Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1907-02-07
ON TIE RAILROAD
How the Storm, Fsb. I and 2,Blooked
the Track. Work Of SnoW
Bueklng Crews.


Sunday the passenger trains began
moving on the main line the first
since Friday night. No. / due Satur-
day evening arrived Sunday at liza.
m., folio wed by Nos due Saturday
morning. The first passenger trains
from the west due Friday and Satur-
day, arrived Sunday about 3 .. %.
Two through trains were stalled near
Eldridge and Crystal Springs Satur-
day and Saturday night. No fIeights
moved Friday or Saturday. The
weather became calmer and sone-
what warmer Sunday. Sunday night
the mercury took another tumble and
went the lowest down the glass Of
any night this winter ranging, ac-
cording to different instruments from
40 to 48 below. The hospital ther-
mometer went to 80 below but about
noon the mercury got back as high
as 20 below. The weather was bright
and clear and no wind, OF conse-
quence.
An engine got off the track near
Casselton which held up No. 3 and
all west bound main line trains until
che obstruction could be removed,
which was slow work during the ex-
treme cold.
TIainmaster Blewatt reached Lis
bon Sunday, having opened the
road with a rotary from Fargo. He
intended 10 20 on to LaMoure and
Cakes, and return TO Fargo to keep
the track clear.
Since the 10th OF January, the rail-
road company had has crews of men
at Jamestown and Fargo, making
snow fencing and the men have BEEN
working every day and Sundays, to-
hasten the work. All this snow fence:
Is for use on the main line in placss
where 1t was never needed before.
This shows the unusual nature Of the
drifts. The crew have been making:
about mile of such fence-a day aDG
ten q lies of this portable fence have
been hauled out and set up, since
that date.
While therscis not as much snow as
ten years ago. according to railroad
men. who were on this division, at
that time, yet the snow this year is
much harder to handle. South winds
have been more frequent, and have
aided in piling snow from that direc-
tion on the track, and the long trains
left on sidings make a snow fence
that also make it easie, for the snow
to pile upon the track.
The work that the N. P. is doing
in opening the branch lines is being
carried on under the most exasperat-
ing difficulties and unexpected OBJ.
structions from the weather. The
elements have combined to prevent
rapid progress and the carrying out
OF plans and extensive preparations
for the work. The branch lines, ex-
cept the CasseItcn branch, were
opened Thursday and Friday south OF
the main line from Fargo to Edgeley.
and from Jamestown to Oakes.
Thursday last the work Of opening
the Sanborn branch began with a
snow plow and two trains, and Con-
ductor Hatton got as far as Jesse,
the first station north Of Coopers.
town. In addition to this snow buck
ing apparatus, there was gang OF
so men to help. The storm of Fri
day and Saturday caught the train
and crew north of Jesse and was so
severe that it was impossible to get
over Eve men to work in keeping the
engine alive and the engine oied. An
other expedition with a Russell snow
ploW was sent to extricate the first
outfit, and continue opening the
branch to McHenry.
On the ]. N. branch Conductor
Humes reached Oberon with the 10
tary Friday night but the wind COM
ing up strong soon after the rotary
had got through, filled the cuts be-
hind to such an extent that the sup
ply train for New Rockford became
stuck in the snow and remained at
Darlington, although at that place it
was only short distance behind the
lotaly. A wedge plow, and second
engine to be used as "drag OUT
we're sent from Jamestown, and only
got as far as Edmunds when they be-
came stalled by the unlocked for
storm Of Friday night. 1t was neces-
sary to turn the rotary at Oberon,
and again open thes] line to Edmnnds
to allow the supply train TO proceed
north and to enable the train that
has been stalled at Edmunds for sav-#
eral days 3also 60 60 north and the
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