The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-12
FIGURES CAN GIVE BUT A FAINT
IDEA OF THE DAMAGE in THE
SOUTH
OVER $1,000 SQUARE MILES,
CONTAINING $4,000 FARMS AND
PLANTATIONS, IN SUBMERGED
DISTRICT.
When Millions of Further Damage
VIII Be Added to the Already
Large LOSSES

WASHINGTON April ia state
ment relative to the agricultural inter-
ests of the submerged district Of the
Mississippi valley, south of Cairo, Ill.,,
has been issued by the department of
agriculture. 1t is based upon chart
prepared under the direction Of the
chief Of the weather bureau, showing
the extent of the flood on April g. To
this chart the department has applied
the crop statistics Of 1896 as represent
ing more closely than any other avail
able data the acreage and value of the
crops of 1897 now in jeopardy
The total area under water on April
was about 1880 square miles. of
which 1900 square miles was in Mis-
sissippi, $500 in Arkansas. 1850 in Mis-
souri, 1900 in Tennessee, and $50 in
Louisiana. This region contained in
1890 population of &c., S5, Of which
1S6,4S9 was in Mississippi; 100, 295 in Ar
Kansas and the remainder equally di-
vided between Missouri and Tennessee.
The flooded districts contained, 1t is
estimated, about $4,000 farms. These
farms contain a total area of about
100000 acres, the total value Of which,
with their improvements, farm imple-
ments, ETC., is close upon $65, O00, 0O0
The total number Of acres improved at
the taking of the last census was about
100000. The live stock on hand the
LIST of January of the present year was
valued at over ST. 500, 900.
The largest interests ait stake so far
are those of the state of Mississippi,
whose flooded districts represent an in
vested capital in agriculture alone of
close upon $4,000, 900. Over $4,000 farms,
containing 10000 acres of land of an
average value of about SO an acre are
under water in the country lying be-
tween the Mississippi and Yazoo riv-
ers, including some of the most produc-
tive lands Of the state. Their live
stock, even at the present low price, Is
worth nearly s., $500, 900, and the farmers
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 It's imperiled interests, nearly 10000
farms containing one million acres of
land worth over $4,000, 900 being sub
merged. These farms contain live stock
to the value of over one and one half
million dollars and crops unsold and
uncOnsumed to the value of nearly
$500 ,O00
+ The agricultural interests affected in
Missouri represent a total capital Of
rather over 100000, the $500 sub
merged farms containing an area Of
about 100000 acres, worth about
$7,250,000, the live stock repre-.
senting nearly one and one-haIf
million more, and the crops on hand
another half-million
! Tennessee is not far behind Missouri
In the extent of it's imperiled interests
| the number acreage and value of the
submerged farm land being nearly the
same.
What effect the flood will have upon
the crops of the present season de-
ponds upon the length of it's continu-
ance and the practicability of wheat
planting after the subsistence Of the
! flood. The entire region under water
! on April produced last year about
| &c, 600 bales of cotton valued at close
on 49, 900, 900; over II, 600, 900 bushels Of
corn worth SO, 400 900; and wheat. oats,
! potatoes and hay worth over $500 600
more. The most valuable portion Of
! these crops was raised in Mississippi,
whose region now submerged produced
! nearly quarter of a million bales Of
! cotton, besides other products mostly
for local consumption. The counties
wholly or partially submerged are
among the largest cotton producing
! counties in the United States.
The weather bureau predicts a fur
! Their extension of the flooded area, but
no attempt, Of course, has been made
! to estimate the serious possibilities OF
such extension. The weather bureau
! publishes map of the country flood
on April 10, and says The flood water
now in Western Mississippi is just be-
! ginning to return to the Mississippi
river through the Yazoo at a point
north of Vicksburg. 1t is expected that
| this flood will pass into the Mississippi
! between the mouth of the YaZoo and
Millikens Landing. The gradually in
creasing strain expected during the
next few days on the Louisiana side
renders it possible that the levees may
| break and the flood pour through into
! Northeastern Louisiana, in which case
| 1t is possible that much, If not all, of
! the area in Louisiana formerly cover
ed by floods will be flooded again this
| year. Heroic work is now being done
on the levees of Northern Louisiana,
and it is hoped that they will be held
| intact this year.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, April 11-Col. San
| ger, one Of the army officers sent here
| by Secretary of War Alger to investi-
! gate the extent Of suffering caused by
| the great flood, has chartered the
| steamer j. N, Hardin, and today left
! here on a trip to ST. Francis river to
| investigate the condition in that sec
ton.
Lieut.. Whitney, in Company With w
| c. McNutt, Of the relief committee, has
| left here on the steamer Rowena Lee,
| to investigate the conditions In his
| district, which extends from here to
| Cairo.
Lieut.. Rowan went to Greenville to
investigate the country from that point
| up to Helena.
All the army officers. therefore. have
| departed for their respective districts,
| and after making their inYeSti tons