Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1880 — An Earth-Rock Avalanche. [ARTICLE]

An Earth-Rock Avalanche.

The sand-storms through the great Colorado Desert are as obstructive to the Southern Pacific railway as the snow is to the Central Pacific road on the Nevada summits. Instead of snowsheds the Southern Pacific is putting up sand-fences for many miles, which will greatly lessen the evil. Never in the history of the Central Pacific road was travel interrupted for a week before this winter. Snow-sheds have been destroyed and tracks buried beneath landslides of great extent. The company has given proof of being prepared for the emergency. Snow-plows and working brigades swarmed on 200 miles of track. They seemed to spring out es the ground. But near Alta, on th* California slope of the Nevadas, an earth and rock avalanche occurred k>f such magnitude that the army of shovelmen stood aghast at the months’ job before them: But a hydraulic gold gravel sluicer smiled at it “In forty-eight hours, without a pick, a shovel, ot a barrow, or a man to wield them, I will say to you mountain mass begone, audit will vanish and leave no sign!” And it was so. It was but an hour’s work to make a flume of boards and tap a mountain stream 150 feet overhead, and lead it to the spot. Then, borrowing I some hydraulic hose and three-mch nozzles from gravel miners close by, he had quickly several such streams, under 150 feet pressure. playing with nitro glycerine x>wer on the mass. Down came rocks,' joulders, trees, stones and earth; 100 tops at a roll tumbled down the steep declivity, and, good as his word, there remained j in forty-eight hours not a hillock to bear record of the wondrous achievement. Quick almost as thought the track was replaced ; the cars ana engine appeared; glad passengers, released from bondage, made the welkin echo with joyous cheers, and the next train wonders where was the obstruction!