Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-04-15

cAEITAL INVESTED in in AGRic Ss5
| IN Allss,sslppi ................ $42WO,OOO
~ aArk Sa, ................... I.U oSoo0
In Tennessee ................... s.50o,OoO
rRoDUcT OF T1iHiiE; REGION LAST YEAR:
Cotton ................. .$l3,UU.OW
Ethar c..;: ..'........ ..'.... aoU 90
RoPETArioN OF FFIooDDED DisrKIcTs;
Mlssisslppi .............. ........ !Sb 4S9
Arkahsas ..'........... .......... .lN@so
Missoufl ........ ............... Dl.ou
AeHheSseo .............. ........... 4l,4ol
Total ........... ............. .s7o. es5
This statement has been compiled from
| statistics gathered by the Department of
Agriculture. 1t is based upon chart pre-
pared under the direction of the chief of
| the weather bureau showing the extent of
| the food. To this chart the department
| has applied the crop statistics of 1896, as
representing more closely than any other
| available data the acreage and value of
| the crops Of 1897 now in jeopardy. The
| statistics Of population, of the number
and acreage of farms and Of the value of
farms and farm implements, are those of
the census and the statistics Of live stock
are the departments own figures for Jan.
/, 1897.
1t is significant that this report is from
only the southern districts that are food
| stricken. No estimate has been prepared
Of the damage done in the Northwest. The
Dakotaa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, H.
linois and other sections are still flooded,
but no figures have been compiled to show
IN hn h. 90 h>~
No mention is made of the loss of life.
any one locality, It 10 conceded that the
total figure 10 very high, but there Is no
| way at hand to make even an estimate, as
In most cases the people drowned have
been away from all centers Of trade or
| communication.
Details Of the Disaster.
The total area under water April was
$500 square miles, of which 1900 square
miles was in Mississippi, $500 square
miles in Arkansas, 1850 square miles in
Missouri, 1900 in Tennessee and $50 in
Louisiana.
This region contained In 1890, 30 far as
can be determined in view of the some
what indefinite boundary lines of the
food, a population Of $40, 1886, Of which
1S6, 4S9, or about one-half, was in Mis-
sissippi, 1OO, 235 in Arkansas, and the re-
| mainder, almost equally divided between
Missouri and Tennessee.
The flooded districts contain, it IL esti-
mated, 38,5OO farms, Of which 1880 are
In Mississippi, nearly 10000 in Arkansas,
and like number about equally divided
between Missouri and Tennessee. These
farms contain a total area of 100000
acres, one-half of which il in Mississippi
and rather o, er one-fourth in Arkansas,
the proportions in Missouri and Tennea-
see being about the same as in the case
Of the number of farms. The total value
Of these farms, with their improvements,
farm implements, etc, 10 $65, OOO, 900, and
here also the proportions in the different
States are about the same as above noted.
Pesti1ence May Come.
The people Of the United States will
never realize the extent of the great food,
and can hardly appreciate the suffering
which it brings to several hundred thou
sand human beings. Not only are these
food sufferers wanting for the necessities
Of life, for food and shelter, but on all
sides ruin stares them in the face and
they are almost staggered by the knowl-
edge that the savings of years have been
swept away and that it will take a decade
or more of toll and privation to reach the
condition they were in before the food
came Nor IL this the most distressing
feature of the situation, for their great
dread now is the imminent danger of pes
thence when the waters subside Fevers
and plaques hover over the submerged re-
gion and are ready to snatch their victims.
The raging waters have dealt mercifully
with human unexpectedly not more
than 200 being drowned through the en-
tire valley-but the pestilence will not be
so sparing of loved ones and it will cause
suffering horrible to contemplate
1t is impossible, of course, to estimate
even approximately the damage done by
the floods. but it surely will not fall be-
low $1OO.OOO,OOO. More than $50, 600 per-
sons are homeless, sheltered under strange
roofs, in tents, box cars and barns. More
than twice as many are still living in their
homes, surrounded by water. and with
cellars filled with water. More than TO-
600 farm animals have been destroyed BY
the food any many Of those that were car
ried to places Of refuge have perished. 1t
h sickening situation and the worst 10
not yet. Thou1ends Of persons, men,
women and children, are slowly starving
In the tree tops and on the unsubmerged
hillocks Of Arkansas and Mississippi.
Should relief fail to reach them their
skeletons will be found later on when the
grass grows green in the torrent beds and
when the floods and the sufferings caused
by them are forgotten.
From source to mouth the furious Faith
Ct Of Waters 10 making new breaks In the
levees and spreading disaster through new
territory. Already $4,000 square miles
IRE under water. Far up In the Minneso-
as and Dakotas and back IN ths Allegha-