The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-27
Loading Horses For China.

IF'rOm the San Francisco Call
steamship Samoa received into her holds
tiers Of decks. 4 total Of sss cavalry M
mails reared II, Califernia. ana destined for
the kaisers troops in the campaign
against the Boxers. These are some IT
the horses that but month ago were
running wild upon the ranges and then
were driven to Baden. and subjected 10
of mans weight, and to the responsible
ties and activities of the life of rough
be brought from the buclxing corral and
thrust into the depths Of a ship for a
! but another evidence Of the skill Of the
western broncho breaker and of the in
plying this rush order.
Never have even the most docile of
horses been 50 RAPIDLY received into an
ocean transport. These were tailed. hur~
rfed alb ard, and assigned to compars-
minute. TO do this issue the shippers aban
doned the customary portable boxes in
and then lowered into the vessel one at
a time Instead. they constructed a steep
incline. plane with protecting side fences
and cleated floor, similar to the gang
way for human passengers.
Experienced freighters came down to
lay. looked at the new and steep chute
extending TO the ships top deck, and
shook their heads. while wharf idlers,
who know how all things should be done.
yet do nothing themselves, muTmured DIS
approvingly. Nevertheless, on Thursday
the horses. in halter-led punches Of four
and five, with a yaquero. began Gathering
upon the wooden pier at the end Of their
twelve mile run from the breaking
grounds at Baden. The police kept the
crowd back the wharves, and the
horses rapidly accumulated in groups
with mounted breaker in the center of
each
Every animals bore deep burned into the
left side OF his neck his recently acquired
being those branded from ] to 800 Some
vice with lieht artiliers had an A he
numerals a. l.
mails were all distinguished by a prehxed
Apparently gentle enough were the pa
tent whiting platoons upon the pier.
Group after group was dissolved and ami
Der recorded in a book by one Of tie
nustached German officials standing fus-
vaaueros could understand. The prelude
was tame. But in the next few moments
serted itself, first at the entrance to the
uptilted chute and again on shipboard at
the beginning of the descending inclines
reading with tortuous turns to the double
rows ef close fitting stalls on the main
even to the sea level The inside of the
Samoa was almost packed with horses.
the beam before it: each with a steady
draught of air coming from a small hole
around behind the stalls Deep down In
the lower regions below the swish Of the
water line, was slowed the ], 200 tons Of
hay that shall sustain these horses on
the four weeks trip to Taku. Way aft
We're the Duf1kS OF the etEhtV-three white
men who will feed and groom and exc
else the horses The inclined chufes wee
the tests of the latent rebel nature That
three men were badly kicked and mirac-
uiOusly escaped death indicates the vfD-
leEce and the frenzy with which some Of
the hundreds OF animals fought against
traVerslns the strange, steep ailevWav=.
one man would enter the chute leading
the horse. and. if the animal merely has
tated, two mounted vaquerOs would ride
to the prospective passenger ard fair
bump him into the chute with their horse ?
stout shoulders. Often this did not avail
The horse would rear, and plunge a a
drag back. and pull away. and throw
himself. Again and again these tactics
would be repeated and inevitably the
rebel would be taken up that chute.
On the deck the fight was worse Led
to the mouth of the descending chute
each morse mad a heavy rope passed
around him like breecsfne one end
fastened to a side post Of he pas saeeWay
and the other pulled tightly farward by
four stevederes- After violent kickins
rearing and repeated falling and urging,
the worst OF the Eeliigerent ones Won n
suddenly respond to the rear f rec d7s-
appear down the Incl into the Iaby-
rinths of the ship, and thence 10 fs.eexiv
along the narrow standing room permitted
equine traveller.
The S6S animals which were taken
aboard the Samoa comprise the largest
but greater ones are soon to follow COR
there are 500 horses and 500 mules waiting
at Baden. and ether hundred of h1rses
are coming IN from the ranges. The Sa-
noa ran for six months the Atlantic
ard then took a great load Of rails from
alti more 10 Vladiyost ok for the IT an -
Siberian railway before eoming down to