Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1897-01-28
MOVEMENT OF TRAINS.
Snow Fills Up the Cuts as
Fast as They Are
Opened.
The Dakota Division Blocked
ARain-SnoW Fences OF
No Avail.
People Frozen In Chicago
The Poor Needing Great
Assistance.

Hardly had the railroad been opened
Saturday before another wind filled the
outs with snow aud again the task OF
outing through the big drifts was re-
peated. The two trains from the west
that were stalled here for two days were
sent out late Saturday and but one sue
oeeded IN getting out of the state and
into the shelter OF the timber IN Min.
nesota. The two passenger trains from
the east that reached here at II p. M.
Saturday are reported to have been held
near New Salem, 30 miles west of Man.
dan. A heavy rain and storm OF sleet
fell on the Missouri division Thursday
Later the storm turned into snow. near
ly foot fell, and the road was blocked
for some time. However the drifts we're
not so heavy, but the wedge plow could
"buck" passage through, and the road
to the west was reported open Monday.
The rotary plow disabled on the
Northern branch last week was sent east
Sunday, towed behind wedge plow.
When between Eckleson and Sanborn, 1t
is reported, 1t was necessary TO cut off
the engine and run to Sanborn for water.
In twenty minutes the track was 80
drifted that the engine could not reach
the plow and it was not dug out until
Monday. The rotary from this city cleared
the track to the plow, but could not. at
tach to it so az to pull it to siding and
it remained there until approached
from the east.
The company has rotary and JUL
Centrifugal plow at work on this dlvi-
sion beside the usual wedge plows. Some
of the cuts are said to be nearly thirty
feet in depth and the amount Of snow on
the division unprecedented. The snow
fence seems to be no protection what
ever. 1t holds the snow and by the
height OF the fence increases the depth
OF the snow in the cuts. At the Bloom
cut solid fence ten feet high was built
The snow drlftec to the top Of the fence
and across the cut and an additional
fence on the top of the first was built
This only served to aggravate the trouble
Railroad men say it was never SO diff
cult to handle traius and keep the road
open. 1t is unprecedented in the history
of the state as regards railroading.
The first tram to run down the Valley
branch since last Wednesday was sent
down today. preceded by an engine with
Q pilot plow. Superintendent Wilson
accompanied the train With the pay car i.
Conductor Tom Sloan escorted Train
No. 2 to the city Sunday afternoon
and siuce has remained here awaiting
orders. Passengers we're fed on the
train at the dining car and everything
done by the company for their comfort.
All holding paid transportation were not
charged Tor their meals.
The road from Valley City to Fargo
was reported open Monday afternoon and
the plows at work toward this city.
The northwest wind wss drifting the
snow on the prairie considerably and
undoipg come Of the work.
The thermometer registered 80 below
Monday night and at 90. m. Tuesday
was % below zero. The wind was quiet
and the weather agreeable accordingly.
The storm OF Saturday and Sunday was
general and the cold extreme. In South
Dakota the railroads we're blocked and
the mercury went IA below. Stock
losses are reported as very great. In
Keusae, iowa and Minnesota the biz
zsrd ragged hard and Chicago had the
cOldest weather of the year.