New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-10-21
A MOTT RIDE ACROSS THE PRMRIEs.

Editorial Correspordence Of The y Y Tribune
SOuIH BEND Ind, Tuesday, Oct. IL, 1853.
| left New-York on Monday morning of last week,
reached Ia Fayettc, via Erie Railroad, Buffalo City,
the steamboat Queen of the West to Cleveland and the
Railroad thence by Gallon, Belefonaine aud India
napoiis, at noon on wednesday. Having gwen me
residue If that DAY and oil the next to the State Agri
cultural Fair and fulfilled the engagement that drew
ne to Indiana returned to Indianapolis on Friday
morning spoke there in the evening, and started back
via La Iayette Saturday morning TO fulfill prom
ise to speak the evening Of that day at Laporte
where shOuld reach the Northern Indiana and South
EN- Michigan Road and set my face homeward.
How we delayed on our way back to Lafayette,
and how, reaching that smart young village was
nisled by tine Kind guidance of Jealous friend INTO
waiting for the Northern cars al place half mile dis
tsut rom that where they then actually were-how
az last broke all assurances that they aedys started
from this point and must come here before leaving and
made for their outoi-the-vay station just in time to be
too late il were fruitless yexat0n 10 recall Suffice
it that at noon stood on the platform where | might
and should have been twenty minutes before, just in
time 10 the line Of smoke lowering over the rapidly
recedng train TO realize that any seasOnabe uiiment
If ny promise to Laporte was now impossible and to
harm II at the next regular train would leave on Mon
day, and take NE 10 LapOrtc just TWO days alter L
should have been there.
WANDERED back 10 the village in enyiable mood
to telegraph my mshap to LapOrte, and bad the PRIV
lege cooling my heels for an hour and quarter on
the steps Of the office while the operators leisure
at last Just too late TO enable 10 stop the sending
If carriage eleven miles from Laporte to meet me at
Westyile, and retraced M steps to the Out-o-town
depot TO what chance remained or might turn up
As quite "A number had been deceived and LETT as
| was owing to recent change IN railroad arrange
ments the agent said he would send out an extra tram
that afternoon ii he could procure an engne but none
came in that could be spared and at clock our extra
train was adjourned to next morning at ID, and re-
turned 70 the Telegraph Office to apprze LapOrte that
ffare far
evening and then walked over to the Brambe House
and laid in stock Of sleep for future contingencies.
| was at the depot in ample season next morning
but the train that was to start at ten did not actually
leave till noon, and then with body entirely dlspro
portoned to its head. Five closely packed with
live hogs, five ditto with wheat, two ditto with lam
ber three four with 1--we stock and notions returning
from the Fair and two three cate-cars containing
passengers formed entirely too heavy load for our
asthuatic engine, which had obviously Its best
days in the service of other roads before that from
Now-Albany 10 Michigan City was constructed SUI,
We went ahead crossed the Wabash passed the Ippe-
canoe battle-ground, ran our engine partly Oh the
track and got IL back again and BY three O'Clock nad
reached Brookston station fourteen miles from La
fayette with q air prospect OF trayersng our whole
nInet odd miles by the dawn OF Monday morning.
But here We came ~ long halls The engine was
in want OF both wood and water, and, though woods
and oughs were in sight in various directions, neither
were accessible. So our engine detached ana run
cad five miles iOr water and still farther Tor
wood, ard weary two hours tediOusly away be-
fore it, return Il came at last, hitehed and start
ed Us but before it had moved us another half me,
the dscharge-cock Of the boiler dew out, letting OF al
our water and steam, and rendering hOpeessly i'm
movable or hours to come
We got out 10 take observation. The village Of
Brooks0n consists OF three houses and no barn. With
q well almost dry for the use of the railroad but
neither Of the houses is tavern, more than Que
story high and their aggregate Of accommodation fell
far short Of the needs Of the hungry crowd 50 unex-
pectedy thrown upon their hospitality. Two or three
more houses Of Ike or inferior caliber cleaning
in the rays Of the setting az various distance. on
the prairie but these already surfelted with rail-
road hands boarders TO speak Of sick women or
children in nearly everyone for disease has been very me
this season Oh these prsires. Still, friend 0uns an old
acquaintance in one Of the nearest residents, whose
sick wife spread generous table forthwith Tor as many
of US a. could cit around il, and, having supped we
turned out On the prairie TO make room for family
party including two women, one Of them quite SICK as
she had been all the way up and At Lafayette for some
days before.
Our conductor had started q hand-car back 10 La
fayette in quest Of the only engine therea weak old
ne needing repairs before il could be used IL
was calculated that this engine would be up about ii
O'Clock and would then drag us back lafayette 70
spend the remainder Of the night and take fair start
in the morning. This for one had resolved not to
submit to, though the only alternative were camp
ere On the prsirie Bat R0H bright thought struck