The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1897-07-09
FROM SOUTH AFRICA
John Jarvis Writes to a Philipsburg
Friend
\ VERY INTERESTING LETTER
Tells of the South African Skirmishes
and of the Immense Profits in
Merchandising.


sided in Philipsburg some years ago
and who went from here TO South
Africa. The epistle contains much Of
Interest to the general public, and
through the kindness of the recipient
we are enabled to publish it for the
benefit oI the readers OF The Mail:
Charter, Mashonaland. March 21.
1897. i received your letter of Deccm-
her 81, 1896, and was very glad to hear
from you. although was sorry to hear
that times are 81 lad there. The En-
glish papers speak OF revival of trade
since the election of Mckinley, on ac-
count Of his belonging to the sound
money PARTY. | dare say that bust J.
ness has revived on your side of the
water though it may not have affected
the particular part in which you live
Everything here is in an unsettled
state the war is uot yet over by any
means a patro! of twenty men from
here and Elkendoorn, "A place forty
miles from here, left Charter for the
purpose Of destroying the natives
crops il they refuse TO deliver up their
arms. With the patrol 20 tiftv native
trienolies to assist. Some of the new
! police force are doing the same IN
other districts. while Other police are
garrisonipg forts in different parts of
the country.
Some natives raiGed some cattle
about two miles from Charter. A pa
troll of nineteen men. volunteers and
civilians, went after them and sue
ceeded in recovering eight head, bnt
failed to find the others or the natives
who drove them Of owing to the long
grass. The other animals returned of
! their own accord some days later. The
cattle when found We're cOrIDlcteIv
done up and it was with officially thar
they wee driven home.
another patrol went out and cap
tured twelve women and killed two
mel and burnt several huts.
l went on one patrol to the same
place some time before, when we killed
seven natives, captured eight head of
cattle aud thirty three goats, and
bdrned twenty hutS.
There are only three available white
men left in camp for duty now. the
Others being out Oh patrol or sick with
fever
l only get alternate nights in bed
as am On guard, native guard do
ing the other nights.
There is talk of unrest amongst the
Matabeles again.
We do not number twenty men here
all told and have to keep the telegraph
in repair, furnish escorts to the coaches
and the government wagons, and 90
on punitive patrols. so you may be
sure that we are kept busy.
think ! told you more than wear
ago that I was in charge of Meekle
Bros store at Charter until they could
get some one to take charge. | found
that profits were from 80 to 200 per
cent on the goods, the lowest figure be-
ing upon staple articles, the latter upon
things that are not much called for,
but must be kept in stock. The only
exception to this was -four, and even
that brought 80 per cent when sold in
small quantities. Provisions are
frlghtfuliy dear here: Flour / | 6 per
pound (from the government, who are
cheaper than the stores); timed beef
3 per pound; tea 6 per pound
coffee, or rather mixture of coffee,
chicory and other adulterations, 4 per
pound; tin of jam that would not
cost Cd in England costs 3 6 here but
ter (Danish) in tins ) per pound
sugar 6 per pound. and other things
in proportion
Large numbers of people have left the
country, but the latest news is that
many are beginning to return, espe-
cially to Bulawayo
Do you think yOur brother would
care to come here? There is an OPEN
ing for man who understands graft
ing, etc. More than one person has
suggested that l start garden near
and do garden work, but do
not feel equal to the grating and bud
ding part Of the work
Early in the new year We had festiy- |
tiles here. A building was erected |
with a wagon sheet roof, sheet of gal
vanized iron leaning against the frame |
for walls, and wagon sheet laid and
like a carpet for "a floor to !
dance on. The seats were borrowed
from the Dutch Reformed minister at
where they are going to
build church. The room was lighted
by candles set in telegraph insulators
fastened to an instrument for unwind.
ing telegraph wire in construction,
which was decorated with climbing as.
paragus and acacia in bloom. The
hospital was turned into dining room
and decorated with the same kind of
branches. Owing to increased activity
OF the natives at that time only five
ladies Gall Dutch) turned up, but they
danced every time with different part
ners. The hope for proper dance mu-
sic was not fulfilled, as the only owner
of fiddle broke string and could not
replace it, So they had to depend on
a concertina. played by Cape Colony
nlgger This did not prevent everyone
from enjoying themselves.
Some of the fellows from here spent
Christmas at the Range" place