Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-06-25

THE STATE BUILDING IN PRETORIA.
lance of the latter city. 1t is distinct
lively a Boer community, with the quiet
of an agricultural settlement.
In 1880 there was n fort in Pretoria
which British officers and men entered
when the Beers rose in war and pre-
pared for the war that ended with the
victory Of Majuba Hill. Beers besieged
the fort, killed n number of the in
mates and took the remainder prison
ers. The British flag was torn down
and that of the republic put up. The
prisoners were kept in Pretoria and
well treated till peace was declared.
when they were released.
AS in all of the Boer settlements in
the Transvaal, the church is given the
most conspicuous place within the linn
it's of Pretoria. The government house
is also in the center of the town. The
square which surrounds it is used for
public gatherings. President Kruger
lived in n small, plain, single stored
house on one of the principal streets.
The Pretoria forts are of n character
adapted to the country. They are
placed on the hills around the town
and are open toward the rear. but wall
ed with heavy masonry faced with
earth in front. In all there are seven
of them, commanding the regular APP
proaches, and, it is said, an additional
one toward the east has been erected
since hostilities began. Two were built
between 1894 and 1896, and the others
are of somewhat later date. Their
erection produced a sort of tower OF
Babel time among the builders, for
French, Germans and Italians all had
shares In the work. The greatest
secrecy was maintained during the
building, but the story is current that
Great Britain gained all the knowledge
it desired about the plans through two
army officers who served as navvieS
for a number of months.
The center of the system Of forts
lies about 1,20O yards to the westward
of the northern end of Pretoria and
has a radius of something more than
: 900 yards. The center of the city
itself is only about $500 yards, nearly |
due south, from the fort on Signal hill, |
which is about 400 feet above the plain |
on the west side of the railway to Jo- |
and about 1900 yards |
from the fort on the hill to the east of |
the railway and the Aupies river run |
ming TO the north. Between this fort |
and the river are the fountains that |
furnish the water supply OF Pretoria. |
The distance between the forts on Ell |
Their side of the railway is 200 yards. |
The railway station where the lines |
from Johannesburg on the south, Della
goa Bay on the east and Petersburg |
on the north form their junction is I'm I
lnediately outside the city on the south |
side. The railway to Petersburg, |
after winding some distance to the |
passes out OF the plain on
which Pretoria is situated. through
the Daspoort or defiIe in the range of |
hills behind the city. through which
also the Aupies river runs, the railway
and river running together across the
plain through the Winderboom poort,
under the guns of a large fort 100
Yards. and little to the eastward of
north from the center Of Pretoria.
The westernmost fort is on the range
II hills behind Pretoria and lies at a
distance OF 10000 yards northwest of
he center of the city. The powerful
'edoubt TO the southwest of Pretoria,
800 yards from the center OF the city, |
IN the range Of hills through which
he transport road TO Johannesburg
asses. completes the circle of the lar
ger works defending the Boer capital.
Behind this redoubt are the principal
IA gaines, one excavated out OF the
old rock with a bombproof roof and
he other bnilt into the kEoop. also
The numhsr Of guns mounted on the
orts and redoubts is said TO be 40 OF
lrge caiiber and quick firing Of differ