New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-10
NOTES OF WESTERN TRAVEL.
RAILROAD EXPERIENCES.

Correspondence Of The n. Y. Tribune.
CHICAGO, Saturday Feb. a. 1855.
There Il another block-up Of the wheels Of locomo-
ton Travel westward ard southwark from this point
has been almost wholly suspended since Thursday
night believe the Rock leland Road is now open,
and there IL prospect that the Chicago and Ga'ens
Road will be clear by tonight; but nothing has yet
been heard from the trains on the Chicago and
Mississippi Road, and fear there ha, been repeti-
ton Of the scenes Of cold and famine which occurred
q month ago. Nothing like the present winter has
been known since 1888, which remember, as boy,
from having the windows Of the lower story Of
ny fathers house fin Southern Pennsy lvanis entirely
darkened by the snow drifts.
The severity of the season. however, seems to have
been confined to the region north Of the Ohio River
The course Of my Western travels, for the last two
months has been in zigzsg line between that river
and the Lake. and have several times, since Jan.
90 run into ard out of the belt of extreme cold. For
instance, left Cleveland on the morning Of the 9Th
inst, with the Thermometer at 50 below zero, with
gradual increase Of temperature went southwark,
sntil reached Cincinnati, the same evening, in the
midst OF a tbsw, and learned that the temperature
had not been below 800 So, last week started from
this place for NewAlbsny, Ind, leaving here with
temperature not much above zero. Between Michi
quantity, although the great Kankakee Swamp was
still hard frozen. At Indianapolis the soil began to
show through the ragged coverings twenty miles
further there was only slight peppering of snow in
feDce.ccrners and the hoows Of the woods while all
along the Ohio the earth was entirely bare, and sp
paIently but little frost in the ground Wednesday,
IN Louisville was one of the balmiest and weetest
Of winter days. The sky cloudless, the air mod
ersfey warm with few drops Of some cold, bracing
tonic principle infused into 1t, and the life along the
kvees was cheerier than have seen II since New
Years day at Pittsburgh.
eft Jacksonville Opposite Louisville) at sunrise
on Thursday. The sky was still cloudless, and the
sun came up, like the sun Of Auseritz large and red
through light belts of vspor The Ohio River was
Allied with floating ice from shore To more and the
lsry-boat which first peied and then saved the lives
Of 900 individuals at anchor in the mdst Of It.
Still, tie huge cakes which had foated down from
500 miles Of the Aleghaniee, began to show sodden
and "mushy' upper surface, proving that they had
been touched by the Below the Falls they were
broken into finer fragments, and more mushy and
slushy than ever 90 that the ferry between New
Albany and Portland made its regular tps, and
bled the people Of Louisville to get to the Northern
railroads by making circuit Of some eight miles.
Well, as was saying, the sun was red and the
morning was clear. This state of things lasted until
We came upon patches Of snow near Indianapolis.
simultaneously with these appeared patches ofclouds.
Al the snow increased, 60 old the clouds, and go did
~Os the temperature, which went the other way. At
Lsfayet the earth hidden by snow aud the sky
Wa covered with clouds, and as whizzed past the
famous battle. ground Of Tppecsnoe "a and Tyler,
"too, the fakee began to come down, sngly and in
clusters with an air which showed like the rst arr.
walls ct spsrty that we might expect large comps
ny. have seen many desolate Landscapes but
few more desoate than the KaDkakee Swamp in .
enow-ssorm. Those intermnable miles Of alternate
snow and pools of frozen water, streaked With belts
Of looking trees stretching away into gray aud
drary distances, might have been the plains beyond
Slave Lske and the Copper Mine River for any sign
Of warmth and life which they displayed Once, only
there token Of civilization, and this rather
Of that pioneer life which heralds it. Two hunters,
With furred coats and caps, and faces which the
and wind had bufeted into the hue of beefsteak,
we're dragging large buck by the hind legs across
the snowy plain. We shot past them like aash, and
into other stretches Of deserted swamp The noise Of
our iron wheels became more and more mufied a. we
approached Michigan Ciy--but as the rosd is nearly
adead level there danger Of our being br ught
70 stand. II was nearly midnight when we reached
Chicago the streets deserted, the whirled
round the and drifted along the side walks,
and the air was piercipgly cold. The change from
The outside STERN to the warm and lighted ,aloors of
the fremont House, and The hustle of military ball,
vas DO less striking than agreeable.
Iwas due at Belvidere yesterday, but the train
which left on Thursday stuck at Oak Ridge eight
miles from here and most Of the passengers returned,
some on foot and some in sleishs Notice was given
1t the station that NO trains would leave until this
morning. % l secured warm room, bought up all the
old TRBuxKsI could find, and-I confess it with
shame and sonow-Hghted cigar. But drew pa
thence therefrom; and which is worse-to storm and
fret and swear ss many do in thee parts, or to SIT
down quietly and puff your ve1stons into smoke
So yesterday passed, and this morning arrived, and
no trains appeared. I had engaged to be at Rock
ford this evening, and was informed that the road
would be clear by noon. Noon came, and the hour
Of starting was postponed until one o'clock; at one,
II Wa advanced to tvo at two to three, and about
Ibis time several individuals arrived In state Of suf
hrirg hist appeared Incredible 70 "a vhO were wsit-