New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-18


business to watch the bridges just ahead, and zee
that they had not washed OUT and they generally
seemed to stand remarkably well. At las, Monmouth
IN right the las, bridge was pa,sed-no not the
last; for hores in deep gully this instant
s'coDd more and they bad sprung on. snc erksd the
buggy 10, with crash that is til audible. The nigh
fore wheel snapped its tire, and went down an armfsl
Of oveb.wood; the tongue split but held on, and the
driver was pitched my knees head downwar
into the eeep mortar-btd termed the road. l went
forward on my face bu, chung to the wreck, with my
feet enaBged in apron and blankets and as the horses
started to un the look ahead for an instant was not
farerine.
Ony FOR an isstaa, however. The idea OF running
with that wreck TIN such mud after heavy night
drag OF eighteen miles was 20 essentially ridiculous
that no werbred horse could have entertained Il.
Ours perceived this ns;nctvely and Stacked up,
while the driver recovered his feet and his reins he
had ever fully lost the latter. cannot say how
came out Of the dlapidated vehicle, nor could the
driver give NE any light on toe subject but coon
foDr my sef resumDg the perpendicular, and facing
rearward in quest Of my hat which found in way
side FOND several rods back, twothirds full of water,
but still foaiirg. My blanket fshed out OF the semi
lcuid mud about midway between my goal and start
ipe-pont and for the first time my journey found
its company disagTeeble.
Men never know when they are well off Five min
utes before, had been ndustrously cherishing my
cold wet feet snciDg off the driving rain and fancy
ing myself an object Of just compassion now saw
clearly that 80 long the carriage remained SOUND,
bad been in an enviable state Of and enjoyment
Throwing my soied blanket over one arm and tiking
my vase in the opposite hand, pulled one foot after
another out Of the deep tary mud, losing both my
well fastered overshoes therein without knowing it,
and pushed through to tavern at the rate of mile
snd half pc hour in state of general bedragglement
and desperate jolrty which Mark Tapley could not
have bettered
1t was o'clock when hosptable roof overshad
owed us. The house was full, and my petition for a
pair of clippers and with fire in ii could not
be granted. But bar-room fire was got up, and a
bed in due time provided though ball that night in
the village-no cy-had absorbed most Of the accom-
n odatioDs. But our noble horses found what they
needed and we had an hours sleep or more, though
did not incline TO sleep at all.
got up TO breakfast aud TO find all as I expected
about the Railroad. The Chicago nighttrain went
down nearly on time, but did not reach Oquawks
Junction finding the track all washed out at the
ing of a." South Henderson, ten miles below But its
engine came back about a. m, took on board half
dozen Of U.S. and backed up to Galesburg (seventeen
ules) in less than hour, saving another dreaded
carrisge-ride Of at least elk hours. We crossed one
washed out place, which threatened TO throw US off,
but did not. guess l am the lat person who will
have left Oquawka for several days and suspect Bur
hngton Nowa) has parted company with the world
eastward q the Mississippi for at least as many.
MoRAI.-We are none of us half grateful enough for
the blessing Of Raroadswhen the trains run aud the
cars don't fly the track. HG.
+. 8. Monday, FEB. 9.-The food would seem to
have swept this State almost clean OF bridges AZ DO
trains nun far, and telegraph is in operation, eau
not DOW say how extensive is the devastation; but
the bridges nearest this point all the roads leading
out of this place are gone, including those over
"Crooked Creek" on the Quincy Road, Spoon River
Oh the PEORIA "South Henderson," on the Buning
ton, and both the Bureau" aud "Fox" on the
Chicago Road 1t will take at least week to get the
trilks IN order again, and hardly railroad in Illinois
will be fully restored for a month yet. Report says
that the Rock Island Road is worse devastated
than the Burlington. In some deep cuts, the banks
have caved and washed in the track, covering it
to depth of two feet or more, which the cold Of the
last thirty.sx hours has frozen hard ro,k. The
dame ge TO the railroads Of this State must amount 20
millions Nothing heard here from Iowa as yet. He.