Amador ledger., 1901-01-11
SHOWED IN.
A Vivid Account of the Trip of Passen-
ger Train on New Years.

EN~SOA6OA
storm in northern California was writ.
ten for the LEDGER by one of the pass
engers:
1.-THE snow had begun in the cleaning,
And busily all the night
Had been heaping field and highway
With silence deep and white"
The beautiful snow" began to fall
as we crossed the line which marks the
northern boundary of California, and
everything indicated big storm or
New Years night.
Train 16, southbound, left Ashland,
Oregon, on the afternoon of Jan. I'd,
headed by four powerful engines and
followed by fifth. The snow became
deeper and deeper as we assembled the
heavy grade of the Siskiyou mountains,
but the snow pillow was ahead, and, with
its long line of putting engines, was cut
ting a wide swath in the light snow.
At the summit the tops of fence posts
were just visible, land still fluttered
down the snow"
There was something strangely quiet
about everything. The usual roar oil
the train was deadened so that one
could easily imagine he was being drawn
over the snow in sleigh. 1t was down
grade from the summit to Ager. Cali
fornia, so we slid along and enjoyed the
beautiful Alpine scenery, which was
constantly shifted into more beautiful
variations than we would attempt to
describe. We could look at times down
into gorges of wonderful depth, lined
with trees-each decorated after its own
particular fashion. We passed over
several high trestles, which were under.
hung with magnificent icicles; and
through deep cuts where the industrious
pillow had cut space just large enough
to allow us to pass through, the snow
being piled high above the coaches on
each side.
We reached Ayers at o'clock in the
evening, and there we stayed until four
teen hours of the new year had passed
by, waiting for our only hope of deliv-
erance,-the snow plow-to get in its
work. At 8o'clock on Thursday morn
ing we had not resumed our journey.
AS we were due in San Francisco at 8:45
a. m, according to schedule, it was
time for some of us to begin to get a
trifle impatient. The railroad in its
great wisdom follows the rule, "Where
ignorance is bliss, it's folly to be wise, -
and gravely informs each anxious in-
quirer that "Well start in about an
hour" which is true, for they set us no
time for the hour to begin. 1t is par
allel case with the man who leeves the
card, Back in ten minutes" in his Of
fee window. So we wait on, and on,
and on, starting up at each whistle
blast, anxiously following the move
ments of all train men, and trying to
catch the meaning of their CONVERSE
tion. But after awhile the track was
reported clear, and we started on. The
summit OF Shasta mountains was safely
passed and we proceeded on the down
grade to Dunsmuir. 1t is on this grade
that we see the most beautiful of all
Natures handiwork combined with the
masterful engineering feats of man. AS
we approach the upper crossing of the
Sacramento river we are travelling in a
northerly direction, while directly be-
low only a few hundred feet we see the
snow pillow forcing its way through the
unbroken crust in the opposite direc-
ton. The road here makes complete
GU" going up the east bank and COM
ing down the west bank of the river.
Right behind us is train IL, which is
closely followed by train Is, which is
regularly "a hours behind us. So we
are "a hours late at Dunsmuir.
Here we learn that a rotary pillow is
ahead, facing stock train, which is
unable to move forward or backward
as we know that snow plows do not run
backward, we settle down for the night.
The passengers who are fortunate
enough to have berth in the sleeper
are comfortable enough, but those who
must lie curled up on seat and car
sleep only until awakened by a cramr
in the neck, are to be pitied. Also the
patient mother with two or three tired
babies to look after. Then there are
many who made no provision for long
trip, either in food or money, and are
compelled to resort to the charity OF
the railroad company for the bare
necessities of life.
So the hours pass by. Morning finds
us still at Dunsmuir. Everyone is
straining his ears for the whistle of the
rotary pillow which must come up before
we can move. The wires are down on
both sides, so the railroad officials are
no wiser than we, and for once their 81
don't know" is true. All day long, I'm.
til late in the afternoon we wait as pa.
tlently as we can. Occasionally the
monotony is broken by snow fight
among the passengers, and the spirits
of all are temporarily revived ;but there
is an end to everything, and no one was
sorry when the great rotary pillow
steamed in and we heard two blasts
from our engines whistle.
The weather became clearer as we
wound around the curves of the Sacra.
mento river, and the full moon broke
through the clouds and gave us moon.
light scene such as one does not often
haholI