The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-26
RAILROADS IN TROUBLE.
Trains Tied Up and Snow PIows Bat
Ting With Drifts.

ting With Drifts.
Railroads in Kansas have met the
fiercest snow storm of the year and
for many years. In the southwestern
part of the state everything is tied up
tight-the third time this winter. In
the northwestern sections the Union
Pacific and the Rock Island report
stubborn blOckades. In the southern
sections the snow is deep but the rail-
roads were in better shape to keep up
/ their service. In the northeastern
sections very few trains are running.
In the central sections trains are run
ming between terminals and officials
| of the railroads are promising nothing.
/ Thousands of men, wrecking crews
and snow pillow crews are fighting the
drifts in Kansas today. The railroads
are trying first to clear their main
| lines, second to open their branch
lines third to force through their pas
/ senger trains and fourth to push the
| freights over the lines Telegraph
wires in Kansas weighted down Sun
/ day have been connected IN good shape
today. Only in the extreme southwest
ern part of the state are the wires out
| of service.
In the eastern part of Kansas the
railroads were able to keep up the
/ service on account of the heavy traffic
that broke up the snow drifts at in
| tervals. In the west where the service
| is lighter the snow had its own way.
On the branch lines where no trains
run on Sundays there was nothing to
hinder the wrath of the storm. The
fact that the storm came on Sunday
told railroad officials their fate on
branch line schedules.
Worst Storm in History
Railroad officials in the Topeka head
quarters of the Rock Island and Santa
Fe today say the storm of Sunday was
one of the worst in the history of rail-
reading in this state. The snow driven
by gale SKINNED over the prairies |
until 1t reached the railway cushion
it dropped to the tracks and not until |
the ravines were filed did the snow
scamper on.
Fortunately the snow was not accom-
panied with severe weather and the |
trains all day Sunday were able to fight I
their way through the collecting drifts |
With cold weather the motive power is |
useless. With moderate cold accom- |
panying the snow it was possible to
push through the storm.
Today after night of wind and snow
the cuts are filled and every passenger
traln is preceded with a snow pillow or /
the locomotive is equipped with a wedge /
TO use in running the drifts. The Santa
Re has been more successful than the
Rock Island, having more trains on their
a stiff breeze blowing the snow this morn
ing both roads have trouble ahead of
them.
Topeka's three leading railroads, the
Rock Island the Santa Fe and the Union
Pacific report snow from five to ten
inches all over their Kansas territory
In the south it rained and sleeted In
Colorado and Nebraska the snow storm
was similar to the blizzard in Kansas
East of Kansas 1t showed and rained bnt
not enough to blockade train service.
Rock Island DemoraIized
At Rock Island headquarters in Topeka
this morning it was stated that practical
ly all service west and southwest of To-
peka is demoralized East of Topeka to
Chicago and northeast to Horton and St
Joseph the lines are open. West to Her
lngton the line is only partially opened.
In most of the cuts running northwest |
and southeast the snow is as deep as
the cuts. Southwest of Herington on 70 |
the borders of the state on the Eel Paso
line to California, the road has given up |
traffic If the railroad has cut thin ty
depth
The Colorado line is banked with snow
west of Belleville. From Topeka to Nc
MCFARLAND and Mcfarland to Belle
top send trains through the drifts
South of Harrington down to wellington
Wichita and Caldwell and on to Texas the
line is opened in sections. Trains are
running on uncertain schedules.
In most Rock Island districts the en-
ployees report continued showing and
blowing. 1t is useless, say the OFFICIALS
to run trains with the wind and snow
drifting.
The branch lines of the Rock Island
are useless this morning. Every snow
plow and extra engine on the line is pre-
pairing to fight the drifts. We are do
ing all we can to clear up the lines" said
George B. Hetherington.
Union Pacific in Trouble.
With no trains in Topeka since 10
clock last night the Union Pacific at 9
clock this morning was centerins their | I
energies on the western divisions in the I
nope of removing some of the big snow I
ariftS before noon AS far west as J1Inc- +
ton City, there is little trouble West or 7
deary county the roads sorrow begins
rms morning No. 100 was in the yards
At Junction City. Near Hugo. Col. No. (
10 is snowbound and will be many hours I
ate Near Belleview, No. 6, the Junction |
City local, is behind a freight train
which has encountered a five foot snow
1rift and is waiting for relief. In the
country west of Junction City the snow .
s u to Is inches deep. Driven by a 40
nlie wind the snow drifted badly last t
light and the railway cuts are packed by :
'now drifts five to eight feet deep. :
At $50 this morning, No. u on the :
Santa Fe, reached Topeka It was more {
han three hours late Reports from the t
western sections of the state indicate 3
rouble for the Santa Fe. At Garden i
City and Dodge City the snow is neavy I
md drifted badly, tying up the local
ervice almost completely. Trains from G
he east are running more nearly on Il
inne while the service from points west | d
# Newton is in a demoralized condition r
LAST night the Santa Fe succeeded in :
Keeping its main line fairly well cleared {
uttered heavily.
The Superior branch running from
strong City to Superior. Neb.. is tied up
IN account of snow drifts from tive 20
en- feet deep filling the cuts along the I
inc. Trains on the Santa Fe going south
vest are stopped at Newton pending a Z
eport from the Dodge City district d
Wires are down and nothing Is known 4
rom that part of the state. The main c
inc of the Santa Fe is open and all e
rains running, most of them behind
iIne- East of Kansas City the line is
'pen and everything is sent over the road
n good shape. The Santa Fe has sent g
tut rotary and wedges snow plows and r
hundreds of men to clear up their tracks. =
NInnW GETS PENSION