Stage Upset-Eleven Passenger Thrown Into Slough-1872

TAYLOR, FOCKLER

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 1/11/2019 at 09:10:24

Dubuque Daily Times, Tuesday, Apr 02, 1872, Dubuque, IA Page 1

FROM FAYETTE
Special Dispatch to Dubuque Times
FAYETTE, March 30

There is a general breaking up of our roads, as usual this time of the year. The Fayette stage was plodding its way up from Independence, yesterday afternoon, with eleven passengers on board, and four good horses attached. About eleven miles south of Fayette, in Scott Township, is a slough, which yesterday assumed the magnitude of a river. In the midst of that slough, as our careful stage proprietor, Mr. O. E. Taylor, (and no man is more careful then he) was trying himself to cross the slough on a turnpike, there being some remains of ice, the hind wheels slipped, and over went the stage, men, woman, and children - mail and female. Joe Fockler, an old Dubuquer, was on board, sitting with the driver. Joe made a desperate leap for land, but landed in water about midships. I found Joe this morning at the Fayette House, shivering by the stove, and he kindly furnished me with this item. We are thankful to say that it is hoped no lives will be lost in consequence of the accident. We had quite a job last night drying out our mail. The most to be pitted of all was a Norwegian family of seven, just arrived. "Strangers in a strange land."