The St. Cloud journal., 1874-05-14

age by the Flood.
From tAs NsU Orlsans Tmes.
Not until there has been = complete
subsidence Of tho waters can there be
4 full measurement of the damages
sustained but . survey Of tho vast
plane Of water, which stretches from
the border of Arkansas to the Cult,
with an average width of say fifty
miles, We may at least approximately
estimate the calamity. Predioating
our estimates on the best lights now
before Us, tho loss, direct and oonse.
quential, to the people Of this State
must largely exceed $l0,000,0OO
The area now under water is various.
ly estimated 1t from 2.500,000 to g..
900, 900 acres.
Involved is a population fairly esti-
mated at 10000, without considering
the largo commercial interests Of New
Orleans.
Well.informed planters and good
judges With whom 10 have couverssd
consider that there will be = loss of
25o, 900 bales on tho cotton crop Of
this ysas, even under the most favora.
bio circumstances. Should tho over.
flow continue logger than the 18th
INST, tho los viii b largely enhanced
and exceed 300, 900 bale,.
The los in sugar is almost total and
absolute, not only for the present year,
but will attend that industry for two
more yssrs After the present. Cane
sanaos be brought to . productive o.
paei,y under three yeas, and its re.
storation oan only bs accomplished
gradually. 1t will be fair to count in
tho loss not only Of the present yea.
but the consequential loss of succeed.
ing years. The loss on this years crop
is variously estimated At from 80, 900
to 10000 hogsheads, but We are per.
suaded that the former figures 100000
hogsheads) is within the margin oi
certainty ; that would be s3,oOo,ooo,
next year 10000 hogsheads, $2,00O,.
0C0, and the year following that, TO-.
900 hogshe.ds, or 100000. The
sugar los, then, directly and conse.
quential, must BE- set down at $6,000,.
900.
OF the rice.crop We have = certain
loss Of 5,031 $40 pounds, which, esti.
mated at St cents, aggregates $751;.
996.
- There may be some loss in the crop
Of tobacco, but dilligeut inquiry has
failed to discover that it is mater1al'
The crop, At best, is not large in this
State. A full estimate Of tho loss, and
10 are without facts to justify it, would
bs 100000.
This brings Us to tho consideration of
tho most difficult part OF the subject,
tho loss Of ohattel property, such a.
cattle, mules, hogs, poultry, farming
tools, fences, etc. The population, as
above stated, involve in the overflow Is
about 10000 people, white and black,
implying from 5000 to 10000 planta-
tious, large and small The question
is, how much has each plantation lost
by the flood in cattle, mules, fences,
and other chattel interests It cannot
be less than 500 to each place, and
there are many persons who would un-
besitatingly write it down 5000 to each
place, and yet others who would with
little hesitation estimate the loss at
double that amount. We prefer to
take moderate view, and calculate
from the basis Of 5000 places at 5000
each, which would give loss of ST.
100000.
There remain many other matters
which have not yet been considered
and which legitimately enter the esti.
mates Of tho losses TO which this State
has bssn subjected BY tho great over.
dov. When the State shall ba able to
weigh her nisfortunes, it may yet ap.
pear that our calculations, are far too
short.