Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1890 — A SNOW BLOCKADE. [ARTICLE]

A SNOW BLOCKADE.

No Communication With the Pacific Coa t —A Tremendous Snow Pall, The snow blockade on the Central Pacific in the vicinity of Truckeeand Emigrant Gap has become very serious. Since Tues day last no eastern overland trains have been able to reach a point further west than Colfax. Eastrbound trains are at j Sacramento, Colfax and Shady Run, while j those coming west are at Emigrant Gap, Truckee and Reno. At Truckee the depth of snow ranges from eight to drifts of twenty feet. The snew-plow was only enabled to go a mile out, when it stuck with ten engines. On the west the road is j filled with drifts of fifteen to thirty feet, j A plow with five engines was on tne road j thirty-six .hours trying to reach the tunnel j eight miles from town. The whole crew ! returned on foot having abandoned the train as they became ravenous with ' hunger. Another.plow with twelve locomotives started out to clear the road to j Summit, but before it had run two miles it was securely blocked and the snow falling back leu it fast in both directions. The • passengers arc quartered at the hotels by ■ the failroad company. No eastern reached San Francisco since Tuesday even - i ing. The Western Union telegraph com- j pany has a large force of men in the moun- , ‘ tains clearing the wires of snow. Tele graph lines in some places are entirely ; buried under the drifts, notwithstanding the fact that the wires are strung on poles thirty-five feet high. Snow-bound passengers are comlortablo. Experienced men in snow shoes are constantly on the road between Colfax and the delayed trains, packing fresh beef and other necessaries. The only means of telegraphic communication with the Pacific coast from Chicago now is by the indirect route of the Southern Pacific, and the volume of business transacted Is necessarily limited. Washington and Oregon are shut off from communication with the entire world, with the exception of one little zigzag wire that still sticks feebly between San Francisco and Portland.

Thef olio wing is from aWashingtoaspeeial to the New York Times of Thursday: “Ex-Governor Foraker called on President Harrison Thursday, and received so cool a welcome that he is said to feul greatly outraged. The President talked with him in a distant way, and closed an interview that the Governor found painful iu ess than five Old Towser. never learned to speak a piece, but he L continually practising his bow.