davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

he was not satisfied. Suzerainty was term
not to his liking. Still less was he ready
to welcome British suzerainty Britain
was the one enemy that had been logging
his steps, and his fathers steps, and his
grandtather's steps; and now his last SUI
preme effort to rid himself of the hateful
presence, which was also hampering con-
troll, had come to naught. President Kru-
ger, In 1883, visited London with n petition
to Queen Victoria for revision of the arti-
cles of the convention in 1881 He was
graclously received; and the British govern
ment in 1884 conceded to him a new word
ing OF the clauses against which he, in the
name of his peOple-rather, in the pame OF
the Boer portion OF them-had entered his
protest. 1t was this new wording, with its
interpretations, that served as the nominal
ground for the last dispute which ended in
war, and the war has now ended in a Brit
ish victory, and the union jack again flies
from the fagstaffs of Pretoria and Bloom
fOutein.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

new commander-in-chief left Butler to re-
trieve his fallen fortunes in Natal and took
personal command of the reinforced army
operating against Gen. Cronje in Cape Colo
ny. ThearriNalof Roberts seemingly marked
a turning point in the war. On January "a
Gen. Warren took Spion kop, though 1t
was later abandoned and Buffers army
again retreated across the Tugela. BY Feb
ruary IL Roberts had pushed his army
across the borders of the Orange Free State,
and the following day Gen. French relieved
Kimberly. On February % Gen. Cronje
surrendered with 1900 men at Paardeberg,
and by March - the unchecked English ad-
vance had captured and occupied Bloemfon-
TEN, the Orange Free State capital.
1t was on March %, 1900, that the Beers
suffered the serious loss OF Gen. Joubert who
died at Pretoria. At his death the burghers
lost one OF their most skilled leaders, man
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

could such thing have been possible.
After the capture and occupation OF
Bloemfontein Gen. Roberts moved his army
toward Pretoria at a rapid pace. Occasion
al Boer victories were reported, such as
that at Sannas post on March 80, when Col.
BroadwOOd's forces were badly routed
with loss of seven guns, and the disaster
at Reddersburg the following day, which
resulted in the loss of 500 English troops,
but in the main the British were successful
and the war office at london and the Eng
lish people began to feel that the war was
about over They could not at that time
see another two years and more of fighting
before them.
On April Gen. Methuen retrieved part
Of the laurels he had lost in the earlier
part of the struggle by the capture OF a con
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

left, however, in command of the Ladysmith
relief expedition, and after three failures
Succeeded in accomplishing that purpose on
March /, 1900.
While Gen Butler was meeting with de
feat along the Tugela, Gen. Methuen was
making but little if any advance toward the
relief of Kimberly. He was opposed by Gen.
Cronje. He suffered a serious reverse at
Magersfontein, on December u, and was
forced TO fall back to the Modder river
with a loss of about 900 out of $4,000 he
had engaged. In this battle the Gordon
Highlanders lost nearly 200 officers and
men in a vain attempt to carry the Boer
position.
On December 10 Gen. Gataere attempted
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

gotten. Other Boer victories of the year
were the capture of Plummer's supply train
on May %; the almost complete destruction
of the Seventh Yeomanry by Delarey on
May %; the capture of 200 Victorian Rifles
on June II, and the loss by Col. Benson of
% officers and $50 men on November !.
During this time, however, Gen. Kitchen
er had not been idle. His army had been
pushing the Boer forces almost constantly;
he had been rapidly extending the line of
block houses that marked the permanent
English advance, and while the record of the
year showed some brilliant coupes on the
part of the Boer generals they were of the
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31
DOM PAUL KRUGER.
Something of His Life and work i'm
south Africa.

