The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-08-12
CURRENT WONDERS OF A wONDER-
FUL AGE. fser-E.-..-r .

This is year of atmospheric wonders.
Such drouths and storms and floods, even
in this country, never were known. The
great river of the continent is in most dis
ordered condition, and the flood that now
sweeps down the valley should have passed
out into the Gulf Stream nearly two months
ago The rise and fall of the Mississippi
does not occur with the fixed regularity of
the Nile, but, due to the melting of snow
in the Rocky Mountains, comes regularly
with departing spring and dawning sum-
mer Crops very often are planted and ma
tured perfectly after the annual overflow
has left upon worn fields an anuvium as
rich and productive as guano. But nature,
in 1875, knows no laws in peace or. order,
in physics or finance or politics. The
deluge is coming, and the valley of the
Mississippi, late telegraphic dispatches
say, must be submerged from Cairo to the
sea. The sum of losses in property and toll
to ensue is simply incalculsble, and the
sufferings of myriads of negroes inhabiting
countless villages on numberless rice, sugar
and cotton plantations in the lowlands is
incalculable This alIuviaI valley, seven
hundred miles long and forty miles wide
the river itself occupying a ridge which it
uplitts along It's midst-contains more than
sixteen million acres of arabic land, and
when we reflect that during the past five
years the negroes of the Southwestern
States have been rapidly aggregated in the
lowlands and that their modest homes must
be laid waste, we can begin to estimate the
detriment that may be done by this unpre-
eedented calamity. before-a at such
time did such an event occur, and never
was popular anxiety so intense, not only
among those who watch the movement and
force of every wave that beats against the
dykes that hedge in the yurging food of
the mighty river, but among tradesmen of
every town and village along the shores of
the majestic river. But these extraordi-
nary freaks Of nature are not peculiar to this
continent. Terrible rain storms have not
fallen in the mississippi valley alone, Eu-
rope has been conyulsed by tempests such
as were never known before. At Geneva,
in Switzerland, few days ago, there came
down from the Alps the most terrific storm
of sleer and ice, driven through homes
and temples by the fercest blasts that
ever swept down-Alpine mountain 1sides.
Hailstones met in horizontal fight and
were cOpgealed together in great masses,
and breaking through windows Of churches,
destroyed pictures of infinite value in
hoary, medieval temples, and crushed the
roofs of houses and spread terror every
where. In Ireland, as in parts Of England
and Scotland and France, disastrous foods,
more ruinous than this anticipated from
CarO to the Gulf, and as terrible in ruin
wrought as the recent desolaticn of Iceland
by volcanic fres.- have leaped like Irving
saurians from river beds Of immemOrial re-
pose, and swept away homes and indusfnes
Of Villages, cities and provinces With
these fearful rsvulsipns in nature come
those ia trade sad finance. which stagger
commercial confdenrs and make etimid cap
itAl, that WAS again stalking forth very
gingerly into the bywAys of sPecuiation,
again Withdraw and seek rsfuge in vaults
Of fmissrs and henkers. Inths moral world.
also, ell manner Of cOnsulsioas are pro