The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-21

Not for many years has the periodical
flood in the Mississippi valley been so dis
astrous as this. The whole river bank
from st. Paul down has been subjected
to a strain before which massive levees
gave way. The better work along the
Louisiana shore has served TO protect
that state. but wherever the Ievees have
not been most substantially constructed
they have yielded. There seems TO DC no
hope OF permanently hsuring immunity
from these devastations. 1t would be
work Of fabulous cost TO bank the entire
river through its navigable length with
walls Of rock work: and In some places
even that would scarcely suffice.
The loss TO the four states chiefly az
feeted will be enormous unless the waters
subslde In time for the May cotton SOW
ing. The farmers are watching with
anxious eyes the mark which each cay
shows how far the water has recocec.
The annual cotton crop Is the chief de-
pendenoe Of most OF the commerce OF
there II nothing TO be done but wait fill
the next year. over a tract large enough
10 make great state the water has
spread. and the subsistence Of tens u
thousands almost depends apoa the CUES
ton whether the land viii Dc ery enough
IN time FOR sowing.
The extent % this l. better shown by
a report issued by the department OF agri-
culture. According to this the total area
under water on April was about 1850
square miles. Of which 100 miles was tn
Mississippi t59o In Arkansas. ]. 20 square
miles In Missouri. Lsoo In Tennessee and
40 In louisiana Tho boundary lines
| forming the territory covered by water
are not very dennits but the newspaper
reports have given a general Idea Of the
country invaded. From these IL would
seem that the region had = population in
! iSso OF gsg.sSS. OF which lS6. ss9. or about
one-han. was IN Mississippi. Id. rs ia
Arkansas. and the remainder almost
equally divided between Missouri and
| Tennessee. The report gives some inter
ssting statistics concerning the relat,vs
proportion OF the white and coiored peo-
| pie. but these are not pertinent.
~ more immediate interest IS the
amount Of property involved. II is esti-
mated that altogether ,he flooded dis
triets contain about 81 so farms. OF which
about i. so are In Mississippi nearly 10 0o0
In Arkansas. and the remainder about
equally divided between the other states.
| These farms contain = total area Of about
| 3 ~. 90 acres. Their total value with I'm
| provements. farm implements. etc. Is
close upon s6S. ooo.eoo
The state Of Mississippi Is by far the
greatest sufferer. her proportion OF loss
being reckoned at 81 on. DC Over 1900
farms. containing s.looea acres % Land
OF al average value Of SIS sn acre. are
under water in the country lying between
the Mlsslssippi and Yazoo rivers. incIua.
Ing some 81 the most productive land q
the state. Their live stock. even a. the
present low prices. Is worth nearly S. 500. =.
90. and the farmers and planters are esd
mated 70 have about 10000 worth c.
the crops % last year OF hand.
The region under water produced las,
year about stoeo bales OF ectton. valued
at close On 70 glAeaoso. over HOO. oc<
bushels % corn worth about 3 40. a,o. and
wheat. cats. potatoes and bag. worth ever
ssoaeoe more. The most valuable portion
OF these crops pas raised IN Mississippi
whose region now submerged produced
nearly s quarter OF Failiion bales OF cot
ten. besides ether products. mostly 70,
local consumption.
The suggestion that these aoo3s are eus
70 the deaedation ef timber iaads = con
trovertes by history. Loag before thsrs
was any considerable clearing ef the Tor.
rsts that once covered OHIO. Indiana. ILL.,
uols ana other states. which might have
affected THE rivers volurse. there were
seasons when the Mississippi roo1ea to
valleys. So Icing ago as f-s TIE rsvei
rose argeen feet above lev water a. Me-.
Orleans. aae there were great foods IL
In ia rs ana 81 Intervals of : fsw
years thereafter. Il c2aaos BE due either