Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-04-13
Western Disasters.

The elements appear to have played, havoc
In the West this Spring a flood on the
Mississippi rarely, If ever. pasalleled, has
just subsided, leaving thousands of people,
large and rich planters. without homes. or
even prnyisions'to sustain life, when on the
heels Of the subsistence of the waters q series
OF tornadoes sweep ssover parts sof Kansas,
Iowa., Illinois and Mi cbigan, demolishing
houses and destroying numbers of lives.
The damag dono along tho rioh Missis-
sippi bottoms is immense and not few OF
tho largo planters will DO prevented from maxi
ing crop this year. The consequence is that,
whore wealth ard plenty abounded only q
few wcoks ago, the g enoral Government hns
citizens of several States. Tho richost cotton
lands Of the United States have beon tom
porarily ruined, and as another consequence
the prico OF cotton has advanced more tllun q
cent on the pound. The effect will be fol,
moro than year hence and in tho shorter
crop of another year the citizens of loss fa-
vored sections will reap higher prices for the
next Drop. We arc glad to see cotton riae
higher in value, but not through causes
.
The Governors Of several inundute d
States have expressed tho opinion that the
people of these States will not bo able to re-.
pair tho broken le7ees, and that tho General
Government should take tho matter in hand.
To enclose within secure banks this great sea
of waters is q herculean nb but it is ono
which should be done in way to prevent o
repetition of the disasters Of last month.
TO crown this great disaster. dispatches OF
tho 7th instant give information of cycor cs
which have DESTROYED lawns aud killed many
poople in four of the Northwestern States.
These terrible storms are chiefly confined to
the grent Northwest, and are to be dreaded
because of their destructive power Water
and wind, useful and harmless agencies un-
der obituary circumstances, ure terrible at
times.
1t is strnngc that our people, living in q
healthy climate, where an easy living is
within the reach Of all. should seek homes in
countries. where, though tho soil is richer,
arc not blessed as we are We have often
said there is little difference in countries tak~
ing all advantages and disadvantages into
consideration. Go where you will in all this
broad land. and you will fnd rich and poor,
but in very few places will you find climate
and water so pure and saubrious and ut tho
samo time soil 40 generous as wo have in
upper South Carolina. II is not the country
80 much as tho man, who creutes wealth,
while it is The cnnn,ry that breeds disease or
retains health. The active. thrifty and eco
nomical can grow rich hero, while the thrift !.
less and idle will grow poor anywhere Health
is better than money and II feeling of security
from disaster, whether from water. wind. fro.
or insects. is better than constant anxiety.
Forest fires gras>h"ppers. foods. storms and
disease are tho common calami:ies of til Q
West and frecdum from all these is to II largo
extent secure in our section Let our people
| then be satisfied With the advantages they
cnjoy here and not racrifico them to II doubt
ful prospect Of growing rich sooner elsewhere
| There arc but few who 90 elsewhere from,
this section but desire to get back and would
return but for pride or being too poor. In
dus,ry and economy will succeed here; while
| they only can in the West and too often dis
ease ard poverty are the fruits Of removal.