The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-04-12
THE STRICKEN SOUTH.
Statistics Showing the Extent Of
the Great Floods.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LOST.

|@>N
der Water In That State-Arkansas
'. Also Suffers Heavily.
I Washington, April ia statement
relative to the agricultural interests of
the submerged districts of the Missis-
sippi valley south of Cairo, Ills, has
been issued by the department of agri-
pared under the direction of the chiet
Of the weather bureau, showing the
extent of the flood on April Q. To this
chart the department has applied the
crop statistics of 1896 as representing
more closely than any other available
nata the acreage and value of the crops
Of 1897, now In jeopardy. The statistics
hf population, of the number of acreage
OF farms and farm implements are
those Of the census, and the statistics
bf live stock are the departments own
hgures for Jan. /. 1897.
The total area under water on April
was about $500 square miles. of
which 1900 square miles was in Missis-
ytppi. 4.h0O square miles in Arkansas,
t,76O square miles in Missouri, 1900 in
region contained in 1890, so far as can
be determined in view of the some-
what indefinite boundary lines of the
food. a population of S796s5, of which
1ss. .4S8, or about half, was in Mis-
eissippi. 100.2sS In Arkansas, and the
remainder almost equally divided be-
tween Missouri and Tennessee. Taking
The entire region the colored population
outnumbered the whites in the pro-
portion of IL to z, the colored predom-
mating in the flooded districts of Mis-
Bisippi in the ratio of more than to /,
and in Arkansas in that of to /. In
Missouri and Tennessee the popula-
ton of the flooded districts Is largely
white, In the former state in the pro-
portion of 10 to ]. and in the latter in
that Of q to !.
: The flooded districts contain 1t is es-
fimatsd, about $1,000 farms, of which
aboyt 18.50o are In Mississippi, nearly
ao.o9o In Arkansas, and like number
Ahout equally divided between Mis-
gban and Tennessee. These farms con-
tain total acreage of about $500, 900
Anres, one-half of which is in Misss-
sippi and one-fourth in Arkansas, the
proportions in Missouri and Tennessee
being about the same. as In the case
OF the number of farms. The total
value of these farms, with their I'm
pTovements. farm implements, ETC., is
close upon s65. 900, 900, and here also the
proportions in the different states are
About the same as above noted.
The total number of acres improved
nj the taking of the last census was
about 2,00O,00O, and about 100000 acres
Wsre last year devoted to cotton and
eurn, to which crops nearly ,95 per cent
pf the entire acreage cultivated is de-
Soted. The live stock on hand Jan. l of
the present year was valued at over
G.5OOO00, divided in very much the
bame proportions as other farm prop
trty. 1t is estimated that of the crops
pd last year over SO, ,75O, 900 worth re-
Rained on hand in the submerged re-
fisn on the last Of the month, cotton
representing about two-thirds of this
thount and corn practically all the
tsmainder
The largest interests at stake so farare
khose of the state of Mississippi whose
Heoded districts represent an invested |
papital in agriculture alone of close |
upon $42,000.000, Over $4,000 farms, con-
aaining 2000,000 acres of land of an
average value Of about $1s an acre, are
ARder water In the country lying be- |
Aween the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, |
Including some of the most productive |
lands of the state. Their live stock, |
even at the present low prices, is |
worth nearly $500, 900, and the farm
ers and planters are estimated to have |
about 100000 worth of the crops of |
last year still on hand.
Arkansas stands next in the extent /
Of Its imperied interests. nearly 10000 |
Ezrms containing 100000 acres Of land
worth over $4,000, ,000 being submerged.
These farms contain live stock to the
pSIue of over $500. 900, and crops un-
BeId and unconsumed to the value of
nearly 100000. the entire agricultural
of these lands representing a
value not far short of $4,000. 600.
The agricultural interests affected in
Missouri represent a total capital of
rather over $9.O0O,O0O, the $4,000 sub
farms containing an acreage Of
about 40. 600 acres, worth about $780,
DOC. the live stock representing nearly
g150O,O00 more, and the crops on hand
another 100000. Tennessee is not far
behind Missouri In the extent of its i'm
periled interests.
What effect the flood will have upon
the crops of the present season depends
upon the length of it's continuance. and
The practicability Of wheat planting after
the subsistence of the flood. The entire
region under water on April pro-
duced last year about 370 900 bales of
cotton. valued at close on $4,000, 600;
Dyer II 100000 bushels Of corn, worth
about s3,40O O00 and wheat, oats, po-
tatoes and hay worth over $S00000
more The most valuable portion OF
these crops was raised in Mississippi,
whose region now submerged produced
nearly a quarter Of a million bales of
cotton, besides other products. mostly
Tor local consumption.
The counties wholly or partially sub
merged are among the largest cotton
producing counties in the United
States. Yazoo county, which alone has
produced over sc, 900 bales in a season,
5 one-half under water while Boliver
county Coahomea, Issaquena, Wash
ngton with productive capacity Of
0d 900 bales) and other famous coun-
les are partially submerged
The weather bureau predicts a fur
her extension of the flooded area, but
10 attempt, of course, has been made
o estimate the serious possibilities of
uch extension.
mother American Citizen Released.
Havana, April l2.--Jose Gonzales Cur
'elo, naturalized American who has
,een imprisoned at Guanaiay on