Boer War
 | |
| Location | The Pike |
|---|---|
| Construction | |
| Proft | $631,776.03($19.1 million in 2021) |
| Entry | |
| Adult Entry | 25¢ ($8 in 2021) |
The highest grossing military concession, the fifteen acre Boer War was located on The Trail, across Skinker from the Palace of Agriculture. This show depicted the 1899-1902 South African Boer War.
Before the Fair
In reality, the Boer war was really the second of it's kind, the conflict was also called The Second War of independence and the The South African War. The war consisted of the British Empire against the independent six colonies of Australia, Canada and New Zealand and the two independent Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic).
The idea for the show was conceived by one Captain A. W. Lewis.
Description
The attraction was the Battle of Transvaal reenacted for Fair spectators twice a day. 600 soldiers (some who took place in the Boer Wars and wore and used the actual uniforms and weapons, while General Piet Cronje, the actual Boer military leader, commanded the Boer veterans against the British troops in the reenactment.
To safely reenact the battle. They also employed 500 horses, mules and oxen in a backdrop of Swazis, Boer, Bushman, Matabele, and Zulu lands.
Besides the battle, the show included a parade, sporting events, and horse racing. In total, three battles were showcased, including the Battle of Colenso.
A highlight of the proceedings was General DeWet's escape on horseback, jumping off a 'cliff' into a river. This was performed by an actor who made $16 (equivalent to $483 in 2021) a month.
Horses were trained to fall (as if they were shot), and limp to heighten the reality of the battle.
Private events were held at this concession.
Incidents
Though most of The Pike, and especially the Palaces and exhibits had very little problems in terms of criminal activity, The Boer War exhibit was the backdrop for two above-the-norm instances within a day of each other.
On November 11, 1904, Ernest Chriss, a Jefferson Guard, shot and killed John Backhouse, a former British officer employed in the Boer War exhibit. Chriss was in the process of breaking up a fight among the former Boer and British soldiers. During the exchange, his revolver went off, killing Backhouse. Chriss was then badly beaten by the angry ex-soldiers.
The next night at 8:30, two masked bandits held up the Fair's miniature train just outside the entrance to the Boer War attraction. Armed with revolvers, the bandits stopped the train as it traveled along The Pike. Though no one was injured, three passengers were robbed of money and valuables worth about 100 dollars (they were later reimbursed by the owner of the railroad).