President Kruger, he who figured more
prominently in the early part of this war
that England declares Is now over than
any other one man, is product OF the hardy
conditions that surrounded pioneer life on
the South African veldt He seems to have
been born a leader of men. Unlike the
majority of the Transvaal and Free State
burghers, who are of Holland ancestry, he Is
of German descent, his ancestors emf
grating from the Potsdam district of Ger
many to South Africa in 1913.
Dom Paul was born in Colesburg, Cape
Colony, October 10, 1925. At the age of
ten years he migrated with his parents from
the place of his birth to the then unknown
interior. In this new country his military
life began at the age of Is, when he served
in the wars with the Zulus as field cornet
in the Dutch army. In lS4S he took his
place beside his father in the conflict with
the British at the battle of Boomplaats.
When the British advance made further
occupation of this territory Objectionable
to the Beers he became one of the leaders
OF the 'trekkers" who moved to the
Transvaal country. BY 1861 he had risen
in military rank until he was commander in
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

South Africa 1t was generally estimated
that the two republics had been able to
place in the field an army of from IS, 900 to
$1,000 men, though DIR. Leyds, the diplomat
ic agent of the Transvaal in Europe,
claimed that they had not less than 100000
men under arms.
The first battle of the war was fought at
Glencoe, Natal, October 20, 1899. when the
Beers were defeated and their position
captured by Gen. William Penn Symons,
who paid for his victory with his own life,
and the loss of some 43 men killed and 200
wounded. This was followed the following
day with battle at Elaandslaagte in which
Gen French commanded the English troops
and Gen. Kock the Beers. The Beers were
defeated with loss of 100 killed and 300
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

chief of the Boer army in the conflicts with
the savage natives, position which he re-
tanned until 1877, when England annexed
the country to Cape Colony.
During the war for independence, which
virtually began and ended at Majuba Hill,
he served as vice president of the trium-
virate which governed the country. In
1888 he was elected to the presidency of the
republic, and was thrice reelected, holding
ahe position so long as his land which he
mao helped to build remained an independ-
ent nation, though for the past two years
he has been forced to reside in Europe, his
advanced age precluding the possibility of
his taking any part in the active military
campaign.
In his younger days he was great hunter,
and during the long trekking trip from
Cape Colony to the Transvaal he is credited
with having killed no less than $50 lions.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31
AMERICANS IN SOUTH AFRICA
At the Forefront of Great Industrial
and Mining Enterprises.

The people of this nation have more than
a sentimental interest in practically all
that pertains to South Africa. In addition
to our rapidly increasing commerce with
the different English colonies there, in
GLIDING the Transvaal and the Orange Free
State, there is the interest that attaches
to the large number of Americans who are
in the country and assisting in the devel-
Opment of its resources. Mr.. Howard G.
Hillegas, in his book entitled "Oom Pauls
People" pays the following tribute 10 these
Americans in South Africa:
However great the commercial interests
OF the United states in South Africa. they
are small in comparison with the work of
in the development of that country during
the last quarter of century. Whatever
great enterprises have been Inaugural ted.
Americans have been prominently identified
with their growth and development, and in
rot few Instances has the success of the
ventures been wholly due to American lead
erShip. European capital is the foundation
OF all the great South African institutions.
but ii is to Anne rican skill that almost all
of them owe the success which they have
attained.
British and continental capitalists have
recognized the superiority of American
methods by intrusting the management of
almost every large mine and inCu try 10
men who were born and received their train
ing in the United States. 1t is an express
sion rot infrequently heard when the sue
cess of a South African enterprise Is being
discussed: Who is the Yankee The
res son of this is involved in the fact that
almost all the Americans who went 10
South Africa after the discovery of gold
had been well fitted by their experiences in
the California and Colorado mining helos
for the work which they were called upon
to co on the Randi. and owing to their abii
ity. were able to compete successfully with
the men from other countries who We're not
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

