The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-06
SHORT TALKS WITH
GUESTS At THE HOTELS.

campaigning in the Transvaal has been
a series of hardships that would equal the
trials of the Americans at Valley Forge
said Major John Mcbride, the Irishman.
who fought on the side Of the Beers and
who Is staying at the Lindell Hotel for a
few days.
After a hard days march in the dead Of
winter l have seen the Boer soldiers lie
down on the frozen ground in their wet
clothes and sleep as peacefully as a child
in its cradle. 1t makes a difference whether
one Is fighting for principle or something
else. The Beers are a hardy race. and they
do not seem to mind such little incidents
of campaigning.
Stories that they had no food are made
of whole cloth. So long as l was in the
field l never lacked for meat Of some kline
three times a day. 1t was no small allow
| ance, but each man received from o.e to
five pounds If he desired it and it was rat
Ting, good beef or some sort Of fowl. The
was plentifully provided with meat at all
times.
Before the war the country was most
PROSPEROUS pr : eitn T., ! ~ lived So a at J1han n,,es u1 which
improvements. Money seemed to be plen-
tiful. Clerks and statesmen made from $40
TO $40 per week and laboring men almost
as much. The boss miners drew SO or so
per day.. and employed Kafiirs to do their
work. 1t was a great country. and after
the war it is bound to boom again."
Spectators have recently begun invesri-
cations in the iron country In the counties
lam James of st. James. No., who is at the
Southern Hotel. Mr.. James was one of the
pioneer iron men in Missouri. and he was
heavily interested in the iron mines OF
Phelps County a quarter OF a century ago.
He Is on his way home. having spent sew
eral months with relatives in New York
City;
0cOOSftS.' continued Mr.. James EFF neQ
all over the district. The furnaces at st.
James have been closed for years. but there
which ships Missouri iron ore to the st.
Louis market. The cost Of coal was one
Of the principal reasons for the discontinue
ance Of the st, James furnaces: but the
will be operated again. Investigations are
now being made which may terminate in
S Sean hing definite fIam In bom a fey sor me enxeSa, w hexs
and I do not know what has been DONE"
Municipal ownership has received a sort
Of black eye in Springfield" said Arch
s at the ha sn a.' aosei. o! 1T tha aece e1Mg' h mdo a rs
experience on the proposition to purchase
the leading citizens. it will take several
years to accomplish that end:
1T came about this a The citizens of
Springfield thought they ought to purchase
ordinance granting the franchise declares
a proposition to buy may be made. The
City Council. at an expense Of $500, sent all
the way to Boston and hired an expert to
place a value on the plant. The expert
went to work and the people sat down to
think the matter over, firmly believing 1t
would only be a matter Of a few months UNI
til the city was operating the plant.
Finally, the expert made his report. He
said the plant was worth $500. 900. The COM
pany claims it is worth $4,000 and the ma
jority of the citizens have placed a value
upon 1t Of $3.50. 1000. or $i00.0 900 at the limit.
This is a wide difference. and there seems
emf ~ =, . . WAY 70 ~ oftb s c .nu ~ over ex,
distinterested board to place a value upon
it.
THE price at $500, 900 is more than the CITY
can bond itself for at the present valua-
ton and the prospect of a purchase at that
figure is beyond the range of possibility.
The plant Is a 1rst-class one. The experts
report argues. that the people should pay
interest on the investment for the past
fifteen years. and the city gets nothing to
offset the franchise which 1t granted to the
Eater omDan n without which It could