SNOW-PLOUGHING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9144, 21 July 1908, Page 7

SNOW-PLOUGHING.

A SCENE ON THE OTAGO CENTRAL LINE.

Ploughing, especially to a spectator, usually seems such a restful occupation with the earth curling back from the shares, leaving a long wake of fresh, shining furrows apparently without an effort on anyone's part. Quite a different kind of ploughing was in progress on the Otago Central on Friday snow-ploughing at which two full-power engines were using thc-ir strength to little purpose. Drifted snow has for nearly 10 days blocked the line between Ranfurly and Oturehua (Rough Ridge). A single engine with the plough had bored nearly through to Wedderburn, but the snow, sft deep, had been frozen hard and successive lushes only resulted in the derailment of the engine. On Thursday a large quantity'of snow fell, making matters worse than ever. On Friday the departmfnt determined to imike a big effort, bo two engines coupled took the ploughing in hand. N The two Titans behind the plough /backed slowly some way down the line and stopped, as though getting energy for the assault. Then the wheels revulved, slowly at first, but gathering velocity every moment, till the engines were dashing heavily and swiftly between white banks towards another bank, brilliant with countless crystals, blocking the rails ahead. Then came the shock of impact, a splintering crash, a smother of snow tossed high, and a grinding, gnawing sound as the steel cut in. Though the engines have run hard at the obstacle, the plough has hardly entered an engine's length, and, with the ice and snow melting in streams, they backed out and down the line, to come on in another mighty charge. This continued throughout the day, and when darkness fell two miles of the line had been ploughed, which, as no more snow had fallen, was regarded as encouraging. This long snowdrift along the line, by reason of it being coneealed, is one of the hardest things in what is now a very hard district. The only thing. tougher is the ground itself, which rings like iron |o the tread. Several attempts were made, in places, to make an impression with a pick-axe. but the only impression made was on the'pick, the point of the implement being turned Snow-ploughing with the coupled engines is to be continued until the line is cleared to Oturehua. Two snow-ploughs are now in action. The snow in places is level with the funnels of the engines At the other end the line is leported clear frcm Clyde to Ida Valley.