The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-10-12
Nothing Like the Droutl Just
Broken Ever Known in
.
the Country
Since the Keeping Of Weather
Bureau RecorGs Was In.
G.CGsurated.
Winter Wheat Acreage Will
Probably Be Reduced rs
Per Cent.

CHICAGO, Cct. l2.-Raln is falllng
generally throughout the parched belt
of the western states, and the long dis.
astrous drought has at last been broken.
Reports from Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa,
Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and Min.
nesota show quite general rains are
still falling, with indications of contin.
uing during the next "a hours. The
rain in Nebraska is the first of any con.
sequence that has fallen in the state for
six weeks, while Kansas is receiving
her first welding for two months. Ac.
cording 10 the weather bureau, IN un-
usually extensive area of low barometer
extends from the Rocky mountains
eastward over the Mississippi and Ohio
valleys, and the lake region. Within
that area since Saturday morning gen.
eral showers have fallen. The heaviest
rainfall reported is at Wichita, Kan,
where 2.SS inches were registered. The
temperature is above the normal in
nearly all sections except the Southwest.
Never Anything Like It.
The drouth just broken has for seve.
rity and wide area Of country affected,
never been equalled in the period GOV.
cred by authoritative record in this
country. Crops have suffered, fruit
has been blasted, fires have leaped up
as from spontaneous combustion in field
and woodland, and every moment Of
the time since the middle Of August has
been crowded with danger 10 cities.
Farmers have been hauling water for
their stock-even buying the fluid
in many sections Of the country.
Many small towns throughout the
country have suffered severely from
fire. Consel vative estimates place the
reduction in acreage OF winter wheat
at 20 per cent. Thousands of acres
throughout the affected district have
not even been plowed, the ground be-
ing in such q condition as to render
farm work next to impossible. To
stock raisers the rain is a godsend. Pas.
lures which have been dried up for
weeks, will be available once more. In
many localities it has been necessary to
feed stock for two and three weeks
past. Weather bureau officials said
that indications pointed to a contin.
uance of the rain fall.
The states or portions Of states in
which F~orecaster Cox of the weather
bureau found rain had fallen during the
day were Colorado, Wyoming, Texas,
Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kansas, Ne
braska, the eastern portions Of the Da-
kotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin,
Northern Michigan, Arkansas, Louis.
lana. Mississippi, Missouri and portions
Of Illinois. In all Of those districts the
drought had been felt more or less sc.
verely and to all a measure Of relief is
promised as a result of the general
break in the weather.
KANSAS CITY, Oct. 1l.-Specials to
The Times from Kansas, Missouri, Ne.
braska and Arkansas points announce
the breaking Of the drought. The rain
has been general throughout Kansas,
varying from a good rain to a regular
downpour. At Wichita there was a
precipitation of three inches. Other
reports Of good rains in Kansas come
from Independence, Emporia, Hutchin.
son, Concordia, Greenleaf, Frankfort,
Stockton and Atchison. \ heavy rain
fell at Springfield, Mo-, and reasonable
good rains are reported at Little Rock
and Sloan Springs, Ark, and Ne.
braska City, Neb.