Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-12

Estimate Of the Loss
Caused by the 0serfiow-A feafini
Summing ID.

~
New Orleans Times.
Predicatiug seur estimates on the best
lights now before us, the loss, direct ana
consequential, to the people of this State
must largely exceed
TEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
When the food shall have entirely passed
away, and absolute facts are ascertained,
the estimate stated may be largely increased,
but cannot be diminished, and not until
then will it be possible to determine what
the individual suffering has been.
The area now under wafer is yariously es-
timated at from $500, 600 10 3, 200, 900 acres.
The estimates of damage must include the
labor previously expended in the crops, the
loss of fences, cattle, mules, poultry, and
every variety and kind of chattel property,
houses, damaged machinery, stores Of food
and clothing, loss Of prospective crops, also
the prospective damages for a season of I'M
employed time until the sufferers can again
find remuneratiye employment, the time,
labor and expense of restoring the wasted
lands, fences, aud habitations. Involved
in all these estimates is a population fairly
estimated at
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND,
without considering the large commercial
interests of New Orleans, which are to be
affected by the overflow, not Oily for the
present year, but until these damages can
be repaired.
We have desired to be reasonable in these
calculations and To found them on ascer-
tanned 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 concerning
cotton, we consider the entire product OF
Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi.
Should the food subside by the middle of
the present month, there would yet be
time to obtain some recompense for the
loss in this crop; but it is well-knOwn that
late planting of cotton is never safe for any
yield, and can not be counted on under
the most favorable circumstance for more
than half crop. Well informed planters,
and good judges, with whom We have con-
verSed, consider that there will be loss of
100000 bales of cotton on the crop of this
year, even under the most favorable cir
cumstances. Should the overflow continue
longer than the 18th instant, the loss will
be largely enhanced, 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 industry for two
more years besides the present. Cane can
not be brought to a productive capacity
under three years, and its restoration will
only be accomplished gradually. 1t will be
fair to count in the loss not only for the
present year, but the consequential loss of
succeeding years. The loss on this years
crop is variously estimated at from 10000
to 10000 hOgsheadS, but we are persuaded
that the former figures, 10000 hOgsheads,
is within the margin of certainty. That
would be S3,000,O00. Next year 10000
hogsheads, S2,000,000, and the year follow
ing that 10000 hogsheads, or $1,000, 900.
The sugar loss then, directly and eonse-
ouential, must be set down at S6000, 900.
THE RICE CROP.
Some oyerStrOng estimates have been
made of the loss in this crop, and we have
endeavored to reach indisputable conelu-
sions. The rice crop Of the State is writ
ten down in the statistics at % 200 barrels
of two hundred and thirty pounds each.
The producing parishes are: st. James
435 barrels, not overlooked; st. John 1,250
barIels, one-quarier over-flOWed, loss SIS
barrels; St. Charles 5,402 barrels, loss one
fourth or 1910 barrels; Jefferson 30S
barrels, not overflowed; Orleans 1I2
barrels, not overflowed; St. Bernard III
barrels, not overfiOwed; Piaquemines 3d.
254 barrels, loss one-ihird or I0,0S5 barrels;
Terrebonne IL ,74l, loss four-ffths or 9,3l2
barrels; L.afourche l,224 barrels. loss two
thirds or SIC barrels; VeTmilliOn SS4 bar
rels. not overlooked; Lafayette SO barrels,
not overlooked. We have here a certain
loss of 5,03I $40 pounds, which, estimated
at &c, aggregates S31l,996.
THE TOBACCO CROP.
There may be some loss in the crop of
tobacco, but diligent inquiry has failed to
discover tina: il is material. The crop, at
best, is not large in this State. A full esti-
mate of the loss, and we are without facts
to Justify it would be 100000.
This brings us to the consideration Of
the most difficult part of this subject, the
loss Of
CHATTEL PROPERTY,
such as cattle, mules, hogs, poultry, farm
ing tools, fences, etc. Necessarily We are
much at sea here, and however Objectiona-
bic it may be to present estimates with no
better foundation than guessing, it is for
the present all that is allowed us. ihe
population, as above stated, involved in the
overflow, is about 10000 people, white
and black, implying from six to ten thous-
and plantations, large and small. The
question is how much has such plantations
lost by the food in cattle, mules, fences
and other chattel interest? IL cannot be
less than 500 to each place, and there are
many persons who would unhesitatingly
write it down at 500 each place, and yet
others who would with as little hesitation
estimate the loss at double that amount.
We prefer to take a moderate view and cal