The record-union., 1899-12-06
THE MULES EUCAT1oN.
His Systematic Course OF framing
for Army Pack Duty.

| 1,s+ now the Missouri mule - III
oreat demand as a pack animal ior
army purposes Major II. ). ecope,i'
of the british army, who recently mace
,,robases of several thousand mules IN
this vicinity for service in the lrans-
yaal. has returned to the city 10 ~
crease his orders. Many OF the niuiea
he purchased are from Texas, put riosl
of them are Missouri bred. captain
Smith. who accompanies MAJOR ocopei'
savs that the Missouri mule is the pese
anywhere: he has buoght many
/ in Spain and in other States OF tn's
Union than Missouri, but he thinks the
animals from this State are superior "
/ all for pack train duty.
| w W. Witt. the chief packer ana
| trainer of mules for this branch OF the
service in the United States Army
thinks the Texas mule makes the best
pack animal, though he requires more
training than the Missourian Inc
Texas animal grows wild, runs on the
range and picks up his own living, ana
when he is bought by Uncle Sam ne
chafes at first under the restraint
hut once trained and made to under
stand his duties he becomes splendlo
mack animal. Mr.. Witt admits ms
suneriority though he himself is loyal
Missourian.
Jefferson Barracks, just south OF st.
Louis, is the training headquarters 1or
pack mules for the United States Army
All mules in the service have unoer-
gone their preliminary training there.
At present there are nearly three thou-
sand mules doing duty as pack animals
in Cuba, Porto Rico. the Philippines,
Alaska, and on the Western plains IN
connection with army operations.
When the war against Spain began
there were but few mules ON duty, and
experienced mule handlers in the
army employ were scarce. Now there
are in active service thirty-seven pack
trains, made up of sixty-three mules
each, and three more such trains have
been organized and are being drilled
daily at Jefferson Barracks under Chle1
Packer Wits supervision.
DAILY DRILLS FOR THREE
MONTHS.
The organization and training OF
pack mule train requires an immense
amount of patient labor. Daily drill
ing for about three months Unnecessary
NAL may be quelled by discipline and
the mule be made to know that he is
capable of becoming a useful part OF
an orderly system. When purchased
by the Government at a cost Of about
$50 a head, the mule is branded at once
with the letters III. s." on his left
shoulder. When he arrives at the bar
racks his train number is branded on him
and he is shod by expert blacksmiths.
Then he is put into a corral with the
other members of his train, and his
real troubles begin. Every day he is
made to so through a certain perform.
ance to fit him for his future duties
There are fifty pack mules in a train,
thirteen saddle mules and a bell horse.
The last is very important part of
train. 1t is his duty to wear bell and
march at the head of the caravans the
pack mules falling in behind and fol-
lowing faithfully wherever the bell
leads. Usually white horse is chosen
as the bell animal Mules will follow a
white horse more faithfully than one.
of any other color; moreover a. white
horse is more easily distinguished at
night when he may wonder away from
camp, and where the bell horse is
found the mules are always in his