The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-05-16
THE OVERFLOW.

New Orleans Times, May IT,

an apprccinble idea of the extent of our
loss. Although ii can scarcely be said
the floods have tegan to abatC, still
their destructive paths are now seen,
and we begin to see the rUvageS i'll
ficted upon our unfortunate and sut-
fering people. War has its hardShips
it is true, and to individuals it often
brings the dircst distress and suffering,
yet philosophers and statesmen allege
that in the great after progress and tie
! velopment of civilization, the rcnding
of fossilated prejudices and obsolete
customs which operate to manacle the
/ links of progress, there is secured some
| compensation. But in Il war with the
| elements there Is no after cOmpenSa-
tion. All is wreck, ruin and waste
which marks the path of such dread
monsters. Not until there has been
Il complete subsidence of the waters,
can there be a full measurement of the
damages sustained, but survey of the
vast plane of water, which stretches
from the border of Arkansas to the
gulf, with an average width of say
| fifty miles, we may ut least approNi-
mately estimate the calamity. Predi-
| eating our estimates on the best lights
now before us, the loss, direct and con-
sequential, to the people of this state
must largely exceed
TEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
When the flood shall have entirely
passed away, and absolute facts are as
certained, the estimate stated may be
largely increased, but cannot be di-
minished, and not untiI1 1ken will it be
possible to determine ht the midi.
vidual suffering has been.
The area now under water is Vari-
ously estimated ut from 100000 to
5000, 900 acres. The estimates of dam
age must include the labor previously
expended in the crops, the loss of fen
ces, cattle, mules, poultry, ana every
variety and kind of chattel property,
houses damaged machinery, stores of
food and clothing, loss of prospective
crops, also the prospective damage for
Il season of unemployed time until the
sufferers can again find rem,merative
employment, the time, labor and cX-
pensc of restoring the wasted land, FEM
ces and habitations. Involved in all
these estimates is Il population fairly
estimated ut
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND,
without considering the large CONNER
cia interests of New Orleans, which
are to be affected by the overflow, not
only for the present year, but until
these damages can he repaired.
We have desired to be reasonable in
| these calculations, and to find them ON
ascertained and appreciable facts, for
in that way only will they have any
value in the public mind. Suppose we
begin with the loss of the
COTTON CROP.
In making these estimates concern
| ing cotton, we consider the entire pro-
duet of Louisiana, Arkansas and Mis-
sissippi. Should the food snbside by
| the middle of the present month,
there would yet be time TO obtain some
rec0mpense for the loss in this crop
hut it Is well known the late planting
of cotton is never safe for any yield,
and can not he counted on under the
most favorable circumstances for more
than half Il crop. Well informed plan
ters, and good judges, with whom we
have conversed, consider that there
will be loss of 25O,0O0 bales of cotton
most favorable circumstances. Should
| Ullc ONclhOW tiAi tIt
18th instant, the loss will be largely en-
hanced, and exceed 100000 bales.
THE SUGAR LOSS.
The loss in this commodity is almost
total and absolute, not only for the
present year, but will attend that in
dustry for two more years besides the
present. Cane cannot be brought to a
productive capacity under three years,
and its restoration will only be accom-
plished gradually. 1t will be fair to
count in the loss not only of the pres
eft year but the consequential loss of
succeeding years. The loss on this
year's crop is variously estimated at
from 80, 900 to 10000 hogsheads, but we
are persuaded that the former figures,
10000 hogsheads, is within the margin
of certainty. That would be $4,000, 900.
Next year 1000 hogsheads, $50, ,000, 900,
and the year following that 10000
hogsheads, or 81 100000. The sugar
loss then, directly and consequential,
must be set down at S6,00O,0OO.
THE RICE CROP.
Some over-strong estimates have
been made of the loss in this crop, and
we have eudeavored to reach indis-
putable conclusions. The rice crop OF
the state is written down in the statis-
tics at 81, ,205 barrels of go pounds each
The producing parishes are: st. james
1876 barrels not overflowed; st. John
1850 barrels, one-quarter overflowed
loss 3l5 barrels; st. Charles 5402 bar.
rels, loss One-fourth or 1850 barrels
Jefferson 30S barrels, not overflowed
Orleans II barrels not overfiowed; St
Bernard III barrels, not overflowed
Plauuemines 0,254 barrels, loss one
third or lO,OS5 barrels; Hebonne H.,
74l, loss four-fifths or q barrels; La
fourche 1924 barrels, log two-tlirds OF
Sl6 barrels; Vermillion SS4 barrels, no
overf1owed; Lafayette $40 barrels, no
overfiowed. We have here a certain
loss of 5,O31 $40 pounds, which, esti
mated at Lie, aggregates S3l 1896.
THE TOBACCO CROP.
There may be some loss in the crop o
tobacco, but diligent inquiry has fail
; ed to discover that it is material. Th,
crop. at best, is not large in this state
A full estimate OF the loss, and we ar
without facts TO justify it, would b
$780, 900.
, This brings us to the consideration 0
the most difficult part of the subject
the loss of
CHATTEL PROPERTY.
such as cattle, mules, hogs, poultry
; farming tools, fences, etc. Necessaril.
: we are much at sea here, anu howeve
Objectionable it may be to present est
+ mates with no better foundation thai
guessing, it is for the present all that
allowed us. The population, as abov
:. stated, involved in the overflow ]
about 10000 people, white and black
implying from six to ten thousan
, plantations, large and small. I'll
y, question is how much has each planta
) ton lost by the flood i'm cattle, mules
!, fences and other chattel interests? l
e cannot be less than 500 to each place
and there are many persons who woul
:. unhesitatingly write it down at 500 7
t each place, and yet others who woul
n with as little hesitation estimate tn
loss at double that amount. We prefe
TO take a moderate view and calculat
from the basis of six thousand place
It at $500 each, which would give los
N of Il 900 OO0