The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-16

3'E OF AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS
ENDANGERC0 by FLOODS.
Millions at Stake-Crop Depends Upon
Whom the Water Recedes-A Good Ono
May Yet DO Madc.

Washington, April 11.-A state
ment on the agricultural interests OF
the submerged districts of the Mis-
sissippi valley south of Cairo, Ills.
has been issued by the department.
of agriculture. It is based upon a
chart prepared under tho direction
Of the chief of the weather bureau,
showing the extent of the flood on
April 6. TO this chart the depart
ment has applied the crop statemen is
of 1896 as representing more closely
than any other available data the
acreage and value of the crops
of 1897 now in danger.
The statistics of1fp5pulation, Of the
number and ssfeage of farms, and of
the value o. farms and farm imple-
ments sIH'5 those of the census, and
the ststistics of live stock are the de-
part'ment's own figures for Jan. l.,
The total area under water on
April 6 was about 1890 square
miles. Of which 1900 square miles
was in Mississippi, 4,5OO square
miles in Arkansas, 1,750square miles
in Missouri, 1900 in Tennessee and
400 in Louisiana. This region con-
tained in 1890, so far as can be do
termined, in view of the somewhat
indefinite boundary lines of the
flood, population of 370,0S5, of
which l8o,4S9, or about one-half,
was in Mississippi, 100,23 in Arkan-
sas and the remainder almost equally
divided between Missouri and Ten
nessee. Taking the entire region,
the colored population outnumbered
the whites in the proportion of IL to
4 the colored predominating in the
flooded districts of Mississippi in the
ratio of moro than 5 to 1, and in
Arkansas in that of 9 to 1. In Mis-
souri, and Tennessee the population
OF the flooded districts is largely
white, in the former State in the
. proportion of 10 to 1, and in the lat
ter in that of 2 to |.
The Hooded districts coutain, it is
estimated about $4,000 farms of
which about rs, 500 are in Mississippi,
nearly 10000 in Arkansas and like
number equally divided between
Missouri ani Tennessee. These farm
contalp}atotal area of about $780,.
OUO acres, one half of which is in
. Mississippi and rather over one
fourth in Arkansas, the proportions
inMissouri andTennessee being about
the same in the case.o the number of
farms. The total value of these
farms with their improvements, farm
implements, ETC., is close upon $685.
100000, and here also the proper
tion in the different States are about
the same as above noted. The to-
tai number of acres improved at tho
taking of the last consus was about
100000, and about 100000 acres
were last year devoted to cotton and
corn, to which crops nearly 05 per
cent of tho entire acreage cultivated
is devoted.
The live stock on hand January I ,
OF tho present year was valued at
over $1,000, divided in very
much the same proportion as othor
farm property. 1t is estimated that
ovtho crops of last year over $3,-
7EO,0OO worth remained on hand in
t5S submerged region on the last
of tho month-cotton representing
about two thirds of this and corn
practically all the remainder.
The lasgest interests at stake SO
far are those Of Mississippi, whose
flooded districts represent an invost-
ed capital in agriculture alono of
close upon $42,00O,00O. Over 49,
600 farms containing 100000
acres of land Of On average value of
about $18 on acre are under water in
the country lying between tho Mis-
sisippi and Yazoo rivers, including
somo of the most productive lands of
the State. Their live stock, even at
tho present low prices. is worth
nearly $3,500,00O, and tho farmers
and planters are estimated to have
about $2,000,O00 worth of tho crops
of}last year still on hand.
A IL. i