The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-12
DAMAGE FROM FLOOD.
fetal Area Under Water April Q Was
1880 Square Miies-Acst yalua-
BILE Cotton Lands In the Country
snbnerged-wnter should Abafc
by May I.

WASHINGTON. APRIL ia statement
relative to the Agricultural interests OF the
submerged districts Of the Mississippi val
ley south OF Cairo. ILL.,, has been issued
by the department Of agriculture. TX IS
based upon a chart prepared under the
direction Of the chiee OF the weather ou-
reau. showing the extent Of the nood on
April s.
The total area under water on April
was about Is so square miles, or whicn
1890 square miles was in Mississippi. 40.
square miles in Arkansas. l.l@ square
miles IN Missouri, Lao in Tennessee,
and $40 in Louisiana The region con-
tanned in 1880, so far as can be deter
mined. IN view OF the somewhat indeil !sa,s
OF s7s6ss. of which $50. iss. or about one
half. was in Mississippi, loe.2s5 in Arkan-
sas. and the remainder almost equally Oh
vided between Missouri and Tennessee
Taking the entire region, the eolored pop
ulation outnumbered the whites In the
proportion of 2 to ]. the colored predom-
mating IN the flooded districts OF Aissis,
sippi in the ratio of more than 5 10 !. and
I'm Arkansas 2 TO !. In Missouri and Ten
nessee the population or the Ioodeo as
tricts is largely white. In the former state
In the proportion.pf 10 To ], and in the lat
ter that of to l.
The flooded districts contain, IL rs esti-
mated about g 800 farms. OF waic "a a aoou u
Arkansas. and like number about equal
ly divided between Missouri and Ten
neSSeSs THESE farms contain a total dESa
OF about 3.s0aooo acres. one-half of which
Is In Mississippi, and rather over one
fourth in Arkansas, the proportions IN
Missouri being about the same as IN the
case of the number of farms.
About 15o0. go acres Of the area under
water We're last year devoted TO cotton
and corn. to which crops 20 per GENT OF
the entire acreage cultivated Is devoted.
IL is estimated that OF the crops or last
year over 81 10000 worth remained on
hand in the submerged region on the last
of the month. cotton representing about
two Thirds of this amount and corn prac-
ticaily all the remainder.
the crops of the present season depends
upon the length of its continuance and
the practicability of wheat-planeing after
the subsistence of the food. The entire
region under water on April produced
last year about 10000 bales OF cotton.
bushels of corn. worth about s.. 10000. and
wheat. oats, potatoes and hay worth over
$500 600 more. The most valuable portion
Of these crops was raised In Miss s5ippf.
where the region now submerged pro-
duced nearly $50 GOO bales of cotton. be-
sides other products. mostly for local con-
sumption. The counties wholly or par
TALLY submerged are among the largest
cottofi-producing counties In the United
States YaZoo county. which alone has
produced over 50 600 bales in a season. Is
one-half under water, while Bolivar coun-
with a productive capacity of 100000
halesl and other famous counties are par
TALLY submerged"
The weather bureau predicts a further
extension OF the flooded area. but no at
tempt. OF course, has been made TO eSti-
mate the serious possibilities of such ex-
tension