davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15

nitions Of war and armed men, though
four years ago the Mashonaland field
force used the line to get into Rhodesia.
This was in July, 1896. The road from
Beira to the hinterlanS frontier had
been constructed in secusons, and the
Mashonaland field force was able TO
make use of the sections lying between
lFontesvilla. 40 miles up the river Pung-
we, to Chimoio, over 100 miles farther
inland from Beira. This was establish
ing precedent which was of consid-
cradle Importance to the British.
! 1t was not until the midsummer Of
1898 that the Beira road was finished
When the last spike was driven in that
little narrow gauge line, it's roadbed
stretched much farther than was orig
inally intended, because, on one hand
of the detours which had to be made to
avoid the hills, and also because the
border line between the Portuguese
and British territories had in the mean
time been moved some II miles to the
westward. So, when finished, the line
was 203 miles long. From Beira it rose
steadily to an elevation of $3.50 feet
above the level of the sea at Umtali.
Under such circumstances, of course,
a great rate of speed could not be
looked for on such line. In fact, on
the Beira railway freight trains usually
travel at the rate of ten miles an hour,
While the fast passenger express hurtles
over the country at the rate of u and
sometimes Is miles an hour. The COM
plete journey from Beira to Umtali
takes two whole days. 1t is at Umtali
that the line connects with the Masho-
naland railway, which stretches on to
Salisbury the capital of Rhodesia,
| named in honor of the English premier.
| This latter line was built under con-
| tract with the British South Africa
company, that great organization of
London capitalists which was behind
the Jameson raid and which has always
been the bitter foe of the Boer. This
| company guaranteed the interest on the
ldebentures and made very good thing
out of the undertaking, which was root
ed in Great Brtain's desire to have rail
way connections between Cape Town on
the south and Beira on the east coast OF
Africa. And it will not be long before
| this dream is realized. The road from
Cape Town, which skirts the western
border of the Transvaal, already
reaches up north of Bulawayo. There
is yet just one missing link in the long
chaln, ana tnaC is the 2SO miles
that lie between Bulawayo and Sails
bury. Work is now being done, and ii
will not be long before Salisbury and
Bulawayo are linked together with the
two potent little lines of steel rails.
Then the passenger stepping into his
train at Cape Town will travel north
1000 miles and step out at Salisbury
BY turning east and travelling S73 miles
he will once more stand on the coast Of
the Indian ocean.
When Darlington reached Salisbury
he had this $50 miles of overland march
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15

81 XII
'politeness forbade his tasting it until
the three generous donors had had an,
opportunity to enjoy it's excellence" III
cut the cake, and one of his servitors
handed it to the unwilling guests Each
took piece and ate, or pretended to
eat. One crumbled the pieces and let
them fall to the floor. out the other two
ate calmly, without manifesting any
emotion. Ten minutes and the two men
began to show symptoms of suffering.
Ii smiled benignantly and said to the
man who had not eaten:
Your wisdom IS so great that I am
compelled to preserve your head as q
souvenir to transcendent genius
The man was removed and promptly
decapitated. To the other two the pres
mier remarked: The cake that you are
eating is not the one you sent, but one
which had my cook initiate. The poi,
son from which you are suffering ex-
lists only in your Imagination. I know
of no way to cure your present pain ex-
cept by letting you share the fate of
your friend who has just left the room
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15