Orange Free State, crossed the undefended
borders of English territory, prepared to
strike quick and decisive blows If possible
before England could prepare for the con-
Aict
The Beers were by no means unprepared
for such conflict. The heavy revenue de-
rived by the government for a number of
years previously had been judiciously ex-
pended for defense, and they had stored
away at Pretoria guns that were far su-
perior to anything that England could use
against them for a considerable time after
the opening of hostilities. Their army was
composed almost wholly of volunteers, but
they were volunteers who were we'll trained
in fighting methods of then own, methods
of which England knew but little, and was
not prepared to meet.
The armed strength of England IN South
Africa was at that time some y, 600 men Of
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

ing of Gen. Whites force at Ladysmith
practically the whole of the British force in
South Africa was besieged in three places,
and England realized that the subjugation
of the burghers meant more than a holiday
parade of her troops. The home govern
ment began immediate preparations for the
sending of large reinforcements, and Gen.
Sir Redvers Butler was assigned to chief
command. He undertook the relief of Lady
smith and assigned to Gen. Lord Methuen
the task of raising the siege at Kimberly.
Additional levies of troops to the num-
Der of 5000 were poured into Durham, Ma
tai. and with these Gen. Butler attempted
the relief of Ladysmith, the garrison at
which place was being hard pressed by the
Beers, who were determined to force a sur
render before assistance could come to the
besieged town. 1t was on December Is that
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

Gen. Roberts had now carried the war
into the very heart of the enemy's country,
and, with the exception of a number of raids
into Cape Colony by the Beers, it has re-
NAMED there. But the war was not over.
Engand's rising hIzzahs at British victories
were tempered by news of British defeats.
Roberts pushed active operations against the
enemy in the eastern Transvaal, and on Sep
TENDER 20, eight days after President Kruger
had entered Portuguese territory, he report
ed to London the capturing and dispersion
of the remnant of the Boer army in that
section of the republic. True the enemy was
scattered, but they were neither killed nor
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

siege of NIafeking had been raised. For
more than 200 days Col. Baden Powelfs lit
tie force had defended the place against
heavy Odds and the whole population had
suffered terrible privations, but they had
held out until the long expected relief had
reached them, and the whole garrison were
crowned with the victor's laurels by hero
loving England.
On May "a the British troops under Rob
erts crossed the Naal river, and on the 30th
marched into the golden town of johannes
burg, where they received a warm welcome
from the uitlanders, who had expected to
witness the destruction OF their property be-
fore they should be allowed to fall into the
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

though the end may not be just to our Xix
ing, it is enough that we go back through
the more than three years of the wars his
tory and recall some OF the battles, the
deeds of daring and bravery, the skilled
generalship of leaders on both sides that
have marked this conflict, now closed, as
one of the memorable struggles of the past
quarter of a century and more
The real opening of the war may be said
to have been October 9, 1899, at which time
President Kruger sent TO England the per-
emptory demand that that nation return
a satisfactory answer to the demands of the
South African republic on or before D
O'Clock p. m, October II, and that failure
to do so would be regarded as a formal
declaration of war. These demands in
eluded the acknowledgement of the com
plete sovereignty of the South African re-
public as an international power, and the
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

all branches, of whom some 1900 comprised
the force of Gen. Sir George White in
Natal, and the Others were scattered in
small commands at different points in Cape
Colony, the garrisons extending as far
north as Mafeking which Col, afterward
Cen, Baden Powell was defending with
force of ZOO men.
Gen. Petrus Jacobus Joubert, the hero
of Majuba Hill and vice president of the
commander-in-chief of the allied armies of
the Transyaal and the Orange Free State,
and at once took personal command OF the
troops that invaded Natal and shut Gen.
White up in Ladysmith.
In less than "a hours after the actual begin
ming of the war as dated from the expiration
from the time allowed in the Boer ultimat-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

On September Gen. Roberts had issued
a proclamation annexing the Transvaal to
the British domains. He continued in SUI
preme command until November 80, 1900,
when he turned over the command to Gen.
Kitchener and prepared to return to Eng
land. He can scarcely have realized the task
be was leaving TO the fearless officer Whose
laurels had been won on the battlefields of
Egypt, and who, as chief of staff had done
so much toward the success far attained
by English arms in the South African con-
hict. His training was of the kind that
gave him a special fitness for the work
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

IL, could scarcely give reasons for the war
that would be acceptable TO both sides. The
writer does not pretend to be able to decl-
pher a series of causes that might be Of
fered without fear of being accused of par
5iality; he, like millions of other readers OF
current history, as IL i recorded day after
day in the newspapers of every civilized
land, Is familiar with the claims made by
both sides, but out OF these claims he does
not intend to even attempt to unravel the
real cause of armed conflict between the
Britain and Boer in South Africa. When
time ha. healed the wounds OF the present
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31
south African Farms.

