Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-03-30
ONLY SMALL FIGHTS.
South African News Tells of I'm
important Skirmishes.
FREE SKATERS STAY ON THEIR FARMS
Boer Endenvors to Entrap British
Hussars Fail-Rnins Are General
and Camps Arc Flooded
Sick Prisoners.

i1aety Sililtu, MdTcn 2S.-lt is report
ed that the Beers are massing in theil
entrenched positions at Biggarsberg
and it is added that their transporr
trains are packed at Newcastle il
readiness to facilitate their retreat il
case necessity requires such a step.
| London, March S.-Reconnaisance.
OF slight Importance continue to be
the only features of the war in Soutl
Africa. Lord Roberts wires to the
war office as follows:
'Bloemfontein, Monday, March 26-Capt
Sloane-Stanley, Of the Sixteenth lancers
was slightly wounded in an affair of out
posts north of the Modder river March rs. >
Ibis bare statement is all that comes
from the commander in chief.
Staying on Their Farms.
A dispatch from Maseru, Basuto-
land, dated &c, says:
The Basutoland government is busy
collecting natives to be employed at Bloem-
fontein in repairing and laying railroads.
The natives report that the Free Staters
on the borders of BaSutoland have refused
to go to Kroonstad and are staying on
their farms, as it is now the blowing sea-
son and they are inclined to keep their
land and submit rather than give it up and
fight"
No Attack in Natal.
Boer reports from Natal show no
developments of Importance have oc-
Cured there up to March %. A dis
patch from the Boer camp at Glencoe,
dated March 80, says:
No attack is expected to be made on the
Boer forces in Natal. Gems Botha and
meyer nave been Joined by their wives.
Pretorfus, with patrol, got between an
advance guard of lancers and it's main
to surrender. was shot.
Rains Are General.
Advices from Cape Town say:
Rains are general throughout South
Africa and rivers which have been dry for
years are being flooded. Many camps are
transformed into swamps. This will still
more initiate against an immediate Brit
ish advance.
sickness among the Boer prisoners on
the transports is increasing. Three deaths
occurred March 26 The bodies were buried
by the British with the Transvaal flag on
the collins. the leading Dutch of Simons-
town attending the funeral. Typhoid alone
claims 100 victims among the prisoners and
the population of SimonStown fear an cpl
lemic.
Building Trenches.
Michael Dayitt arrived at Lorenzo
Marques March "a.
A dispatch in the second edition of
the Times from that port declares the
beers are using natives from the mines |
% construct trenches around johann
lesburg, adding that the mines are
to shut down owing to the
military demand for Kaffir labor,
/
Will Wait Month.
London, March 2s.-The Cape Town
of the Daily News SAYS:
1T is improbable that the advance from
3ioemfontein will be made for another
month. Gen. Clements is advancing to |
;loemfontein in four columns. When Lord
toperts begins the march northward Gen.
atacre will be left in charge of Bloem-
ontein
THE colonial government has ordered
ne Cape volunteers to withdraw south of
he Orange river for fear of accentuating
acial feeling"
Seize Farm.
London, March 2S.-A dispatch to the
Daily Chronicle from Kimberley SAYS
hat 400 Free Staters have taken Dos
session of the road between Kimberley
md Paardeberg. They have seized
farm near Pandamsfontein, where
number OF army horses had been sent
10 rest and Craze. 1t is rumored that
their object is to raid the railway by
way of Jacobsdal.
Guarding the Passes.
London, March 2S.-A special to the
Daily Telegraph from Ladysmith.
lated Monday. says: There are about
10000 Beers guarding the nine passes
over the Drakenberg range"
No Opposition.
London, March 2s.-The Daily Mail
publishes the following from Faure-
smith: "Gen. Clements column oc-
cupied Jagersfontein ana Fauresmith
this morning amid great rejoicing and
and without opposition.
The British troops were warmly
cheered and union jacks are now fly-
ing everywhere"
Plant of Slow Growth.
London, March 2s-The Morning
Post has the following, dated March
&c, from Burghersdorp:
Dutch lip loyalty is now very strong and |
the Dutch are tumbling over one another in |
efforts to give information to the British |
authorities. Real loyalty, however, will. |
De plant Of slow growth in these dis
Lricts. have Travelled with Sir Alfred Mil |
aer and I believe his policy toward the
'ebels favors tempering justice with
mercy"
Objected to TestifyinE.
Lansing, Mich, March 2s.-Col. Eli
R. Sutton, of Detroit, who was indict-
ID along with members of the state
board, under charge of COM
,licity in the alleged state military
clothing frauds, was called to testify
tuesday by the prosecution in the trial