The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1856-05-23
KroKur. Iowa. May ia. 80
W. Q. GAR, seo'y.
Ma GRAYt

Ma GRAy!
Perhaps 3 word abou, our
whereabouts may not be wholly uninter-
estinr to those who take an interest in
Western events. We leh Toledo, in your
own State. at O'Clock in the evening Of
tho 5.h inst, and reached Rock island
the next day at o'clock, P. NJ. We
took .hrOugh ticket at Chicago for Iowa
City. expecting TO greet our acqu'intan'
COS and friends AZ the latter place before
suaset and, indeed. wore assured that
such would be the result Blu, we found
ourselves successfully "heNded" at Rock
Island. The tar.rAmcd bridge, which
crosses tho magnificent Mississippi at
that point, had lost span on the morn
ing Of the day Of our arrival and then
We waro informed that The track Of thC
Railroad from Davenport to Iowa city
was in a wretchod condition, which could
MT be used with safety at night nor in
the day tilne only with great caution and
snair4 speed We accordingly passed
the river in a steam ferry boat aud put up
for the night At Davenport, cousoliug
ourselves, like true philosophers, that We
were nos on the fatal b,idgc. when, only
few hours borors, it ignited and finally
leaped into the river and sought a more
sunny cline. Bat your curiosity invites
an explanation which l VIII briefly fur
nish as to this great and hmentabIo oa
hmity. At 9 o'clock. A, NJ, on the oh
inst, AS the new and splendid steamer
"EHio Alton" was passing upwards
through tho bridge, and when about 200
feet Other was through it the current,
which seems 10 be maddened by the su.
perstructure of the turn-table, caught
her. swinging her violently around
against tho nearest pier, smashing the
cabins and setting her on fire, which
caught the bridge above and burned and
felled into the river an entire span. The
boat and cargo were totally lost. valued
together nl seventy or eighty lhouseoC
dollars. The passengers, with thOir bag
gage, escaped aud the confusion occa
stoned BY their peril aad in ex,rioatiul
them from their the imminent danger will
which they were threatened, uecessaril,
prevented vigorous efforts being made t'
save the bridge. There were quite
number Of horses and cattle on board
which perishud, with tho exception o
two or three, These succeeded in reach
ing the shore but with great difficulty, as
the river is unusually high, ami the cur
rent swift and almost Irresistible II i
said by those who were present that III,
believing aud british bewailment Of N,
wretched beasts. which perished on n,
boat and in the water, was truly hear
reniing ani painful Some dozen stea
mars or more, lying a. tho landing jus
below the bridge, were immediAlel,
steamed up, and, when the span ieil
they all started their bells aud whistle
10 manifestation Of sheir jos a, tho parts
destruction Of this eoaily aRd imposin
monument Of modern enterprise and skill
Such Is lhe hatred Of those who us
tie river for .he parposae Of rafting an
navigation. towards Tho bridge who
Aanoys and incommodes them IN tho uv
interrupted use Of this great artery or h
West The entsrpriang R. R, compan
are, however. determined promptly 70 >,
pair the bridge and protect ii. i needM
even = tbs aypenss offs public police