The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-30
SNOW ON THE SUMMIT
True Winter Weather on the Occur
d'Alene Branch.
THE SNOW PLOW IS READY
Along the st. Regis the Road Has
Been Recently Riprapped-Re-
pairing Trestles-O Tim
ers Are Specializing.

Missoula. Nov. 29.-Winter Is closing
in on the Occur d'Alene branch and the
track improvements that have been in
progress since early spring must soon
be discontinued for the season. Al
ready the snow on the summit Is Is
inches deep and each day brings an
additional fall On the western side OF
the hill everything is white. all the
way to wallace and on this side. the
snow covers the country as far as st.
Regis. In many places the fall has as
yet been light but at Saltese II Is about
a foot deep and IL seems as IL IL had
come to stay. Roadmaster Burdette
has made a good showing this year,
and the branch is in better shape than
1t has ever been before.
The whole length of the road along
the ST. Regis has been well ripripped
and is in good condition to resist the
assaults of that stream when 1t be-
comes a flood next spring. East OF
st. Regis cuts are being widened ana
trestles filled in places that are dan
gerous and this work will continue UNI
til winter drives the men out. One
work train and a big gang of Italians
are rushing the work to get as much
done as possible before snow comes
and the dangerous trestle at the east
end of tunnel No. will be made solid
with broken rock before the crews are
called in. The road along the Mis-
soula river, this side of St. Regis, Is In
good condition for the winter and the
section men are putting on the finish
ing touches before frost hardens the
ground
Up at the summit, the traveller looks
out upon a veritable winter scene. The
tall pines and cedars are heavily
weighted with snow and rocks and
stumps are buried beneath their winter
covering. The telegraph wires are as
big as ropes with weight OF snow
and the roofs of the few cabins on the
hillside are white and smooth. 1t is
only a matter of short time before
the big rotary pillow will begin its daily
trfps over the summit and then the
regular winter campaign will be on
The old pillow Is ready for the word
having been thoroughly overhauled In
the shops and is in conditions for It's
long buck against the snowbanks.
Up at Saltese the miners and rail-
road men are specializing as to the
amount of snow that they Will get thi'
season Last year they had only SIX
or eight feet and the old timers were
dissatisfied. The year before, however
they got all they wanted. There were
drifts in the SaItese yard that were q
feet high and the depot was nearly
MAIDEN from view. III idShs Ohc hiCA -
ing the rotary came near going straight
through the depot instead of cutting
path straight down the line. The snow
was banked so high against the build
ing that II was not discovered tnal
the big pillow was headed wrong until
a ripping and cracking of boards told
that the knives had struck wood In
stead of snow. No damage was done
except to one corner OF the building
although some of the big snow knives
were somewhat disarranged.
The heavy timber on the hillsides
above Saltese prevents any serious
damage from snowslides, or else there
would be sad havoc played with the
line on the heavy grade up the mount
aims. The destruction of so much tim
Der by fire on the west side or the
range this year may lead to serious
results this winter II the snow Is heavy
These slopes will be watched with con
siderable anxiety as the snow becomes
deeper, especially where the fire SWEEP
the hills clean. There is a good chanc'
there for a big slide IL the snow evel
gets started down hill.