The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-03
BLOCKED BY SNOW.
Great Northern Overland De-
layed Thirty-six Hours.
FRlNGEO WITH LONG iCICLsS.
The Belated Train Arrived Late Last
Nfght-Chnngc- fn Great North
crn Office Men.

The overland train on the Great North
srn which was due 81 Seattle Wednesday
id not arrive tn i0.3 o'clock last night.
and those who saw & slide into me sta
ton a. that hour almost wondered that j
came a. al. The engine was a new one
THAT rad taken up the train az Interaay.
hut the ha9zare car. dining car. sleeper ard
four coarneF. which made up the regular
train. were literally sheeted with ice and
snow Iclcles more than three feet long
hung PENDANT from the roofs, and OUTSIDE
one of The baggage car doors that mad TO-
NAMED closed the snow was banker nearly
half way up the side. The icicles glitter
Ing ard flashing and the snow crystals
afarkI.ng "a the electric light made up such
q @0era a. Hans Christian Andersen would
have delighted 20 people with wintry elves.
Instead Of elves. however, q score Of hotel
runners greeted the long~delsyed train
with merry shouts. and breaking some Of
the longest icicles from the cars started
with them Tor the Post-Intellgencer Of
Zee.
The snow Blockade.
The long delay OF the train was caused
b. a heavy snow blockade IN the Cascade
mountains where there has been ar almost
incessaut suOwst0rm since December =.
TIE train reached Cascade tunnel q few
hours late. preceded by the rotaries, which
ID efficient work In clearing the track,
the kANN aNthS very Afg hEhJ f4E4tt iiiSiAg
the tunnel there was a delay OF three hours.
Outside again, the rotaries had hard work
or the switchbsck. and Il took nearly three
hours 20 get down 20 Wellington. Here
the train had 10 take the siding for a de-
layed freight, which Was hemmed in by
the snow az Windy Point, three miles from
Wellington. on this siding the train had
20 DE from . o'clock Wednesday evening
all ! o'clock yesterday afternoon. During
this long detention the passengers were
made as comfortable as possible. ard their
meals we're provided al the expense Of Tie
road.
ono result Of the blockade was nat TO
train could be sent out over the Great
Northern last night until the belatod train
had come IN. There was much uncertain
~ as 70 the time OF arrival. and the muir
murs usual on such occasions were heard
about The waiting rooms. The first bulletin
announced that the train would be IN at
s.3a. Then there was an extension Of time
10 S.0 and again TO 9l5, AMI
then period OF indefinite wait
Ing. during which the hackdrlvers held
their horses "a the cold wind ie. and
long -coated pedestrians stalked ~ orouaiy
up and down the avenue. INSIDE the
sgnoking room thirty-four men had gath
cred In response 10 a call from the road
master Issued yesterday morning for men
90 SO ont over the road last night They
were told 70 report at clock last night.
and they were promptly on hand some. Of
them having spent their last cent to buy
pair ~ blankets 20 sleep on. bat all glad
a. the prospect OF getting work. Their
chaErin can be better imagined than de-
fcTiDsd when. after having waited nearly
four hours. their passes were handed hack
20 them and they were told that no men
wouil D. sent out last night. As they
truascd despondently back 20 their homes,
some ~ them having TO walk several
mAles their criticisms were not particular
IS mild ~ favorable.
suIan nlen8ent v 4. Riton. Of the Great
Norfheru. came in on the tardy train. and
Nas teea - a Pos,-intelligencer porter
lasf n.nhf
"Ihe recent storm IN the Cascades has
heen Une of the seNerest for years" he
sd The weather has not been so cx-
tffmeiT cola. boz 10 has been stOrmlug and
tnaNlng almost every day since December
e Yesterday was the first clear day since
thar date. : have been on the mountains
for several days. and was at the scene OF
tie hlnakaaf There Is not much Of
stnrf connected with Il. The tram WAS
Simply df.sged thirty six hours The pass
erEfrs wcHe an cared FOR and their only
cause - complaint was the detention.
which uHs unavoidable The track IS clear
nov, and ae vii send out train for the
East iasl as soon as one can be made up