Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-05-22
GOES WILD WITH JOY.
ondOn in a Frenzy of Excitement
Over the Reported Relief
Of Mafeking.


London, May 19.-The town is in a
frenzy of excitement and jubilation over
the reported relief of Mafeking. Mr..
Balfour, the government leader in the
House of Commons, and Secretary
Wyndham of the war Office had ne news
beyond which had been furnished by the
press, yet the report is everywhere &C
cepted as correct.
The news was first published at the
Mansion house, where the lor;l mayor
made a speech to the wildly enthusiastic
multitude. Great crowds gathered =
the war office clamoring for confirma-
ton from British sources, but they were
disappointed. Several official dispatches
were received but none contained any
reference to Mafeking.
Mad Reve1ry in London Streets.
By midnight the thoroughfares of the
metropolis We're Overrun with joStling,
bowling crowds, and drum and fife corps
paraded the streets, followed by vast,
Struggling professions of men, women
and children, madly waving flags and
yelling without intermission The remind
arS of more conservative persons that the
report might possibly be untrustworthy
had no effect on the celebraters, who
noisily rejoined: "BObs said he'd relieve
v. ~
so the outpouring of popular ecstasy con
t1nued and grew in volume until all Lon
don was little else than a maelstrom of
unreasOning jewellers
All England Joins in DemOnstra ton.
Provincial England also received the
reports as true and plunged into a tn
multuOuS demonstration. Bells We're
rung and whistles blown and bonhreS
built all over the island, and at l o'clock
in the morning the demonstrations were
still in full swing.
Under Siege Seven Months.
Mafeking has been in a state of siege
since October 8. Col. Baden-Powell had
under his command about 800 irregulars.
At the first intimation that there might
be war the colonel began preparing for
an attack on Mafeking by the Beers. He
constructed thorough system of in
trenchments and shelter trenches and
completely surrounded the town with Il
strong wire netting.
Immediately upon the declaration of
war Gen. Cronje, with 1000 Beers, APP
peared in the vicinity of Mafeking and
began to throw up earthworks around
the city. On October II the first hattie
took place. An armored train was sent
out of Mafeking for the purpose of re-
pairing the railroad which had been torn
up by the Beers. The burgherS attacked
the train, and Col. Baden-Powell inme-
diately sent reinforcements. The Beers
were prevented from capturing the train,
but the British were driven back into
Mafeking.
Paden-PoweI Uses Dynamite.
The following day Col Baden-PoweIl
loaded up two railway trucks with dyna-
mite and had it pulled out Of the town
with a locomotive He was afraid that
when the Beers got their large guns in
position they might explode the stuff if
it was kept in Mafeking. He also hoped
that the Beers would make a close at
tack on the train and during it explode
the dynamite. The attack was made.
and the British claimed that the Beers
suffered casualties to the number of 800.
No such reports have ever been made by
the Beers.
Col. PIuner's Efforts at Relief.
On October 20 Col. Plumer made de
termined attempt to relieve Mafeking
with an armored train from the north.
The Beers drove him back. He contin-
ued these attempts until late in Deem
Der, when he returned to Fort Tuli
On October n the Beers seized the wa
terworks after Il sharp fight with the
British, who had made sortie. The
next day the Beers tried to follow mp
their advantage, but We're again repulsed.
Garrison Put on Short Rations.
With the defeat Of Gen. Methnen, Col
Baden-Powell gave up hope of being re
and the residents We're placed on short
ratiops. On November - the British
made another s0rtie and there was sharp
fighting but the Beers drove them back
into the town. After that the fighting
around Mafeklng became routine The
there Each day Mafeking was bonn
barded. and almost every day the men I'M
der Col BadenPowell made a diversion
in the hope of catching the Beers nap
ping.
Sickness and Death in the Garrison.
March s news reached the outside
world to the effect that fever was riffs
among the garrison The information
left Mafeking February 10. The sick
ness was caused by the absence Of Vege-
table food. The women as well as the
men were stricken, and in addition there
were many deaths among the children,
The hospitals We're crowded to overflow
ing. The natives were in the worst
plight. hunger and want being plainly
.discernible in their gaunt faces. At this
time there had been 292 deaths from
Beer bullets or disease. The garrison
was still determined to resist the siege
until relief came.
After receiving reinforccments from
Rhedesia Col. Plumer resumed his
march, but definite advices as to his
progress have been very meager He
was within a days march of the town
for long time, but the Beers prevented
his further advance by concentrating
forces beyond the Enc of siege. There
has been recently almost daily Smelling
of the town, and the imprisoned people
have been reduced to horse sausage and
feed not generally desired by delicate
palates. With hope almost abandoned
of Col. Plumer reaching Mafeking from
the north, Gen. Hunter was sent from
Kimberley, and while one part of his
army hurried toward the besieged town
another diverted the attention OF the
Boers by crossing into the Transvaai.
Ut was this force that raised the British
flag at Christiana.
A Valuable Gas Strike.
Royal Oak. Mich, May 49, Special
While boring well on the Henry Lam
ger farm, at depth Of ninety-siX feet.