lies in Transvaal territory. only short
space of 1t being required to cross that
narrow neck OF land between the Lee
bombo mountains and the Indian ocean.
Ihis road is 295 miles long and has been
in operation since 1895.
| Since Lord Roberts has been near
Bloemfontein he has had to depend
principally upon the road which runs
from Cape Town to De Aar junction, at
which point it meets the road which
traverses the Orange Free State (pass-
ing through Bloemfontein and con-
tinues into the Transvaal, with its
terminus at Pretoria. 1t has been
obviousi since the defeat and cap
ture of Cronje, that the British COM
mander intended to conduct move
ment, or series of movements, like those
or Grant, when, at the head of the army
OF the Potomac, he made his numerical
superiority tell against the Confederate
forces. Roberts second great strategic
movement, the spreading of a.living net
TO capture for a second time the Boer
forces in the neighborhood of Wepener,
was notSso successful as@his first at
tempt at Paardeberg, for the Beers
had learned their lesson. and, after in
fiicting what damage they could on the
British, ran away "to fight another
| day. 1t was the superior mobility Of
the Beers that was their salvation In,
this instance, for when once away from
the railway the British must move at
a snaillike speed as compared with the
well mounted burghers. With Roberts
| advance northward into the Orange
Free State his difficulties have contin-
uaily increased. Even at the present
time the question of communication
and transportation is a serious one. for
arnbree
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15
hnd forth throughout that land of arid

hnd forth throughout that land of arid
plain and rocky kopje.
When war broke out in South Africa,
fhe military commanders on both sides
saw that the coming campaign would
in a way be battle of railways. 1t
was realized that the steel rail was the
key to the situation, for where rail-
way pierced a mountain range there
was sure to be pass.
At the very beginning of hostilities
J the Beers saw this. They knew, also,
that the British had the advantage in
The matter of railways, though they re-
allied, on the other hand, that the To-
connective was far more necessary to the
invader than it was to their own army.
The Englishman, it seems, did not APP
preciate this situation so quickly as he
ought to have done. The general condi-
tons of affairs in South Africa were new
to him. Life in his little home island
had made him more or less unable to
estimate distance, symptom Of in
sularity that has always chung to the
Britisher. When he first landed in
South Africa, he had vague idea that
kimberley was days march from the
cape and that little jaunt from ST.
mons Town would bring him up to
Z Mafeking. The truth dawned on him
with beWildering suddenness. The long,
weary overland marches, the weeks of
toiling with heavy guns over spruit and
kopje, the days and days in dusty
trains that crawled over brick red, sun
baked deserts for hundreds and hun
dreds of miies-these things all taught
the Englishman that he was in land
where distance could not be measured
with ten inch rule. He found that a
days journey or a weeks march land
ed him nowhere. He saw that he had
to depend on the locomotive to haul
him hither and thither. So the rail-
ways became the center of interest to
him. But his attention fell on them a
little late, for before he knew where
10 was the Beers had cut off railway
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15

BadenPowell has its armored train,
and this played it's part in holding back
the besieging Boer army under Snyman
and Cronje. A little to the south. too,
Plumer has done, most of his fighting
along the railway and made several in
effectual efforts to open communication
with the south. 1t was owing to his
failure in this that Mafeking was not
relieved weeks and weeks ago.
The line running from Durham
through Pietermaritzburg and Lady
smith up into Natal figured conspicu-
ouslysin the war from the very opening
of the campaign. This line was also
neatly blocked by the Beers before the
British knew what they We're about by
the Blowing up of Colenso bridge. This
put a barrier between Ladysmith and
Durham. and to it might be traced the
series of defeats which overlook Butler
when he left the railway and tried to
force his way into Ladysmith by new
route. 1T is indeed hard to say just how
the history of the South African war
would have been changed; if Colenso
bridge had never been blown up and
the line of communication had been
lproperly guarded in time and the rail-
I, ~ tis s.S
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15
THE RAILROAD IN THE ANGL O=BOER WAR

