Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-03
EXTRA SHIFTS
ARE LABORING
ON RAILROADS
EFFORTS BEING EMPLOYED TO
LIFT BLOCKADE
NO TRAINS TO EAST ARE SENT
FROM LOCAL DEPoTs
Possibility That Santa Fe VIII Today
! Dispatch Long Scheduled over
Land-More Damage
Reported

After having been isolated from all
eastern railroad communication for al
most forty-eight hours, Los Angeles
again is in touch with the outer world.
No trains have reached the city since
early Saturday, but the Southern Pa
cffic company yesterday dispatched
trains Nos 8 and 10 for the east via
Igl Paso. Both the salt Lake and
Southern Pacific companies expect
trains from the east, long overdue, to
reach Los Angeles either this morning
or this afternoon, while the Santa Fe
holds out little hope Of any of the
overlands arriving before Wednesday.
Bad as the washouts already were
in many places. yesterday morning
downpour greatly increased the damage
done. The Southern Pacifics coast line
between Los Angeles and San Fran
cisco is the only route over which the
trains have run in anything which ap-
proaehes scheduled time. The majority
of the stations bear a deserted aspect,
for across the large blackboards which
schedule the time for trains leaving
and arriving are written the three
words "All trains annulled."
Wrecking engines and constructing
gangs were kept at work all day and
all night in an almost superhuman ef- |
fort to turn aside the great floods
which undermined the roadbed and car
Jied away bridges. Along every one
If the valley lines hundreds of men are
now working, and so successful have
been their efforts in many places that
al three roads probably will be run
ming local trains by this afternoon.
Work Night and Day
Men are toiling night and day at the
San Gabriel river, which in its mad
rush to the ocean has carried away
bridges and tracks. At this point the
most serious washouts along every line |
have occurred, and should the bridges
he repaired this morning traffic will be |
resumed soon after.
Much concern has been expressed as
to the condition of the road east of
Alton, where the Salt Lake route
crosses the Mojave river. All wires are
down at Alton, and it is believed by
the railroad officials that some of the
most serious trouble yet encountered
will be met with the other side of the
Mojave. Salt Lake trains now are
stalled at Victorville, Barstow and Otis.
1t is believed that none of these will
reach Los Angeles before Wednesday
or possibly Thursday.
Conditions are especially bad along
tho Santa Fe lines. and in many places
new bridges must be built and new
roadbads constructed. Both main lines
from San Bernardino are out of COM
mission, and according to a statement
made late last night there still is Sc
Tious trouble along nearly every
branch of the road. Several new
washouts have been reported on the
line between San Bernardino and Bar
stow, none of which has yet been re-
paired. Between Los Angeles and San
Bernardino new track will have to be |
laid in many places, as the officials |
-faI
repairs Early yesterday morning the |
concrete bridge near Olive station set |
tied, effectually placing that piece of |
roadbed between San Bernardino and |
Riverside out of commission for sew
cral days at the least.
Two more Santa Fe bridges were
rendered unsafe near Anaheim yes
terday morning, so that the San |
Diego line, the trains Of which were
previously four hours behind time is
now altogether unfit for travel Many
of the Santa Fe overlands, bearing
thousands of tourists, are delayed
either in California or just across the
border The second section of the
Limited, due December 81, is now held
at Cajon station, while trains Nos. Z
and l, both due in Los Angeles Sat
urday, are stalled at Barstow. No. |
was last heard from at Needles, but
probably will not reach Los Angeles
before Wednesday afternoon, while |
trains Nos. and I, due yesterday,
have Just passed Ash Fork.
Three Trains in One
The first overland train to Los An |
geles since the rains started will be |
train No. 81 which the Santa Fe will |
dispatch this morning. The train will |
comprise two which were scheduled to |
have left Saturday and one which |
should have pulled out of the station |
yesterday.
In contrast to the stations. where |
the ticket sellers are trying to keep
awake by reading novels, the tele- |
graph and business Offices of the big
roads arc hustle and confusion. Tele- |
grams are being constantly sent and
received, and everything possible is
being done to relieve the badly con-
gested traffic. Even those who stand
at the head of the local railroad world
were hard at work yesterday in an
attempt to solve the knotty problems
which confront them.
San Francisco also is more or less
affected by the washouts and land
slides which have everywhere oc-
Cured. A report received last night
stated that the big bridge near Bar
stow was in trouble. This will cut off
San Francisco traffic along this route
for several days.