The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
Traffic Is Diverted

The Southern Pacific was demoralized
badly yesterday morning. Ceaseless
rain and melting snow tied up the
line TO the east over the Sierra, and
the road to Portland on the west side.
by reason of threatened bridges and
swollen rivers, was unsafe for heavy
trains.
]. H. Young, general superintendent
of the northern district, and j. d.
Isaacs, consulting engineer for the Har-
riman lines. went Thursday night to
Sacramento and took charge of the
situation.
The trouble was aggravated by their
rest of the system east, as the wires
were down, but after considerable
trouble they got word from Colfax that
1t was still raining in the mountains.
cessation of the storm.
Naturally the American river is the
object of concern. 1t is impossible to
say when the bridge at Elvas will be
repaired. which cuts off Sacramento
from the north. but the reports regard
ing It were slightly encouraging in
river had risen three feet during the
night. but word came that it was ris-
ing. at Redding, which meant a big
rush m OF water to the south.
The situation was such that J. II.
Young, finding it impossible to use
what are known as the west lines, di-
verted all trains down the San Joaquin
valley to Mojaye. then over the Santa
F'e to Daggett and then on the San
Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake line
to Ogden. 1t is asserted that this
aversion Will mean nine hours longer
The trains made the run to Tracy
and Fresno without stop. and train
men were instructed to run their
trains with all speed consistent with
safety. The. coast line and the lines
down the valley are in good shape
Young's dispatches TO the general of
nee yesterday were of the calamity or
fan0rfad q f,-of IN No, Z
held up by another slide near Crystal
lake, which broke $50 feet of shed.
and the roadbed that came down after
the slide Thursday had been cleared
away.
Il am. endeavoring," he wired. ito
transfer No Is passengers either by
electric. | have a gang with a pile
driver coming down from Tehama, and
VIII make a strong effort to restore
the line so as to divert trains that
way as soon as possible. An examina-
ton by daylight of the American river
prldge shows that the third pier has
gone. taxing out the SECOND and third
spans. The Western Pacific lost it's
bridge last night The American river
has fallen about two feet at Elvas since
3 a. M. but it is reported that it is
about eight inches higher at Folsom" ."
The situation of the trains yesterday
was as follows: No. 2, Emigrant gap:
No 4. Blue canyon; No. %. Cisco; No.
l, Roseville.
far from encouraging. A work train
was kept in readiness at Marysville.
and at a. m. the water was up to
the ties at Marcuse and racing over
the track at Lees between knights
Landing and Chandler. The Yuba river
bridge south of Marysville was FIVE
inches out of line. The north levee
of Feather river had broken ont and
the water was up to the ties between
Binney Junction and the Feather river
bridge. The trestle near Biggs was
out, and it was wired to the general
office that there was no possible chance
to detour trains via Knights Landing
or Tehama.
The town of Biggs was four feet
under water, and there was six feet
of water over Niger Jack and the
creek was rising
All the trains on the Northwestern
Pacific were moving. although there
was considerable high water at Dun
cans Mills. No trouble. however, was
looked for on the line.
The Santa re officials In the city re-
ported that all their trains were run
ing on schedule and there was no
break on their lines.