New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-12
THE FESTIVAL At TIE OPENING or THE
CJif 400 AND ROCK ISLAND RAILROAD


~ G.Lry., Tuesday, June 8, 1854
Yesterday morning this immense pleasure party len
Chicago at the appointed hour Two long trains OF cars
ver. occupied by more than thousand people, additional
guests wcr, picked up every place OF any note on the
way-and at about O'Clock were landed at kocs
Leland under the refreshing influence OF gentle rain
The passage from Chicago the occa,ion OF a lew
military assembGges along the route and OF the ndusr
Gus discharge OF at the Successive localities Az
Sheffield 4 lunch handed through the These
were the principal Incidents did not hear OF any
sreeches though there may have been some on the other
train as that seemed have the majority OF distinguished
matchmaking porsonages But the country raversed
was ahead of all speeches and beyond all description These
inf mite sweeps of prairie than the with their
G,leslands of woos-the woods themselves of oak mostly
standing on the creensward without underground
ike well kept park all give TO the entire region the
character of ancient settlement and long cultivation IL
was hardly possible imagine that the great fields OF corn
ard wheat we encountered had never been powed TIL yes
erdav and the excellent horses the sleek cattle in doves
Ike bualos and the heavy heeced sheep on every hand
were admirable enough to pass for the descendants Of
breeds brought to perfection here centuries Indeed
our admiration divided mainly between the grandeur
and richness Of the landscape and the beauty of these AMI
mails Certainly there can be region in the world more
favorable for their production The uxuran grass OF the
prairie affords inexhausble pasurase, while the genial
climate renders needcss much OF the and labor that
mus; BE- bestowed on them elsewhere.
Ii n hundred and ninety miles from Chicago TO the
Mississippi and the greater part Of this is composed OF
prairie and oak openings. In the middle of the region
however there rises considerable OF upland bounded by
bluffs whose precpous edges have been abraded by the
action Of water where the surface and the forest growth
are more varied and where the streams flow with more
! ne * MET better
waered country than the other and tie soil rich enough
70 the passing eve but il is harder bring into cultiya
ton and settlers seem 10 resort the prairie despite
tie fact that wholesome for drinking cannot be had
there lat least is not wholesome to stranser and that
the whole soil approaches less the character OF
marsh owing TO the want of natural drainage At this
season Of the year water can be found every
where by digging from three to SIX feet and
wherever the soil had been removed tor the
railroad en.bankments the excavation was filled with
water. OF course with so moist and harshy soil one
would say there must be fever and aue and bilious and
intermittent feyer and the people nowhere have that rosy
and vigorous air which the mountain tribes OF NewErg-
land can boast Of But things here grander than else
where The farms and herds would make these tribes
gaze with wonder. Cornfelds bigger than Yankee
townships pastures without fence, broader than the eye
can span dotted with groups each of hundred head OF
catte-hcse things that Yankee patience and THRIFT
never have to cope with. And the inhabitants OF the
country even the pnching and saving immigrants from
Germany somehow adopt the manners OF the landscape
and look and walk and ride and speak largely and gener
ously. Depend upon il a new species OF men VIII gro"
out of these plains and out of the mixture OF races here
going forward. And when add that The WEEKLY
TRIBUNE taken in about every other house have said
the best shall try to say about the moral and intellectual
influences here in vogue.
Arrived at Rock Island found that the boats en-
gagged were sufficient 10 accommodate the party and
accordingly sixth one added to the convoy But
even with this there great deal OF confusion IN the
distribution of the guests. The saterooms had been
allotted Chicago where the names had been registered
but many of the tickets had been lost and very many per-
sons had all Besides there had been some errors
husbands and wives were appointed to different boats and
several young fellows obliged to part from the fair
ladies about whom they had hitherto reyolved with the
most laudabe ev oedness. And them for many there
the prospect berhs at all better than spread on the
floor or the ample top OF the dining-table Accordingly
the ainthoarted afraid Of the crowd and crush, went
ashore and renowned the Falls Of St. Anthony at least for
this time whereat those who got their did not
much lament
i am bound say here that any criticisms the members
of our party have INDUCED in upon the people of Rock
Island were more than met by criticisms in turn Circu-
atng among the crowd gathered the shore heard that
the ladies from tie kast might be and doubt rich
" dressed but astonishing for beauty; opn
ion which. on recording, protest against
We set sail finally for up river at about 10 o'clock in
the clear moonlight putting away against the powerful
current of the river which here very broad and
imposing. The previous incidents were speech from
President Fillmore the people OF Rock Island and an
other TO the people Of Davenport opposite both in favor
Of Internal improvements and the great West.
And now here are, with guns firing and crowds ap-
plauding, going ashore to see Galena.