Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-04-29
DAMAGE DONE FARMS.
The Mississippi River Submerged Much
Valuable Property.
THE EAGRICULTUR INTER-
ESTS.
These Suffered More Than Any
Other, and the Total Valua-
tiOn of Flooded Estates Ex-
ceeded Ninety Millions
of Dollars.

WASHINGTON, April The bureau
of statistics of the treasury depart
ment has made the following report
on the damage caused agricultural
interests by the Mississippi river
flood:
Since the publication on April 10,
of statement relative to the agricul-
tural interests of the submerged dis
tricts of the Mississippi valley south
of Cairo, Ill, the area under water
has been considerably extended.
This extension is below Vicksburg,
Miss, but on the right or west side OF
the river, and is mainly due to a
break 1900 feet in width, in the levee
at Biggs. The outflow of water at
this point has totally submerged four
parishes (counties) Of Louisiana and
partially overfiowed five others, while
q break at La Fourche crossing in the
southern part of the same state, has
ditional area of nearly 800 square
miles in La Fourche aud Terre Bonne
parishes.
| In this newly submerged region
there was in 1890 total population
of S2,356, in the proportion of foul
colored persons to one white.
| The region contained at the last
osnsus 7,747 farms, with total aree
of oyer /, 1000, 900 acres, ofWhich 490, ,00C
We're improved. OF this last mention
ed area 213, 900 acres, or over one-half,
were last year devoted to. cotton, over
81, 900 acres to corn, 5000 acres tt
sugar cane, 1900 acres to hay, and an
inconsiderable acreage to other crops
The total value of these farms, in
cluding fences and buildings, but ex
elusive of their movable equipment
was in 1890 close upon $11 1000, 900, an(
the value of the implements and ma
chinery upon them was over 5000, 900
FARMS SUBMERGED.
On January /, of the present year
they contained live stock to the valu
! of one and one-half million dollars
and so lately as the first of Marcl
last they were estimated to have still
on hand about $S00,00 worth Of the
crops of last season. The total value
of the farms submerged by the breaks
in the levees that have occurred since
the 10th inst, with their farm inple
ments, live stock and crops on hand
is, therefore, close upon $14, 10000
This region produced last veal
nearly 100000 bales of cotton, owe
100000 pounds of sugar, over 1, 300,
600 bushels of corn, besides hay, po
tatoes, oats and other minor pro,
ducts, the entire production aggre
eating value, even at the low prices
that have prevailed, of more thar
four and one-quarter of a million dol
| lars.
The total area submerged at this
date is over 10000 square miles. 1t
contained at the last census 46. 93l
farms, with a total urea of 1904, ,46t
acres, nearly one-half of which was
improved and a total population, ag
ricultural and other, of 462,0 ,041. If, tc
the value of its farms, farm buildings
and farm machinery, according tc
the census of 1890, there be added tbs
value of it's live stock on January 1
GO, 174, $3.50 and of its products of las
season still ON hand on March /, last
| ($4, ,595, ,179), the total of 800, 176, III
will represent the approximate value
of the agricultural property of tn,
submerged region. Among the pro
ducts of this region last year were
466, ,O56 bales of cotton, worth S16, ,312,
050; IL, 525. GAS bushels of corn, worth
$3, ,995,27S, and 9,083,S78 pounds O
sugar, worth $271, ,016, the total pro
duction including minor crops, repre-
senting a value of $s1, ,782, 1870 on th,
plantation.