The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-24
FIGHTING WITH SNOW
California Trains Tied as Eff
fectively as Brooklyn's.
AvALANcnEs ON THE TRACK.


Sacraxnento. Cal. Jan. .3-.At last
there IL IuiI In the storm OF the past
eight days, ard the steady sheets 81
snow That had been eriisting the SER
vices 81 all the available men at the
command Of the railroad officials have
dsgsnerated into occasional Hnries
zhrDughout the mountain regions. But
luil does not mean cessafica OF
work nor a relaxation Of vigilance on
the part Of the railroad men engaged
IN keeping clear the great artery Of
trarel that connects the Coasi with
the East. On the contrary. advantage
has 70 be taken Of the truce with the
storm king TO clear side tracks, and
remove the Accommodations of snow
from those points most threatened by
snow slides. The rotary psows have
TO be kept in constant operation TO re-
lieve the great masses OF snow that
are continually breaking OF the high
banks that line the raod for miles, and
the drifts that are constantly forming
IN the narrow cuts through the hills.
The levee near CiarksDnrg. on the Yolo
side OF the river, has given way and
the hamlet - Inundated, the residents
being compelled TO use boats TO pass
from house 10 house. The river Is also
oyeyffowing the ieyees near Rio Vista.
and vast stretch OF country. almost
as tar as the eye can reach is under
water. only the tops Of the fence posts
being visible
Dunsmuir. Cal. Jan. rs p m-The
Gay has BEEN warm and pleasant. with
occasional snow hurries. As the prom
isea hydraulic OUTFIT did not come. Road
master Joe Mott. with 800 shoyeiers.
started on the glacier-iike mountain OF
snow at the foot OF the avalanche. They
saoveied all day. bat have made only
beginning. A line CT seniineis were
posted clear up to the source OF the ava
ianche. to give warning If another START
ed. Superintendent Cooley left Sisson
yesterday morning with the rotary, AMI
at IL O'Clock last night stopped at Bear
creek. fourteen miles this way. The ro-
tary got down to the shoyeIers al noon.
but Is OF no use for that kind OF sncw
1t cannot advance foot an hour and
the men who run 1t could do more with
shoyeiS. The snow Is packed and ley:
IL has to be picked and shoveled like
DIRT. The superintendent says 1t will be
open Friday evening. but others say
Saturday evening. Everybody here has
been up 10 see the avalanche. 1t Is a
grand sight and worth a trip from the
city to see. A special is expected up to-
night with 100 more men. BY an accu-
rate measurements Superintendent Cooley
says the snow fall TO date is thirty-one
feet, little more than in the famous
winter five years ago. On Black Butte
summit it Is IT least twenty feet. more
The delayed passengers have Joined in
with the citizens and are having a big
ball tonight.
Sisson, Cal, Jan 2S--Sanday's south
bound passenger train is still imprisoned
In drifts. numerous snowslldes blocking
the track between Sissun and Dunsmuir
While workmen were clearing big slide
mar Soda Springs an avalanche came
down the mountain. The workmen es-
capped. but ali the tools were lost. The
second slide Was about 1880 feet long
and averaged 20 deep. and was composed
OF STOW and debris OF big pine trees.
All the wires have been down for the last
two days, hut teiegraphic communication
was re-estabiisheSs this morning Num-
erous slides throughout The day broke the
wires in many places Indications are
that the blockade viii continue four days
more. Snow is still falling. In the last
ss hours ten feet OF snow fell making
fifteen feet OF snow now on the level
The fall fer the season Is tfsirty-two feet,
unprecedented In this country.