The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1899-10-17
They Cut the Railway at Bel
mont and Are Constructing
Fortified EarthWOrks.
THEY ALSO LAY SIEGE TO KIMBERLEY.
The Town Is Isolated, Both Railway
and Telegraphic Communication
Having Been Cut Off.
Firing Heard in the Direction of Kimberley
"A Force Under COmmandant ViIjoen,
From Spitzkep, Occupied New
castle Saturday Afternoon.

LONDON, Oct. 16.-The Daily Mails
Cape Town correspondent, telegraph
ing Sunday evening, says: kimberley
is besieged and the Beers are massing
In force. No details, however, are OBJ
tainable. The Beers have cut the rail-
way at Belmont, have seized the Spy
fontein railway station and construct
ed fortified earthworks. There are
strong defending forces at Modder
bridge and the Orange river bridge.
The object of these energetic oper-
atoms is believed to be the capture of
Cecil Rhodes. Kimberley is now isolat-
ed, both railway and Geographic COM
munication being cut"
The Daily Nails Glencoe camp COR
respondent under date of Sunday says:
"a force under Commandant Viljoen,
from Spitzkep, occupied Newcastle
Saturday afternoon, and it is reported
planted their flag over the town hall.
1T is rumored that the Beers have
captured police patrol of six men at
De Jagers Drift on the Buffalo river.
CAPE Town, Oct. 16-The Modder
has been heard in the direction of
Kimberley, and the station master at
Belmont telegraphs that force of
Beers is advancing southwark.
Flowerdew, the engine driver Of
Capt. Nesbitt's train, which was de-
rallied and bombarded by the Beers,
stated that if the train had returned
when warning was received that the
Beers held the line. could easily have
made its way back to Maribogo, but
Capt. Nesbitt insisted upon an endeav-
or being made to reach Mafeking.
when the pilot engine was derail-
ed" said Flowerdew, 1--WE spent half
hour trying to replace 1t on the track.
Then the Beers commenced firing, and
several men were wounded. The fir
ing was kept up all night but without
effect. The Beers were careful to con-
centrate their fire upon the engines so
as to save the armored carriage and
ammunition trucks At dawn they
commenced to lombard the cars I
escaped by crawling a mile and half
on my belly in the sand. When both
engines were destroyed Capt. Nesbitt
exhibited flags OF truce but the Beers
continued their firing for another quar-
ter of an hour.
There is no doupt that all the 9TH
ers on the train are prisoners, and that
the carriage and the ammunition in
tact fell into the hands of the Beers 3"
There is an unconfrmed rumor that
the imperial forces intercepted body
of Transvaal Beers who were attempt
ing to join the Boer forces at Modder
river, and that heavy engagement
occurred at Spyfontein station, south
of Kimberley.
DURBAN. Oct. 16.-Following is the
strength and disposition of the troops
in Natal:
At Ladysmith, seven batteries, 80
guns, 1000 infantry.
At Estercourt, 200 volunteers and at
the force at Pietermaritzburg make a
total of Is, 600 men in Natal
LONDON, Oct. 16.-A special dispatch
fled at Dundee, Natal, Sunday after
noon, reports that Commandant Viii
joen's force had left Newcastle for
Darnhauser, where the Transvaal flag
has been hoisted over the town hall.
LONDON. Oct. 16.-The Cape Town
correspondent of the Morning Leader
telegraphing Sunday night says: 1T
is reported that fighting began at Kim
berley Monday morning. 1.-THE rail-
way has been cut at Belmont"
CAPE Town, Oct. 16.-The news of
fighting at Modder river is not con-
frmed. The station master at Modder
river telegraphs that Beers from the
north and south have taken CANCER
shat, which they are fortifying.
DURHAM, Oct. 16.-Two extraordinary
gazettes have been issued. The first
proclaims martial law in the New
castle, Dundee, Kip river, Unsiga and
Upper Tugila divisions. The reason
given is a belief that Natal subjects
have joined the invading Beers and
assisted the enemy.
The other gazette reminds British
subjects of their obligations to the
queen, and warns them to abstain
from intercourse and trade with the
Transvaal and the Orange Free State.
Sudden Death of Speaker