Evening star., 1898-12-17
DisposiuE of the, snoN-

and falls fifty or one hundred feet away
from the edges of the cut.
DisposinE OF the snow
The fianges on the wheel can be adjusted
at any angle or can he turned either WAY.
while the elevator is reversible. and the
shower OF snow may be sent either Ia tho
right or left of the track. The advantages
of this arrangement are that the snow can
be disposed Of with reference to the dir.r-
tion from which the wind is blowing an
important consideration, for thus tho ono
element that has had most to do with
forming the drifts is made to play a part
in their removal.
The wheel and the engine that keen II 70
Nolving rest upon heavy trucks There il
also a cab for the engineer and his men
the cumbrous machine is moved along the
track by means Of powerful freight tn-
elnes. In the way il breaks follows a re-
pair and supply train. with tools, provi-
sions and an extra gang of laborers COM
tortahly housed, FOR the hig wheel must be
kept revolving night and day-erupting it's
volcano OF snow and ice-as long as the
DRIFTS remain TO block traffic.
Inc ploN. engine and truck have an az
gregate weight Of 100 tons, while the wages
OF the men required in operating Il Will
easily foot up SlOU day. Considering the
work IL Goes the plow moves along at A
pretty fair clip. its rate of speed being any
where from two TO twelve miles an hour
rms II 1T tltidf'nt upon the depth of The
snow ara the distance to which il must be
thrown In order that II may not fall back
and close the cut Usually where there Is
danger OF the cuts filling up as fast as they
are aug. either because more snow lis fall
ing or because the wind is sweeping the
light, loose snow Of the plains into them
the passenger trains follow close i'm ths
wake Of the plow. for when a high wind is
blowing the track Is apt to become lost in
no time In certain sections. notably I'm
Dakota. for months at time trains cannot
move except when one OF these rotary
ploEs breaks the track ahead of IT, A cut
mas actually been known to fill SO rapidly
lhat train could not get through within
twenty or thirty minutes after the IIow
mad passed, clearing the way.
Between High Banks
Travelling is not very exhilarating where
the train creeps along no faster than an
active man can walk, and where there is
nothing L. look out upon but the white.
'recloss eNpanse, or at the white walls If
tie cut that are - close the car rocks
against th"m - IL swings from side to side
ca IA" cold, crealIng rails. and these wuiss
"IFs Root by tH"y rs the winter advances
&nS as ~, ploUs bore them out time after
tia" GaG. AZ last they are higher than the
t-Is # the cats. In the deepest cuts ii is
IKE p,>s@ing tarough a tunnel, for the al
mGsi rert.cd' walls shut out the light
Hove er eve" such travc' is Infinitely bet
ter ':"H ~ travel at all and in very severe
wlEts:..- - a. -. wher the SHOWS are more
thar -. n'a .';T heavy. as the cuts are
oHrE'" " a: three trains are rushed
ih"ouE' .-s afteI another before they close
up. ur m.re Of these rotary pluWs
are keT a. work on the main lines Of the
Chicago nnc Northwestern road in South
Dakota from the middle Of January to the
middle ~ March al an expense To the COM
pauy Of about 500 .OuO. These blows big
ara powerful as they are do not have
things all their own way In the soft
banks which they attack may be fallen
telegraph poles or the frozen carca sSes OF
horses or cows When the big wheel en-
counters an obstacle Of this sort its tiauees
are apt t. be chipped of. often seriously dis
abling il. As the railroads have been push
ed farther and farther west their builders
have learned several important lessons.
One of these lessons is that i'm a snow cotIn.