The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-08-26
Failure Of the Corn Crop...S0me Of the
COnsequences.

81 From all that We can learn through pri-
vate correspondence, verbal cOmmunic;-
tons, and our exchanges, we think We can
safely say that in three-f0urths Of Illinois,
nearly all of Missouri, large portion of In
diam, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, the
corn crop for the present season will be below
the half Of an average yield The above ma.
med States in 1850, according to the census
returns, produced the following quantities of
this staple:
Illinois, 6u.. Observation-Disclosures. 81, GAG, 974
missouri 90. ...............3 30, 2l4 ,637
Indiana do. SO, 964 1868
ONO, DO. ................ 59, O7S, $3.50
Kentucky, bu. ...............5 s, 672, 59l
Tennessee, bu. 80, 276, 223
Total, Observation-Disclosures. .3lG, 1853, 1898
Now, if we estimate half crop the pres.
cnt season, and it is more likely to fall below
than go above it, the failure, in round num-
bers, in these half dozen States, reaches the
large amount of l5S, l26, 500 bushels The
direct loss in the value of this quantity of
corn can be readily estimated, and it is
frightfully large but the indirect loss will be
much greater.-The States named are the
principle grazing, stockgrowing and hog
producing States Of the Union, and upon the
money received from these sources the people
Of these States chiefly rely. But failure of
the corn crop produces CORE. ponding fail
ure in the hog.crop, and partial one in the
beefcrop.-Thousands Of farmers who ex-
pected to realize large sums the approaching
autumn and winter from the sale ofpork and
beef, will consider themselves fortunate if
able to fat sufficient for their own family use
The sums which will thus be lost are difficult
Of estimation, but the New York 7ribanes
estimate of one hundred million of d0la s
for the United Statos, will not nearly. cover
the loss in the six States named n our list
But while the farming community are thus
compelled to suffer loss, all other classes will
more or less participate in it, 1t must have
a depressing effect upon every description Of
business-it will materially check the pro.
Gress of improvement throughout the COIN
try-prices of real estate, of horses, and
hogs will depreciate in the region of the
drought, and prices Of provisions will go up
to high figure in the principle markets of
the country railroads, steamboats, and YES
sells upon the lakes will have less to do. In
word, every interest Gseat or small, must
come in for share Of the loss resulting from
the failure Of this great staple Of our coun-
try.
We conversed yesterday with an ntcll-
gent and active business man from Middle H.
linois, from whom we learned that rain in
any degree Of abundance could not row give
in his region even half crop. Farmers, he
informed us, were offering to sell stock
hogs, at one to one and half cents per
pound, live weight. Those living in the in.
teri,r, and who expected to raise a large
surplus, are going to the river towns and
buying up corn to take back into the count.
~. For the same reason, the price of corn
has sudd My advanced in the st. Louis Mar.
ket from Is to so cents per busnel-the lat.
ter figure being the quotation in that market
for Mon lay last. Our merchants need OK.
pect no further shipments the present season
from the Illinois river. All that remains of
last years crop in TINT region will either be
retained for home consumption, or be ship
ped to st. Louis.
Weallude to these facts, because we do
not think the full effects of the disastrous
drought have been fully realized by any
class of our citizens, while we are sure il
will be for their interest to know the worst
Chicago Democratic Press.