Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-08
TIE BRITISH MULE GAk|P
War Department of United States
Making an Investigation
at Chalmette.
A Thousand Horses and 400
Mules Penned Up-.Scenes
at Dock.
Question of international Law
Involved..Good Thing for
New Orleans.

violating the neutrallLy laws ny Coll
Quoting a recruiting camp in this city
AS a first result of Attorney General
should be examined, Colonel E. II.
Crowder, of Chicago, connected with
the adtutant generals department, and
now assigned to the department of the
lakes, has arrived in this city to turn
his official glass on the British officers
who are supplying horses and mules for
Lord Kitchener's army.
One thousand horses and 400 mules
are penned UP in Port Chalmette, ten
miles out on the levee from New Or
leans. Their status in international
law is the vexed question the war de-
partment has undertaken to solve II
the traffic in these animals Is found to
be illegal, then England may have to
answer for violating the neutrality
laws. II not, then New Orleans will go
began months ago, when the British
made this city the shipping point for
horses and mules for the South African
campaign.
Colonel Crowder is resting on his
arms. All of the business element in
New Orleans is watching him closely.
He has outdistanced the instructions
forwarded him from Washington, and
until these orders arrive he will not act.
Officially he is in the dark, but in the
army circles at jackson Barracks and
among the business men of New Or
leans there is no doubt. He is here to
investigate and report to the war and
state departments whether England is
violating the neutrality laws, as Gener-
oil Samuel Pearson, formerly Of the
Boer army. charges.
In the meantime Port Chalmette is
collecting it's new quota of horses and
mules. At the wharves three transports
are waiting to clear off for Cape Town
the moment the animal cargoes are
aboard. A COMMITTEE" of British army
officers and veterinarians are busy
passing on the four footed recruits that
come in daily from all points Of the
western grazing districts.
If David Harum ever dropped into
New Orleans in these days he would in
sist that he had arrived at the equine
paradise. Port Chalmette-the name
given to rows of brick stables and stock
pens-is its center. Here are gathered
together more samples of horse flesh
than the most ardent horselan ever
dreamed of.
In the big corrals can beyfound every
thing that ever travelled about under
the name of horse or mule. On the three
waiting transports are English cap
tains and seamen. who are hoping for
one thing-that the Boer war soon will
come to an end They are also wonder
ing about one thing-which end of this
country must be secured to keep up the
run of mounts for their brothers in
arms who are fighting among the
kopjes. ,E
In all this group no one will admit he
Is worrying about Attorney General
Knox's opinion. They contend that 1t Is
a mere proposition Of trade. What
Colonel Crowder will do, he does does
hot know. His army friends assert,
however, that the Washington orders,
due here today, will demand full In
quiry. In that event court of inquiry
will be established at once and General
Pearson, Governor Heard, Captain Ea-
ton, of the British army, and others
will be summoned to give formal testi-
mony and clear up the mooted point.
There can be found nothing that
will stand as a violation of the neu-
trality laws" said an English captain,
giving the British position. For three
years shipments have been going on
from here. First we had to use any
point available on the river front. Then
we got the Stuyvesant docks. But these
Quarters were to cramped. Then Port
Chalmette came up as possible site
for shipping depot 1t was secured
and-well you see the procession we
have down here" he concluded with a
gesture, his hands sweeping the yards
and stables.
Business men, particularly the bank
ers, Of New Orleans takes this stand.
I'm not saying anything about Gov.
ernor Heard's report" said a leading
banker yesterday afternoon. But what
can the state do? About 240, 900 head of
'gee-gees' and mules have been shipped
out of this town in the three years this
business has been going on. Helps New
Orleans? Well should say. And II
the state puts it's foot down what will
become of the trade? 1t will go to Bal
timore or to Galveston. II there is to
be any action by the federal govern
ment that will be different matter.
That would stop the trade at any and
every port in this country
In the pens at Chalmette 1,400 ami
mails are awaiting shipment. Great
brick stables, closed by massive sliding
doors. form the principal feature OF the
landscape. There is in intricate system
of pens connecting with these stables
and here live stock show goes on
daily. Guards there are, but they are
all American multeers and visitors are
seldom interfered with. Fitting here
and there are miniature trolley cars,
shifting hay back and forth between
the docks ara the big compressers.
Great sacks of oats are whirled here
and there to stock the transports for
the thirty-two days voyage to Cape
Town.
AS the visitor passes up the lanes ar
ranged just as they are at the stock
yards, scores of horses trot along with
in the fences. That the animals are
from the western ranches Is shown by
the brands burned on their TANKS. That
many have been "doped" to pass in
spection is also held by experts. Tricks
known to horse traders are held to have
been practiced to the limit.
See that bunch of bones over there"
,,Iy yh1