it is no easy task to move and supply
with meat and bread and fodder 100, 900
men and many thousand horses in the
heart of hostile country which is pen
etrated by only one line of single track
ed railway. And the farther the Brit
ish advance the farther behind they
must leave their base. Every inch of
their line of communication must be
guarded and kept open along this rail-
way, for isola ton in the land of the
Boer would mean disaster to the Brit
sh. The wounded and sick have to be
hustled away south day by day, and
fresh supplies and mounts and re-en-
forcements have to be hurried back
north as fast as the iron horse can haul
them. Then, too, the commander who
holds the railway also holds the tele
graph wire. To guard the railway and
telegraph line between Bloemfontein
and Norvals Pont is taking an army of
$4,000 men. This is a distance of but
107 titles. From this may be imagined
the number of men necessary to police
all the lines of communication held by
the British. The Beers are said to be
outnumbered four to one, but when it is
remembered that Roberts has had to
scatter his men out behind him to in
sure his lines against interruption it is
not so difficult to realize just why the
Boer is able to hold so long in check the
great army which England has sent up
against him.
The railway line leading up to Mafe-
king has already been the scene Of
many engagements. Almost the first
stroke delivered by the Beers was made
against this road, when body of their
men at the beginning of hostilities
crossed over from the Transvaal border
and tore up the track south of Mafe-
king. Along this line, too, the armored
train has done considerable effective
work. Even the little stretch of road
about Mafeking controlled by Colonel
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15
A HINT TO BOOK LOVERS.

A gentleman once received visit
from an acquaintance who announced
that the object of his call was to try to
borrow certain book which he felt
sure his friend had in his library.
Il have it, said the gentleman in
question, but I cannot lend it to you,
for l have made rule, as fixed as the
laws of the Modes and Persians, never
to lend Book
but why?" asked the visitor.
because people never return them.
To prove the point to you, would ask
you to just look round my we'll filled
shelves. You see there about 5000 vols
umes, and all of them were hnrraWed..s /.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15

not love me, for you have said so. can
never hope to take my poor brothers
place in your heart. but you have my
promise that if ever heaven blesses us,
with son he shall be named Nicholas.
in memory of my brother
So they welded, and in 1868 their first
child was born. At the christening the
patriarch turned to the mother, in ac-l
cordance with the custom of the Greek
church, saying: &
and what is the name by which this
child shall be known? Speak, that it be
given MIN in the presence of Witnesses :.
Before the royal mother could open
her lips to say the name "Alexanders
the czarowitz aid in a loud voice:
Nicholas, so let mis- name be"
Thus Alexander kept his promise.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15
HOW THE GAR WAS NAMED. 4

The following story may be true, ana
at any rate it is good enough to be
worth repeating:
According to all precedent the present
czar ought to have been named Alexan-
der and not Nicholas, and the reason
that he does not bear his fathers name
is said to be this:
Princess Dagmar of Russia, the sister
of the Princess of Wales, was engaged
to be married to the Czarowitz Mich
olas. but Nicholas died. Though the
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15

engagement was
an arranged one,
the princess low
ed her iance,
and it was a
grief to her,
therefore, when,
on his death, it
was decided that
she should mar
ry his brother
Alexander. One
day that young.
prince found her
sobbing before a
portrait of his
dead brother.
"Dagmar, 7" he
said ge ntly,
forgive me. I
know I make
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15
LIS LITTLE REVENGE.

OF Ii Hung Chang, the Chinese min-s
lister of commerce. whose naive remarks
caused such amusement some few years
ago, numberless stories are told. One
Of the most characteristic has just
reached America. Our old friend was
having bitter fight with some Of the
more conservative members of the
tsung -li-yamen when he received as a,
present magnificent but. as he had
every reason to believe. poisoned cake,
He put the cake aside and set all his
powerful machinerysto work to find out
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15

who was at the
bottom of the
plot. The inves-
tig alton was
partly success
full, the crime
being traced to-
three men, Of
whom one at
least was abso-
lutely guilty. Ii
had the trio arr
rested and
brought to him.
The cake was
r1rOf711rnd with
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15

communication with Mafeking and
Kimberley and Ladysmith, and. as we
know, had dynamited the bridges at
Colenso and Frere
Both in Egypt and India the British
officer had learned to appreciate the
potency of the iron horse. When Lord
Kitchener made his justly celebrated
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15
The Part Played by the "Steel Highway In the
Present Conflict In South Africa===Diffi-
Guilty OF Transporting and Feeding
Large Invading Army.

