The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-23
SNOW BANKED
BUILDING HIGH.
Grandly Beautiful Scenes in
the Sierras.
The Heaviest Storm in Many
Years.
FLOOD In THE VALLEYS
Espa Street Submerged and Boats Take
the Place of Street Cars-Many
Wheat Fields Under
Water.

SACRAMENTO, Jan. 22.-Ths storm in
the Sierra Nevadas and along the Ore
gon line among the Shasta mountains,
continues with apparently no sign OF
cessation in it's violence. Despite the
enormous snowfall and the driits caused
by the heavy winds, the railroad officials
have been enabled to keep the road
through the Sierra Nevadss entirely
clear, and passenger trains are moving
nearly on time. Not only is there no
stoppage of travel on account of the
heavy snowfall, but freight to the
amount of over 100 carloads is being for
warded daily to eastern points. No
chances are taken in the moving OF
traffic, and the road must be absolutely
clear before trains are moved. Never
have the railroad officials been 80 per-
fectly supplied with the means Of meets
ing the assaults OF the storm king as
they are at the present period, and they
assert that they will be able to keep the
track clear without difficulty unless
some unforeseen accident occurs.
Three rotary plows were kept con-
stantly moving on the exposed portion
of the track and gangs of experienced
snow shovelers are scattered along at
all the threatened points and can be
conveyed TO any place on the road on
short notice. At few points on the
line it has been found necessary to
broaden the space between the snow
banks bv shoveling, but in She main the
rotaries have been ell sufficient TO re-
move the enow deposits as fast as they
fall.
GREAT AVALANCHES.
Travel ie temporarily stopped on ao-
count of the enormous avalanche that
occurred in the canon near Castle
Craig. The railroad company has a
large force of men engaged in clearing
the track and the officials hope to be
able to forward trains today. Local
trains between this city and Red Bluff
are running by way of Merysville with.
out hindrance.
A heavy washout in the vicinity OF
Willows has caused that line to be
abandoned temporarily. At present
the track where the wasEout occurred
near Dunnigan is entirely covered with
water. and it 10 simply impossible to
ascertain the amount of damage in-
Cured or the necessary slime that will
be required to make needed repairs.
There is a remarkable similarity be-
tween the present storm and the one
that occurred in January, 1890. Bosh
began on the same date, the 10Th. and
statistics show that nearly the same
amount OF snow fell on similar datsR.
UnUsE HIGH,
The etorm OF 1890, which caused such
an absolute blockade in the Sierra Me-
vadas, lasted Is days, and by present
appearances will be equalled, if not
surpassed. by the one now raging.
The official reports for the last "a
hours show the snowfall to have been:
Truokes, inches. on the ground s feet;
Summit, 10 inches, on the ground 20
feet; Cascade. 20 inches, on the ground
IL feet / inch; Emigrant gap, 10 inches,
on the ground IA feet 7 inches; Blue
cation, 5 inches, on the ground feet.
GRANDLY MAGNIFICENT.
The scene in the Sisrras ia ono of sur
passing magniicencs. It seems as if
the route of the Central Pacific were
laid through the line of tho greatest
snowfall. With drifts 40 feet deep and
snow % feet deep on the level at the
summit, the utmost energiea OF the rails
road people are put to the test. The ro-
taries are tossing snow in continuous
streams from the roadbed. but from
Gold Run to Truckee snow ia falling st
the rate OF an inch or moro an hour.
Luckily the wind ia not blowing. and
the situation is not complicated by the
formidable land and snow slides that 30
often make railroGding and even ex-
ietence in the Sierras periloue. In places
hardy mountaineers in the smaller
towns communicate by means OF tunnels
through the snow. Habitations are OBJ
liberated and the reign of the etoym
king, magnificent but deeolate, ia su-
preme.
Trains proceed oautiouely through
Holid perpendicular banks OF snow like
marble walls towering above them. The
rotariee precede them in ceaseless toll,
cutting the way that a couple of thou
sand men had prepared. The snow ie
falling so fast that it ia not certain that
the push plows and Hangers will not
have to be invoked to keep the way
open. If the storm continues it will
severely test the levess. A warm rain
on the mountains of snow now would
bring greater body of water on the
valley than in 166l-62. Word was re-
ceived early this morning that the snow
on the summit of the mountains had
reached to level with the CROSS arms
on the telegraph poles and that four
more inches OF snow would PROSTATE
every wire over the mountains.