Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-16
ONE BOER REPOBlC
HAS BEEN ABSORBED.
GEN. ROBERTS TOOK POSSESSION
OF THE FREE STATE
CAPITAL
IN THE NAME OF THE QUEEN.
ROBERTS RECEIVED AN OVA-
TIoN ON ENTERING CITY.
The Union Jack Formally Hoisted
Over the Presidency-The BOer
Army Reiterated Northward With
out Offering Serious Resistance.
President kruger Says the Brit
ish Will Not Reach Pretoria.

LONDON. March 15.-At precisely
1870 o'clock Tuesday afternoon a
Union Jack, specially made for this
purpose by Lady Roberts, was hoisted
over the presidency at Bloemfontein,
amidst the acclamations of the COM
mander in chiefs battalions, in
which, curiously enough, the Orange
Free State burghers appear to have
Joined with remarkable heartiness.
The opposition to the entry of the
British troops into the town was insig-
nificant. Beers were found occupying
a few hills south of the place, but a
few shells drove them off, and at 10
in the morning some newspaper corre-
spondents entering the town, found
Mr.. Frazer and other officials and
guided them to where Lord Roberts
stood on top of a hill, waiting for
them. AS spokesman, Mr.. Frazer
asked protection for life and property
and surrendered the keys. Lord Rob-
erts, accompanied by his staff, rode at
the head of a cavalcade a, mile long,
eliminating in a remarkable demon
stration at the market square. Reach
ing the government buildings; Lord
Roberts took possession of the city in
the name of the queen and then repair
ed to the presidency, where the cere-
mony of hosting the Union Jack
ended forever, according to the uni
versal opinion here, the Boer govern
ment of the Free State. During the
progress through the town Lord Rob-
erts stopped and ordered the instant
replacement of goods which were be-
ing looted from the artillery barracks
by Kafiirs, thus giving the populace an
earnest assurance Of the treatment
they might expect from the victors.
President Steyn fled to Kroonstadt
without replying to Lord Roberts's de-
mand for his surrender and the COM
mander in chief remarked, afterward,
during the course Of conversation
while breakfasting at the farm of
President Steyn's brother, that the ex
president had Sbecome "a nonenity."
The British troops, with the exception
of those necessary to police the town,
remain outside.
The press dispatches giving most of
the above details also settle the point
raised about the cutting of the rail-
road and telegraph north of Bloemfon-
tein, showing it was plucky act.
Major Hunt Weston, of the Royal En-
gineers, accompanied by ten men,
.raversed the Boer lines and, succeeded
in cutting the wires and blowing up
the tracks.
Bloemfontein is row regarded as
sort of halfway house and base of
operations for the advance ION Pre-
tOria.
The military authorities here expect
a period of comparative quiet while
Lord Roberts is establishing railroad
connection with Norvals Pont and
Bethulie and giving the men and
horses the rest necessary to fit them
for the severe struggles which are be-
Ieved to be still inevitable. 1t seems
likely that the next news of fighting
may come from Natal Gen. Warren's
division, which had reached Durham,
has been ordered to rejoin Gen. Bull
Ter, indicating that the outfianking
movement through the. neck of Zulu
land referred to in these dispatches
March TO-, is! about to commence.
1t is reported at Bloenfontein that
Gen. Joubert is at Brandfort, but 9th
er reports locate him at aRiggarsberg.
BETHNLIE BRIDGE; March A.
Gen. Clements brigade.Fhas effected
junction with Gen. Gatacre's troops
at Burgersdorp. A patrol defts to-day
for Aliwal North to join hands with
Gen. Brabant.
PRETORIA, March 13.-Befere. re-
turning to the front to-day, Gen.
Joubert said to a press representative
1.-THE courage of the British soldiers
Is beyond question. They rushed tire
kopjes and entertainments In a fear
less manner, but were not a match.
FOR the Mausers, which simply moved.
them down.
State Secretary Reitz this morning
posted the following announcement:
yesterday Bloemfontein was occupied
by the British after the burghers had
retired in northern direction. The
seat of the government of the Free
State has been already transferred to.
kroonstadt.Y
CAPE TOWN, March 15.-The
Transvaalers at Bloemfontein threat
ened to turn their guns on the town
II the peace advocates refused to fight,
but the threat was unayailing. The
war party fed. The British are now
working the Free State railroad.
Continued ON sixth Page.