The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-08
The. Government is buying mules,

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coming daily, and the big stock yards
at East St. Louis are filled with them.
Mules of all sizes and colors and
kinds are there, from the little, cinna-
mon-colored, short-eared animal, who
has passed his time jerking a plow
through Missouri uplands, to the big,
brown, long-eared mule, whose exist
snce has been given to hauling a
heavy wagon through bottom lands.
Five thousand fne-looking animals
together and forest of wagging ears
and swinging tails. Hee-hays of all
degrees, from the deep bass to the
tremulous contralto. Biting, kicking,
rolling in the sawdust and hay of the
pens, they await the rigid inspection
that will serve as their enlistment into
Uncle Sans service. Some there are
from Kentucky and Tennessee, but
the larger part and the better mules
come from Missouri.
To-day the mule who wears the
Government brand is the mule who
brayed goodbye to his comrades on
the green hills that front the Missis-
sippi; a week from to-day may see
him hauling heavy wagon over the
" ~<ys
mountain passes of Cuba or bringing
rations to the troops encamped at
Chickamauga.
The buying Of mules for the United
States army is under the sole charge
Of Major Thomas Cruise and his force.
Major Cruise is an expert judge of
mules and has had long experience
with the animals. With record Of
15 or more years Of plains service,
fighting Indians and outlaws, Major
Cruise was chosen for his present
place, being promoted from Captaincy
for the Office. His plains experience
has made him conversant with the
mule question in all It's phases. The
red tape, that is part of the enlist
.nent of mule into the army is as
great if not greater than that attached
"a the enlistment of man. By the
time the experts get through with a
mule and tag him as: purchased, he
could, if he we're able to talk, brag
that be is as near perfect as mule
gets to be. Probably the mule has
never during the previous course of
his existence done SO much trotting
in review, been pounded On The legs,
had his mouth subjected st j 70 60 much
examination, bis eyes looked at so
long, d d ahii lis lygs rubbed 50 much as he
has lwahema s. Major Cruise ana his assist
ants are re thfoough with him.
TIE mules 81 i 3 are sre tie best and finest
that can an 7 Be Be had, free 81 blemish,
smooth Of coat, clear tof eye and id
the prime Of young mu!ehood. In
the'greatsstable where The selection is
made, in the East ST. Louis Stock
Yards, so pens, 80 or more feet square,
contain the mules that are TO be
looked at. Each pen has half a hun
dred and dozen hostlers are engaged
in showing the animals off. Major
Cruise and his staff arrive early, soon
after 2 o'clock. The staff has plenty
Of work to 90, good, tiresome hot
work. DR.. Farrell, of this city, is the
veterinary, Clerk Davies attends to
The work Of the reports, Clerk Nichols,
Major Cruse's regularly appointed
confidential clerk, who holds civil
service position in the War Depart
ment, has charge Of the branding, and
at the close Of work makes out the
report Of purchases. Major Cruise is
the only man in uniform, and as he
stands with the measuring scale in
hand he makes picturesque figure in
his cavalry uniform and top boots
among the civilians who are present.
The order has come from the War
Department for the purchase Of 1000
mules. Three classes are wanted; the
"wheelers' are the heavy mules, who
will be next the wagon in the team.
They must be at least 16 hands high,
and must weigh above 1000 pounds.
Next comes the "swing' mules, who
are in the center of the team; they
must be over Is hands 2 inches high
and must weigh 1850 pounds. The
light mules are used for leaders and
must be above Is hands high and
weigh over $50 pounds: Thus the
teams are to be made up, the light
mules in front to guide, the middle
weights following to swing the heavy
wagons around corners, and the larger
mules in the rear to do the hard work.
Major Cruise and his assistants
arrive early and call for the ''wheelers.
The hostlers hurry to pen, open it