- ALWAYS are the arteries of
AZ South Africa. In that land of
vast distances practically all
life must ebb and flow along
the railway line. Since the passing of
the trekking wagon and the prairie
< schooner the railway car has been the
blood corpuscle that has coursed back
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-15

you unh Apply,
and that Won do
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-07-06
Gen. Joe Lewis

nomination for Governor would not on
ly place party politics in Kentucky upon
high plane, but would come nearer
re-uniting Democrats in The State cam
paign than any other name The Coz
RIER says nothing derogatory 10 any
other candidate. and never expects TO
consider itself AN active partisan organ,
bound 10 any mans personal ambitions.
But, General Lewis high character in
peace and In war. his great ability as
evidenced by his twelve wears ON the
Supreme Bench, and also his not alto
gether forgotten service as the COM
mander OF the "Orphan Brigade, points
10 him AS the man for the Democrats
to nominate. And there appears 10 be
enough Democrats in Fulton county for
Gen. Lewis 20 give him the instructions
IL they Will turn out 10 their respective
precinct meetings ON Saturday the l4th,
and vote for him.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-07-06
A Campaign Move.

The amnesty proclamation recently
issued by General Macarthur at Manila
and the peace meeting held in Manila
by insurgents bear ON their face suspl-
cious indication that they are emergon-
cy measures designed 10 influence the
progress of the campaign in the United
States. The time at which these events
occurred, together with the participa-
ton of the United States in the peace
meeting to the extent of releasing pc
litical prisoners from Jail TO allow them
to take part lends color to the suspicion
An intention to take the Philippine is
sue out of the campaign seems TO un-
derlie such action. The amnesty proc
lamation grants a period of ninety days
during which the insurgents can Nur-
render. This would carry the time up
TO September 22d and would keep the
Filipinos quiet during the greater part
Of the campaign.
If this is the object of the proclama-
ton it will fail of Its purpose as com
pletely as the effort TO take the trusts
out of the campaign by means of a con-
stitutional amendment failed. The peo-
pie of the United States appear TO be-
firmly convinced that had measures like
those now being used been adopted In
February, 1899, there would have been
no insurrection. The loss Of life, the
oppression of the Fillpinos, the devas-
tation and neglect of that country were
the result OF refusal of the United
States authorities to treat with the Fill
pinos as though they had rights and in
terests in the premises.
Had the Filipinos been considered at
that time as they are being considered
now the stain of waging war ON a small
nation for refusing to acknowledge
American sovereignty would not now
be ON the United States. No action
taken at the eleventh hour can counter.
act mistakes like these, Republic.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-07-06
EVERYBODY READS
About the War IN China,

Everybody reads about the war in
China now because the future is filled
with tremendous probabilities and pos
sibilties. Nevertheless we should read
with much allowance for exaggerations
that find their way in the news columns
of the newspapers. For instance it has
benn continually printed that edict has
gone forth from Pekin for the murder OF
all foreigners, and yet Chinese authori
ties claim they are trying TO protect
them. Also that the situation has gone
beyond the control Of the Dowager En-
press, and that the foreign Ministers
besieged and probably murdered II
seems 10 be a fact that the German Min.
lister was murdered on June 18th, and
that all the legations in Pekin, except
Germany, France and Great Britain
were destroyed. Ifthese things are true
of course, the Nations must protect
their people.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-07-06
The Famine In India.

The famine now being experienced in
India is the greatest in the history of
the world, greater than any previous In
dian famine, greater than the terrible
famine in Russia three years ago. The
yearly average rainfall in India is forty
one inches. In 1899 it was thirty INCH
es, the lowest ever known, and the fam
inc this year is the consequence.
The famine prevails over an area of
AIS 600 square miles, with population
of s., ZOO, 900 and about 10 per cent of
this number. or s, 100000 is supported
by the British Government, while per
cent. is taken care of by native states
BY the end of the summer 1t is esti-
mated that between S45. 900, 900 and $780,
600. 900 will have been expended in be-
half of the famine sufferers, the great
bulk of which has come from the Treas
ury of the British empire. Private sub
scriptions in the United Kingdom have
amounted tosl $50. 900 and in this coun-
try they have also reached large sum,
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-07-06
Devoid of Personalities.

