The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-02-28
The Big storm of 1873.

d.
from communication with the outside
world for four or five days by a booking
snow storm. There have been several
storms of equal severity since but the
railroad men who have been in the ser.
vice since the one refer ed to have more
vivid recollectlons of the storm of 10
than of any they have encountered since.
Thos H Howard was then the con
ductor of Skowhegan's one passenger
train and the snow which was to cause
80 much trouble was already falling
when his wood burning locomotive
pulled out over the bridge drawing its
one baggage and one passenger car
which then easily accommodated the
travel to and from this station Toms
run was to Portland and back and he
was supposed to make 1t easily in one
day but in this instance he did not get
back TO Skowhegan until the following
Wednesday. Conductor Gus Lincoln
came in with a train in the afternoon of
the day that Mr.. Howard went out (Fri.
day. and Lipooln's train started on its
return Saturday morning and several
Skowhegan gentlemen. among them Col.
A. 6. Blunt and the late j NJ Arnold
took passage on 1t thinking to find some
interest and excitement in watching the
work of the nowplows, in which
search for adventure they were abun-
dainty successful.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday passed
with no trains and as telegraphc ser.
vice was interfered with station agent
b. r Eaton could get no word of their
whereabouts but he did succeed in
getting into communication with the
managers of the road. By their orders
on Monday morning Mr.. Eaton started
in to see what could be done to clear the
track leading out of Skowhegan, not
doubling that train must be on its way
here and that they might meet it at the
Pines or at least before going many
miles from home.
He and Sumner G. Ward, with crew
of fifty men waded down the track
through the snow, sboyelng where the
drifts were the deepest and reaching
Pishon's Ferry, eight miles, at night.
Here they met breaking out crew with
three engines and a snow pillow aud as
the day was too far gone to make prac-
table to continue work that night, both
crews, nearly hundred men in all,
found the best quarters they could with
the people about the ferry, then even
fewer in number than at the present
time. With this crew from down river
they found Messrs. Arnold and Blunt
who had been as far as Portland had
seen all of the winter railroading they
cared for and now had but one anxiety,
10 get back home, after something like
four days of somewhat trying expert
eaces
The following morning TUESDAY the
three locomotives got behind the snow
pillow, with all steam up, taking the sh0-
yelling crew in the passenger coaches and
the start for Skowhegan was made.
Mr.. Eaton's crew had broken down the
worst drifts the day before and the train
came night along without any trouble
mid farm, three miles below Skowhe-
gan The snow seemed to have filled in
fresh drift here and the snow-plow
left the track pointing her nose toward
the river and the first locomotive buried
itself in the snow on Its side, toward the
upper bank. Mr.. Eaton was in the cab
thirty four years still retains vivid re
cOlectio of the suddenness with which
they came to halt and the manner in
which everyone in the cab piled up on
the boiler front. No one was seriously
injured and the two rear locomotives
were on the rails all right but the over
to the side far enough to cieir the track
and completely blocked further progress
Messrs. Blunt and Arnold aud all others
who could not be tempted for per
diem consideration to stay in the employ
of the railroad started at once for Skow-
hogan on foot Word of the situation
was sent down the line and late that
afternoon three more locomotives and a
wrecking car came to swing the disabled
locomotive to one side and clear the line.
The wreck was taken care OF that even
ing and engineers, flremen, crew and
shovelers slept in the passenger coaches
for the night. The following day, We'd
nesday, the five engines pushed through
to Skowhegsn and the contest Was over.
Mr.. Eaton recalls that it cost the
Maine Central over three hundred dol
lars to settle the bills contracted by him
for that particular storm. The same
amount of snow would not cause a ike
interruption to traffic now, but with the
light locomotives in use in those days
and the plows of rather inferior model II
made a storm battle that the older rail
road men will tell stories to the end Of
the present generation.
In Washington.
The Senate has passed the river and
harbor bill with the total increased to
more than $92 ,000, 900 and the naval APP
preparation bill also marked up to over
al DOC. 600. 900 The Kennebec river comes