The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-12

IgOeS numbered and labeled-lle is a Britt.
ish mule to the day Of his death, and the
stamp of the owner is burned deep In his
flesh. Old stock men, long used to brand
this work is done. Each mule has his
number burned into one hoof, BY the time
the last mule reaches Cape Town if the
war keeps on much longer, will need all
four hoofs to carry his number The
brands are of three kinds-tl1e broad ar
row of the artillery, the small arrow of
the light artillery, the double cross Of
the light cavalry.
There are many ships in the mule trade.
some of them chartered, some bought OUT
right by the British government. The
work of Transforming the ships for the
| mule service is no small matter for hun
| dreds of new port holes must be cut, stalls
must be built feed boxes put in watering
pipes laid, troughs put in place. The
transformation of the ships has largely
been done in port here and it has played
no small part in the general distribution
of British gold.
of this servicef They are picked up
wherever they may be found, recruit ed =
as they call it in northern cities, in towns,
tn the country, wherever a fellow may be
found who has more or less-usually more
of the devil-may care in his makeup.
But few are colored men, though at first
many colored men were sent out: They are
wild, reckless lot; men who don't care
much where they go or what they do. so
long as it has the spice of novelty in it.
Each ship carries from seventy-five to
100 muleteers, and for the long voyage out
and back they usually receive q little less
than $40 and board. Many are nicked up
in New Orleans, though many others come
from Chicago and St. Louis. These men
are hired to care for the mules on the
voyage,
They are picked up on a tug at one Of
the Wharves along the city water front
rms tug, mind you, is an American tug
Inc crowd is then taken down the river
the tug loaded to it's full capacity with
the yelling mass of motley humanity.
These men are not landed again on Amer
1can soil, but are swung on board the
British ship in midstream. l say swung
on board, and that Is literally true in
some cases, for they, now and then. are
too drunk to go up the slanting gangway
from the tug to the ship, and in that case
a rope is passed around them and they
are hauled and boosted over the side.
Once on board the ship they are searched
for concealed weapons-it wouldn't do to
nave an incipient war on board the ship.
Each man usually has few BELONGINGS
done UP in paper bag or parcel
This afternoon, down at historic Chal-
mette, had very interesting and clear
cut demonstration that the charges made
by the Boer leaders are true-that Chal-
mette is British port had visited the
wharf where three huge British ships
were awaiting their cargo of mules and
horses. A strike has been on among the
stevedores for week Or ten days and
these three big ships. have been tied up
here unable to go on their mule-laden way
to South Africa because there was nobody
to put the mules on board. made few
negatives of the ships and started for the
yards where the horses and mules are
CHARTERED. The port was at once time a
great place for cotton handling but the
sheds have been abandoned and thus the
British found the finest place in the
world for the handling of their wares
Long alleys have been built, fences en-
close great yards, sheds abound on all
sides-it is like some vast stock yards
plant.