Almost everything in tins world has
its compensations, and this is true even
of presidential year occasionally. The
high character of both the Republican
nominees for the two great offices to be
voted upon this year is well known, and
the white hight of one campaign has al
so demonstrated that the personal char
acter of the Democratic nominee for
the pr esidency that is to be is beyond
reproach. The outlook, therefore, is for
a campaign that Is free from PERSONAL.
ties, and in which only the principles
represented by the respective candidates
will furnish the ground for the conten-
ton between the partisans OF both. Ii
will be contest not between men but
between principles and that candidate
representing the doctrines which most
commend themselves TO the American
electorate will be the victor. This is q
condition of teings upon which the
country is to be felicitated. 1t is one
that always ought to be obtained under
a government which is of laws and not
of men, and it is particularly gratifying
that the election which in sense forms
connecting link between the nine
teenth and goth centuries, will be fought
out purely on grounds of policy and not
at all upon consideration of personality
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-07-06
Reed is the Man.

IL the Anti-Imperialist League, as is
now reported, intends TO place a Presi-
dental ticket in the field upon which
TO focus the Republican opposition to
Mr. McKinleys policy of Empire, the
logical candidate for the head of that
ticket is Thos b. Reed. of Maine.
From the beginning Mr.. Reed has
consistently taken issue with the ad-
ministration ON this great question. He
condemned unequivocally the treaty
which without the consent of the Fill
pinos conveying sovereignty over the
PHILIPPINES to this Government for a con-
sheraton of 500, 900, 900. prhe sarcastic
man from Name characterized this as
paving 1.-TWO dollars apiece for ten mil
lion Malays" who could never be made
Americans and whom we have no right
TO govern as subject people. His an
tagonism towards the Presidents Phil
ipplne policy was the compelling cause
OF Mr.. Reeds retirement from public
life
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-07-06
Il Il Not Time 20 Acti

The report Of the Kentucky Agricul
taal Experiment Station OF the State
College. under provisions Of the pure
food statue passed two years ago ought
10 set people 10 thinking and 10 doing.
The proof that il gives the infamous
adulteratioD Of articles that are sold a.
pure. or by names to which they are not
entitled. Is ample. Twenty nine samples
Of butter Of li7 analysed proved 10 be
not butter at all. but oleomargarin, sold
not as oleomargarine. but as butter
Thirty five out Of 100 samples Of milk
were adulterated. The conclusion Of the
investigations made is that fully 40 per
cent. of all samples Of food taken have
been found adulterated. Some of the
adulterants used are injurious 10 health
others have been put in TO cheaper arti
cles Of food
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-07-06
General Election.

General elections for governor and
other State officers must be held in no
less than twenty four states, perhaps a
larger number than at any previous pres
idential election, for New York did not
vote in 1896. The states having general
elections are California, Connecticut,
Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kan.
sas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire,
New Y ork. North Carolina. North Da
kota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah. Washing.
ton, West Virginia and Wisconsin. 10
wa and Pennsylvania also hold general
elections, but not for Governor, and
Kentucky will elect governor.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-07-06
A Sensible Course.
jacksonville Hustler}

ilhstASAf
There is one thing that the Hustler
desires to see more than the success of
any one Of the candidates now aspiring
to the nomination for governor and that
Is the success of the party in Novem-
Der. both for the state and national
tickets. The party in this emergency
can not afford 10 nominate a weak can
didate, no matter what his personal
standing or his supposed claims may be
The party is greater than any man and
the selection of a candidate for govern
or should be made with an eye single to
the good of the party. All the candi-
dates for governor have done the party
great service and are worthy of support,
but the man who for any reason will
have dead weight to carry should not
be selected at this time. Not only the
restoration of the state to democratic
rule is involved, but perhaps the fate of
the national ticket.