The Portland daily press., 1899-12-22
MULES FOR SOUTH AFRICA.

When English capital and American
thrift combine, something is going t.
happen, and the result Is very AFT TO be
both interesting aud stupendous, as IL
the case In the recent purchase, In ths
United States, of nearly nine thousand
mules by the British government, and
the transportation of the same from IN
terror points. through the port OF New
Orleans, to South Africa, for the uss Of
the British army In the Transvaal.
In September last, Major II. J. Soobell,
of the Royal Scots Greys. British Cavalry
arrived In New OrlsanE, and in the usual
unosten tatious manner OF the English
man of affairs, went quietly to work OBJ
tanning bids from the various stookdeal-
ers throughout the West. making seysIa
tr ips for the purpose. He personally
closed contracts with dealers In st. Louis,
Mo. Kansas City. Mo-; New Orleans,
La =, and In north Texas, for :. $50 mules,
or upwards Of 800 car ads, as an aver
age cost Of about eighty dollars per head,
I. O. b. steamer New Orleans or total
of over 500, ono for tie lot.
In addition to- the mules, Major Soobell
also pun chased 200 carloads OF hay, oats,
bran, ETC., from New Orleans, st. Louis,
and Kansas City firms.
The larger portion of the mules and all
Of the feed reached New Orleans via the
Illinois Central Railroad. the entire ship
ment being loaded aboard the transports
at the Southport docks Of that company
where the ia cliitIes for handling such
large oonsiRnments are unexcslled.
The mules we're moved from Kansas
City and ST. Louis In special trains,
made up of large patent stook-csrs. on ex
oeptionally fast schedules, this run from
st. Louis to New Orleans, q distance OF
sO5 miles, via the Illinois Central, being
made in twenty eight hours, which ID
practically passsngsr-train service. From
Kansas City, . distance OF $50 miles. via
the kansas City, Fl. Scott and Memphis
Railroad to Memphis thence over tbs I'LL
nois Central, the through run to New
Orleans was made in forty hours, inolud-
ing stopover ut Memphis for feed, wateI
| and rest.
On arriving at New Orleans the animals
were unloaded and placed In large stock
pens. where they were held and cared for
until the vessels were ready to receive
| them.
The British government chartered tn,
steamships Prah. Montezuma, Corinthia
Ii urona, Manchester City, Anselma ds
Larrinaga and Hsrmes to transport the
animals from New Orleans to destination
| The cost Of such transI ortation was abou
one hundred dollars per head.
| These boats were specially fitted up for
the service. being lighted with electricity
carrying their own distilling plants. ant
every stall provided with an automati'
cock, from which water for the mule
can be let out regularly three times dav
| The feeding is done by hand. a sufficient
mum Der of hostlers being aiken along toi
| that purpose. One or more veterinary
surgeons accompanied each vessel, I,
| take care of such OF the animals as nigh
fall siok on the long voyage. which will
consume at least twenty-six days fror
| port to port.
The Aanchestse City, tina largest O
| the transports. being $50 feet long, stowe,
away ac9o mules, in her tive decks, I.
say nothing OF sixty-hve carloads o
feed, 5000 kegs Of muie-shoes and nails
and nearly SEQ men. including officers
| crew, and hostlers
1he mule shoes, of which there weT'
3.c0) kegs. were specially ordered from
| Troy, N. Y, via this Illinois Central, To-
shipnsnt on the Manchester City. A
this steamer was expested Co clear New
Orleans shortly aftsr the order Wa
placed, quick services was tssential.-lsel
lies Weekly.