The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-24
SNOW In THE MOUNTAINS.
Efforts of Rotary PlOws and ShOveIers
to Clear Railway Tracks.

to Clear Railway Tracks.
SACRAMENTO, Cal, Jan. 23.-The heavi-
est snowstorm that has prevailed this win
ter is now raging in the mountains between
Shady Run and Emigrant Gap. Drift after
drift is piling upon the railroad track and
the plows are putting and blowing with
might and main in order to clear away for
the Eastern mail, which is slowly and
cautiously threading its way 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 embankments and forms immense drifts
between the laboring piow and the strug-
Cling train. Then the pillow must fight it's
way through the snow to wnere it can
turn and then fight it's way back again to
rescue the train from the increasing drifts.
Hundreds of shovelers are at work tossing
away the banks of snow that threaten at
any moment to fall upon the trains. These
men work in day and night shifts, strug
Cling hard to overcome the damage
wrought by the storm, but it is falling
and drifting. faster by far. than they can
of snow, so that a lantern stuck in the
bank cannot be seen a dozen feet, is the
wind. Never before has it blown more
down through where the men are working,
sending the singing snow into their faces,
and turn their backs to the biting blast
There are three hundred of these men
train which remains close to them as
side tracks will permit Although the
it's center is between Blue Canon and Emil
grant Gap; the mountains which rise al
most perpendicular on the n nor n side OF
of which, sixty feet high, barely show
their tips protruding through the snow, 50
great is the depth. These. mountains in
places rise precipituously from the road
and the immense bouy of snow covering
if once starts nothing can check It's down
fall and fatality similar TO that wnich
happened on the Shasta DIVISION YESTERDAY
is momentarily expected on the rodoS east
Of this CITY,
Tracks Buried by an Avalanche.
SAN FRANCISCO Jan. 23.-There is
complete blockade of the California & Ore
gon railroad at Upper Soda Springs, Cal,
above Dunsmuir. The great avalanche of
rocks and trees, which came down at that
point on Monday was supplemented by an
other big slide yesterday. and Superintend-
emf Fillmore says it will take forty-eght
hours at least, and POSSIBLY a longer period,
to get the Shasta route cleared. No pas
senger train was sent north last night.
Tn it's place a force of two hundred addi-
tional men was dispatched from Oakland
70 aid the four hundred more already
on the scene of the avalanche. They took
with them two of the largest hydraulic
pumps of the Monarch 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 block
ade and it's waters will be utilized by the
great rams TO cut away the immense mass
Of earth and rocks there. The slide of
Monday extended distance of one thou
sand feet and the mass of debris Is piled
up to a depth of twenty-four feet. At the
same time the Sacramento was damned
up by the falling mass to depth of sixty
feet 1t was a herculean work tor the
| force to clear away the mountain of OBJ
struction. They set about il with will.
| however ard kept up their efforts until
noon yesterday. when another immense
on the rails from the hills four hundred
| feet above and obliterated all the work
! that had been DONE Fortunately the men
| were at dinner at the time or death would
probably have been their fate AS it was
| the situation was considered so desperate
| that a report of the condition of affairs
was telegraphed to Superintendent FIJI
! more with pressing demand for aid. The
1 result was that more men were ordered to
| the scene. The company is apprehensive OF
| other slides and the situation is critical.