At the time of the breaking out of the
war there were some $4,000 acres of land
under cultivation in the Transvaal. The
farms numbered 1925, of which 1886 be-
longed to the government, l,6l2 to outside
owners and the remainder to resident own
ers and companies. The agricultural pro-
auctions were far from sufficient to meet
the demand of local consumption, and food
products figured heavily among the i'm
ports. The number of farms in the Orange
Free State was Il, 400, with more than 300,-
600 acres under cultivation.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

hands of the English.
On the same day that
Lord Roberts entered
Johannesberg he Is
sued the proclama-
ton that made an
English crown colony
of the Orange Free
State. Four days
later he was in the
Boer capital at Pre-
toria, and now,
thought England, the
war tnuSt snepdiIv eDC
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31
Stockholders Meeting.

Notice to the stOckh 1lderS of the 7 a-en-
port, * Island & NO-lh 4 estcrn hallway
comp any OF llnoiS.
The annual m ting of the stockholders of
III Dave npOrt, kOcR Island & North western
Railway company of Illinois. will be held at
the ON :e OF the con p1ny in the ely OF Rock
Island in the of Illinois, on MOrd ~, tn Z;
xtecntn DAY of June, 1909, at the hour of D
a 10 Tor purp )se of clecti' a board q
directors aud for the ranSac ion Of such other
buSiness as II ay lawfully come before the
meeting.
Dated his 18th day OF May. A. n. 1902
w. X. MORRISON.
secretary.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

meet. Early in the year it was estimated
that there were not more than 1900 Boer
troops still in the field, but these afforded
occupation for all the vast English army,
and still they could not capture or disperse
effectively the willy leaders or their bands.
The year brought with it such incidents
as the capture OF Modderfontein by the
Beers on February 8, three days after which
10000 fresh troops left England to reinforce
the army in South Africa. On April 10 the
English heart was made glad by the open
ing of peace negotiations by Gen. Botha,
but they amounted to nothing, and the war
went on with varying success on either side.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

kind that could result
in no lasting benefit
to the Boer cause,
other than the inspir-
ing of fresh vigor and
hope to the contest
ants.
The victory OF Gen.
Delarey overGen. Me-
thuen on March s of
this year was followed
on April IL by peace
overtures, and l. sup
posed to have had a
considerable infiu-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31
rrnn.rnn1 Church MembershIr

Church membership in the Transvaal is
divided about as follows: The United
Dutch Reformed church-the state church
sc. 900 communicates; other Dutch churches,
81. 700; English church, $4,000; Wesleyan
Methodist, 10000; Catholic, 5000; Presby-
terians, 5000; other Christian churches,
1000; Jews, 10000.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

captured, and then
began the long guer-
rilla warfare that
continued down to
the day peace was
declared, and which
brought many de-
feats and heavy loss
es to British arms,
even though it has
eventually resulted
in a British victory
that places all of
South African ter
ritory under the Eng
lish crown.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

withdrawal of all
British troops near
its borders. All
South Africa knew
and the world knew
that England would
not accept such terms
and prepared for war,
and the preparations
of the Boer troops
for attack began i'm
mediately. Military
expeditions from the
Transvaal, and others
g.. AL. H. Il
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

ence in prompting the peace terms offered
by England 1t was one of the most bril-
liant dashes of the war. and if it did moth
ing more it showed the London government
that the war might be almost indefinitely
prolonged if the Boer forces in the field
could not be induced to accept terms of
peace, and that they would not accept the
terms of unconditional surrender
WRIGHT a. PATTERSON.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

