
ed to the sea enc. The company is appre-
hensive of other slides, and the situation
is critical