Evening star., 1898-05-23
AFFAIRS IN ALEXANDRIA
St. Asaph Race Track Converted Into an
Immense Corral.
Mules Being Placed There, PFepara-
tory to Going Into U. 8. Service
General and Personal.
Evening Star Bureau,
No. 80 King Street,
Bell Telephone, No. 1O6.

ALEXANDRIA. Va, May %, 1898.
st. Asaph race track, near this city,
which was recently leased by the govern
ment to be used as base Of supplies, Is
now the scene of continuous hustle. Dur
ing last week, 1.OS6 mules from the west,
and 500 wagons and harness arrived and
are being put in condition. The mules are
tethered to long lines of rope with 200 to
a line.
Captain E. H. Parsons is in charge of the
corral and is being assisted by Mr.. Fred.
S. Barker of the War Department. Very
nearly all the mules are broken and as
soon as they are shod, and the wagons put
up, they will be sent to Camp AIger. near
Falls Church. A hospital has been estab-
lished at the stables, at the west end of
the track. and is in charge of competent
veterinarians. DIR. Robinson of the COM
missary department is chief veterinarian.
The work of rounding up, examining and
lettering the mules was completed yester-
day afternoon. This morning the work Of
shoeing began and will be continued until
all have been supplied, a large majority
having already been shod in front.
All day yesterday large crowds visited
the track to look over the enormous drove
and to witness the roundup and capture of
those that had not been tethered. There
are about fifty in the lot that had never
trouble was experienced in placing them
in subsection.
Each mule has the letters L. 8. branded
on his left fore shoulder. A part Of the
Old grand stand has been converted into a
store room for grain for the animals and
for safe keeping of the harness. The nay
and straw is stacked near the corral and
is covered with canvas. Long watering
troughs are situated about twenty yards
to the north, the water being furnished
through pipes from the Alexandria water
works.
The mules are fine specimens. a majority
being very large. There are about fifty in
the hospital. some with bad colds, distem-
per and cuts and bruises inflicted during
the journey of the animals to the corral.
Only two of them died during the transpor-
some of them were without water for
seventy hours.
1t is expected that the teams for Camp
Alger will be got in condition early this
week. AS fast as the mules are taken
away, their places will be filed by others.
A large number of applications for team
sters have been received by Capt. Parsons.
and are on file. Each applicant will be
tested with a team of four mules If he
proves himself proficient, he will be given
a position. They will have to be enlisted
for period of two years at salary OF
$40 per month.
About 300 of the mules were turned loose
this morning for exercise, and the old race
track now presents a novel appearance. A
large number of persons from Washington
and Alexandria were at the corral today.
Police Court.
Mayor Simpson this morning disposed of
the following cases m the police court:
Charles Curtin, charged with an assault
on his wife. fined $50; Thomas Lenox,
charged with assault on Julia Cheeks, fined
So; Dallas Washington, charged with as
sault on his wife. fined s.; Ed Hobson,
charged with being drunk on the street,
forfeited s. collateral; Charles Hodges and
| Blanche Washington, charged with disor-
derby conduct and lighting, fined $ each;
| David Brown. charged with refusing tn
| work On the chain gang. put on a bread
| and water diet until he decides to work.
Property Sales.
The following sales of real estate took
place in this city Saturday:
| j. T. Lucas has sold to Frank s. Lucas
| the house and lot at the northeast corner