Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-09-06
Distressing

Our exchanges contain accounts of the
most distressing drought, extending over an
amount of territory hitherto unparalleled,
and which has entirely destroyed all vegeta-
ton, blasting, the prospects of the husband
man and spreading alarm and terror through
the country. We see the most appalling
accounts from portions of Virginia, Mary
land, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, most of the
Western and Northwestern States, extend
ing to Missouri, Texas, &c. Every thing
in the shape of vegetation is completely
burnt up. Be side the scorching rays of the
sun, innumerable fires have taken place a
mong the praries and woods, sweeping and
destroying every thing before it for miles.
The editor of the Louisville Journal, after
travelling from st. Louis to Chicago, and
thence south to Louisville, Ky comes to
the conclusion that in the great corn grow
ing States of Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio,
Illinois, Arkansas, and Missouri, the corn
crop this season will fall short one-half the
average yield. In portions of Illinois and
Missouri it is thought the crop will not be
one-third as large as usual, and in the neigh
borhood of the OhiO river it is regarded as
nearly a total failure.
The Cleaveland Herald of Thursday, the
Oath, gays
"a friend of ours from Portage county
gives US a sad and discouraging account Of
the burning country around US. Sun and
fire are doing a work of destruction which is
carrying a panic in its wake. Miles of the
soil are on FIRE in Portage and Summit coun-
ties green trees seem to burn as rapidly as
dry ones the surface earth is consumed to
the depth of a foot, and danger to some Of
the villages is apprehended, for there is rot
water enough in the wells to supply the daily
wants.
"A spark from a passing locomotive will
set a field a blaze, and the fire sweeps along
like a race-horse. In the valleys the smoke
is constant and at night so dense as to be
nearly suff0cating, and without a speedy rain
to check this disaster not only crops but build
: ings will fall before the flames. A fire is rag
, ings a short distance this side of gainesville,
and has already spread over a mile in extent
:, of the forest
| THE DROUGHTI IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI
: BAD STATE OF T'HIsGs.-The Warsaw Demo-
crat, Of the 18th, says Never since the
settlement Of this country has the prospect Of
the corn crop been so discouragiDg as the pre-
sent. The whole Southwest Missouri, and to
. some extent the whole State, with a part of
Arkansas and Texas, is within the range Of this
dreadful drought. The Usage river is lower
than ever before known. The corn crop of
this region will not yield more than a fourth
of an average crop. Many felds-nay farms
will make none-not even seed. The corn on
all The gravelly lands is now fired nearly TO the
top blades. The wild grass on the ridges is all
dead parched up as well as wild shrubbery
in many places. Many of the trees are dying
on the gravelly ridges. In fact the grass and
leaves of the shrubbery is so ~parched, in many
places. that it will burn as it ordinarily would
in November. We have had no rains, except
one or two partial showers that done but little
good, for SOM ten weeks. Luckily we had q
tolerable harvest of wheat, and oats was ex.
cellent. The water mills are af dry, and fol
the want ofsteam mills this part of the coUntr,
is in a deplorable condition for bread. Flon,
is worth from four to FIVE dollars per hundred
and none to behad; corn meal 81 25 per bushel
and scarce
Since the above was in type we find th,
} following item in our exchanges:
!, CINCINNATI, August 29.-Advices received
here from Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia
4 speak favorably ofthe corn crop, and through
out most of the Western States there hav
! been refreshing rains, which have greatl
improved the condition of the crops. Tn
indications now are, that taking the countr
through, the yield will not be much beloy
a fair average crop.