The heavy losses
seemed to fab to the
English, for the rea-
son, probably, that
they were the only
one of two contend
ing forces in a posi-
ton to suffer a heavy
loss. Boer com
mandoes were occa-
sionally captured or
dispersed, but they
were of small num-
beers and the Incl
dent was soon for
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

Gen. Butler began
the advance which
ended temporarily
with the disaster to
British arms at the
Tugela river, in which
the British lost 50
men killed, 667
wounded and 34S
missing. This battle,
the first fought by
Butler in South Afri-
ca, resulted in the
loss of his reputation
as a strategist and
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

IN the north OF cape
Colony, but failed
after losing more
than 500 men who
were made prisoners
by the Beers.
Such was virtually
the condition of
the British forces
when Gen. Roberts
and Gen. Kitchen
er, his chief of staff,
landed at Cape
Town on Jan
uarv 10, 1900. The
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

UNI, the British were
placed at a disadvan-
tage from which they
number of weeks and
did not recover for a
without the loss of a
large number of men
and munitions of
war.
The number of
troops with which
Gen. Joubert had ac-
complished this coupe
viii probably not be
known soon. In
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

whose judgement
every officer and pri-
vate OK the Boerarmy
trusted implicitly,
and who, had he
lived, would undoubt-
endly have done
much toward bring
ing about. If not a diff
ferent termination to
the conflict, a much
more dearly bought
victory for England,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

SlQtEd Dlt DUET lbi x
at Boshof. This was
followed on April 9
by a Boer defeat at
Wepener, another on
April IL at Fort
Abram, another at
DE- wetsdorp on
April 20, again at
Windsorton on May
5 and at the town
of Mafeking on May
l3.
On May 20, the vel
come news was cabled
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

of meeting the guerilla tactics to which the
Beers restorted as the only means left them
to continue the struggle.
While large numbers of Beers were sur
rendering to the English authorities there
were yet in the field such intrepid COM
manders as De Wet, Botha, Steyn, Delaray,
Schalk- Burger and others, and each of them
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

had a sufficient fol-
lowing to enable them
to defy either cap
ture or humiliation.
All through the year
1901 they forced upon
England a conflict
that kept a steady
demand for fresh
troops and war mu-
nitions pouring into
the war Office at Lon
don, a demand that
England seemed more
willing than abla IN
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31


ly one person in ten
could int diligently
guess at, so completely
has the cause been
swallowed up in the
din OF conflict. Even
those directly respon-
sible for the struggle;
those who were most
intimately connected
with the diplomacy
or shall we say rather
a deplorable lack OF
diplomacy-that i'm
mediatelv preceded
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

some close student
OF history, blessed
with an ability to
delve beneath the
surface OF things, may
be able to offer a Sc
ries of reasons that
will be acceptable to
a posterity through
whose veins will not
run the heated blood
of conflict. That time
Il not now.
As we glory in the
coming of DPacp even
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

prisoners, among the
killed being Gen.
kock. The British
loss was ~ killed.
But brilliant as were
these English vic
tories they had but
little result other
than opening a
means of retreat to
Ladysmith, VIII ere
Gen. Whites entire
force was rapidly con-
centrated.
With the mobiliZ-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31
orange Free state PopuIat,on

The area of the Orange Free State Is 49,
326, and the population is given at 77,7I6
whites-40,5TI males and 37,l45 females.
OF this total 5l,9lO were born in the Free
State and 81 JIG in Cape Colony. In addi-
ton 70 the whites theze are l29, 7S7 natives.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31
TransvnaI Gold Production.

The value of the gold production of the
Transvaal in 1898, the banner year OF Trans
vaal mining, was 6l6,044, l35. There were
Sc companies operating mines, employing
SS.627 men.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31
Area, Population and History
Of the South African Republic

HE Transvaal area is about l20,-
600 square miles; its popula-
ton Is probably about l 900, 900,
the Katiirs and other blacks
may number probably less than
500, 600. OF the more than
oOO 600 whites only 10000 or
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-31

the appointment of Lord Roberts TO succeed
him as chief IN command. Gen. Butler was