Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1849-01-02

md perhaps be improved in many places; all
If which will tend TO reduce the estimated cost.
Like all estimates made in this stage of the
work ) the one here presented must be regarded
Is only an approximation towards accuracy, 4
though have endeavored not to fall into the
too common error of making it too low.
1t should not be forgotten, that, although
the face of the country along the route is gem
orally ravora BILE for Railroad, the direction
ofTthis route is unfrvorable, in as much as il
crosses the principal DRAWINGS of the country.
Notwithstanding all this, it will be seen from
the estimates, that the work is not only prac-
ticable, but quite feasible.
AL: Of which is respectfully submitted.
THOS. j. MckEAN.
En- gnecr Dubuque and keokuk Rail Road.
A SNOW STORM.
Extract from the Report of Lieut.. J. W. Alb
ert, on New Mexico. j"
The Lieutenant and his party had left
Benl's Fort, on their return to st. Louis,
on the goth Of January. Such suffering
as is here detailed has seldom been ex-
ceeded: ....".. .st~y 2e3a s4i |
February 2O.--All night the storm RAJ
ged with fury as awful as that Of the
tormentes Of Mt. Blanc. The particles Of
snow beat with wild rage against my
tent, while the frail structure quivered,
and the poles that supported it, creaked
and groaned so much that it was impos-
sible Tot me to sleep. Such was the force
OF the wind, that it drove the snow thro'
The canvass walls Of my tent, and found
my bed and papers covered with II. Dur
ing the night | heard one of the men,
who had got his feet wet in attempting to
cross the river, imploring some Of his
companions 70 let him get into the wag-
on with them. The night was terribly
cold, and feared that all our animals
would be frozen to death before morning.
At length morning came; but when look
ed out, the snow was drifting along in
dense hard, icy particles, that flew along
with extreme velocity. As the sun began
10 appear the storm ceased; and it was
most fortunate for us that it did cease
now forced my way out Of the tent,
which was banked with snow. When |
looked around, scene Of utter desolation
presented ITSELF Most Of my men bad
laid down on the ground to sleep, but now
not one Of them could be seen. called
aloud they heard me not, being covered
beneath the deep snow. | now went to
the wagons. In one found Pi|ka and
Laing, in the other, two or three men, one
Of whom had been very i'll ever since
leaving Ben,'s Fort He came rushing to-
wards me half distracted, his shirt cover
ed with snow, his head bare, and crouch
ing at my feet he implored me to take him
to house! 90, Lieutenant, take me to
house! Ishall freeze to death! | am
freezingc' His arms we're drawn up and
stifened; his body almost paralysed with
cold. took the poor fellow and put him
in my bed, and covered him with blankets
and buffalo robes. 1t was all that could
do. a..
! We now searched about and found the
men by the aid Of the cracks on the sur
face Of the snow, caused by the movement
of the restless sleepers. Covered by the
heavy mantle Of snow, they had kept ex-
tremely warm, and now the chill air felt
TO them intolerable.
February 21.-Ths morning is the
first for thirty-six hours that any one has
ventured out. My men had their provis-
ions ready cooked, and shared them with
Mr.. Browns party. Of all the tents that
had been pitched Friday night, mine was
the only one which still remained. The
snow had heaped up around the rest SO
that the inmates were obliged to desert
them and take refuge in the wagons. A.
bout mine the wind had swept in such a
way as to keep open path around it, al
though tho snow was on level with the
ridge pole of the tent. We now broke up
some boards that were In the wagons, and
kind!ed little fire. Soon the sun rose;
but, instead of one sun, we had three; all
seemed Of equal brlliancy; but us they
continued to rise, the middle one only re-
tanned its circular form, while the othors
shot into huge columns Of fire, which
blended with the air near their SUBMITS.
The breadth Of the SUMS apparent diam
eter, and their height about twelve times
the same diameter; they were between
twenty and thirty degrees distant from
the sun. Before the sun had risen more
than ten degrees, this phenomenon had
entirely disappeared. Some Of my men
called my attention to this strange APP
pearance, but SO engrossed were they with
their own calamitles, that they hardly
seemed to be the least astonished at what
they saw.
After some little while we missed Pres
ton and the sick man; we inquired, bu,
no one knew anything about them. Il
was now evident that they had been bur.
led beneath the snow drift, which for some
distance around had filled up the nook il
which we had encanped 10 the level q
the prairie; as the drift was Of consider.
able extent, much time would b. wastct
IN examining il, unless We could fne
where they had pitched their tent. Al
last noticed one poor fellow digging =
way 10 find his boots, ne showed I'm