The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-15
Union Pacific and Rock Island
Still in Trouble.
Storm Thursday Filled Cuts
and Stopped Traffic.
Open WAY TO THE NORTH
Will Try to Reach Denver by
Way of Lincoln.
Other Roads Are Having Less
Trouble.

With the heavy SHOWS in western
Kansas Thursday afternoon, the trOu-
bles of the railway companies in
creased a hundred fold and both the
Rock Island and Union Pacific have
practically abandoned hope of operat-
ing their transcontinental trains before
Sunday-perhaps later. On the Union
Pacific every available man is working
to clear the company's tracks and the
operation of trains has simmered to
meagre local business. The through
passengers are being held in Topeka
and cared for here.
This morning a special train made
up in Kansas City, stood on the Union
Pacific tracks in Topeka awaiting the
opening of the line to Lincoln, Neb
Nearly 200 passengers were on thlS
train and will be taken to Denver over
the Lincoln line. The opening of di-
rect service to Denver today was en-
tirely out of the question.
Between Topeka and Omaha the
road confronts snow drifts four and
five feet deep The sunshine of a few
days ago was followed by heavy
freeze and the snow has frozen to such
an extent that workmen must hght the
heavy drifts with picks.
Last night the Union Pacific motor
car made the trip with the assistance
of one of the company's heavy engines
and it is doubtful if a trip will be made
TODAY. Local service between Kansas
CITY and Topeka and from Topeka to |
Junction City was the only traffic open |
on the Union Pacific this morning and |
these trains We're hours late; NO NO |
trains over the direct Colorado line |
have been operated since Saturday,
while the Lincoln line which may De
opened today, has been closed to traf-
fic for more than a week. A work
train made up in Topeka this morning
will attack the drifts between topeka
and Lincoln.
With a bunch of sunshine and fair
weather promised, the Rock Island
renewed hopes today and concentrat-
ed their working forces against the
drifts on the Colorado lines. This
line will not be opened today, but
the company hopes to get trains
through late tonight or Saturday
morning. With drifts two to 25 feet
deep over the extreme western end
of the Colorado line, Rock Island OF
ficiaIs have lost sleep for week.
This morning the Rock Island an
the clearance of the tracks
on the Nebraska and Texas lines and
the operation of regular service to
Ell Paso. Local service to Kansas
City has been on time and No. II, the
schedule time today.
Some trouble was encountered last
night by the Santa Fe on its lines
west of Dodge City and several of the
heavy main line trains were late.
The Missouri Pacific has had its
share of sorrow and service on the
Central Branch has suffered. 1
Central Branch SnOwbOund.
Atchison, Kan, March 15-Snow (
again has tied up traffic west of Con-
cordia, and the Central Branch of the
Pacific continues to be snow
tral Branch. Burr Oak. Washington,
Prosser Stockton and L4enOra
branches have been tied up since last =
A Central Branch passenger
train that left this city Monday morn
ing and became stalled in a drift be
tween Barnes and Greenleaf finally
arrived at Barnes. Another passenger
rain with the state tax commission | ]
has been there since Monday. The ,
present snowbound condition of the
Central Branch is due to a high wind
hat swept over northern Kansas last
night, filling the railroad cuts l
With old snow. All along the line en-
yines and freight trains as well as }
trains are tied up at sta E
ions More than two hundred men '
IRE shoveIing snow from the tracks t
General Manager Higgins of st. l
louis is out on the Central Branch to +
investigate the snow situation and as
certain what can be done to get trains [
through. The Central Branch is now r
n worse condition than during any {
,ther time since 1885. I
Denver, March 15--Ra1lroad traf-
ic conditions into Denver showed a |
light Improvement today with the .
.rrival of one Santa Fe train from
he east and the announcement by Z
he Burlington officials that trains
we're able to get through from Chi
ago on delayed time, but not from r
It. Louis. Union Pacific and Rock
sland trains were annulled again to-
ay.
The Missouri Pacific is still blocked
n eastern Colorado and western 4
Kansas. z
Missouri Pacific Snowbound. Z
Wichita. March 15.-Two Missouri b
'acific trains are snowbound, one be-
ween Geneseo, Kan, and Kanapolis, O.
IAN, and the other between Larned, k
IAN, and Seward, Kan. Snow SHOW h
lers are at work and the trains will 81
e released tonight. v
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