The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-22
WORK Of TIE FLOOD
Official Report OF Dam 4 go NJ de
To War Departm AnI
10000 SQUARE MILES
THIS IS THE TOTAL AREA SUB
MERGED TO DATE.
VALUE PRODUCTS, SiLooC. 900
Raised last Year on Area 466, 900
Bales Of Cotton CRY Of Deep Dis
tsess, Gut Discrimina ion is
UseS Against ldleness.

UseS Against idleness.
Washington, April 21.-Fhe Bureau Of
Statistics of the Treasury Department
| has made the following report on the
damage caused to agricultural interests
| by the Mississippi river food;
"Since the publication on April II of
| a statement relative 10 the agricultural
| interests of the submerged districts of the
Mississippi Valley south of Cairo, ILL.,,
| the area under water mas considerably
extended. This extension is below Vicks-
burg, Miss, hut on the right or west
side of the river, and is mainly due to
break 1000 feet in width. in the levee
Mt Biggs. The outflow of water at this
point has totally submerged four parishes
| tcounties) of Louisiana, and partially
ioverfowed five others, while break at
Lafourche crossing in the southern part
of the same State, has resulted in the
| submergence of an additional area of
nearly three hundred square miles, in
| Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes. In
| this newly submerged region there was
| in 1890. a total population Of S2.306. in
| the proportion Of four colOred persons to
one white. The region contained at last
census 7.747 farms. with total area of
/
| were imnroved. OF this last mentioned
| area, 213,OO0 acres. or over one-half,
| were last year devoted to cotton, over
81 900 acres of corn, 6,0OO acres Of sugar
cane 1000 acres to hay and an inconsid-
cradle acreage to other crops. The total
value of these farms, including fences
land buildings, but exclusive of their NOV
able equipment. was in 1880, close upon
| S11 600 900. and the value of the imple-
ments and machinery upon them was
over 100000. On January ]. of the
present year, they contained live stock
to the value of S1.500.000, and SO lately
as the 1st Of March last, they were esti-
! mated to have still on hand about SSO0.+
lO00 worth Of the crop of last season.
The total value of the farms submerged
thy the breaks in the levees that have oc-
Cured since the 10th instant, with their
| farm implements. live stock and crops
on hand, is therefore close upon S14,0O0,-
| 600.
| "This regions produced last year nearly
| 100000 bales of cotton. over 100000
pounds of sugar. over 100000 bushels of
corn. besides hay, potatoes. oats. and other
| minor, crops. the entire productie.t agsre-'
| ating value. even at the. Iow.pl<eAs
| hat have prevailed, of more th,n s !, 125;-'
| 90. 80.
''Fhe total area submerged at dis
date is over 10000 square miles 1T com
/ tanned at the last census 46.935 FARMS
| with a total area of 4,904 .466 acres
| nearly. one halfaof which was improved
and total popnia ton, agricultural and
ethRrWise. OF at:2.gsaa h If Ito tha yaaffn''
of its farms, farm buildings;aha farm
machinery, according to the. CENSUS, :" Of
| 1890. there be added the value Of IT'S five
stock 'on January /, last (S9.174.636}
and of its products of last season stin
| on hand on March l. last (S4.595. ITO
| the total of $90,176.1T7 will represen,
| the approximate value of the agricultur-
| nj property of the submerged region.
Among the products of this; region last
year We're 466.056 bales of cotton. worth
$16,312.060; 12525.645 bushels of corn
worth $3,995.21S. and 9.033.S7S pounds
| of sugar worth $271 ,016, the total pro
| dt:ction, including minor crops reprd-
senting value of $21 ,7S2, $50 on the
l. plantation.
\ cry of deep destreeS has come TO the
War Department from Mississippi and {;
bitter protest against the efforts of the
persons who are engaged in the distribu-
ton OF government relief to the food
sufferers to carry on the work so as to
avoid encouragement to idleness among
the laborers. AT Helena there is a great
number of negroes who have come into
town from their oyerhowed cabins to get
food and shelter. To-day a telegram
came to tire War Department from n
committee headed by hev. l.. s. Smith.
declaring that many of the negroes h
Iunica county and the adjacent country
were in great straits and suffering for
supplies which their employers refused
to allow them to secure on the ground /
that it would amount to an interference
with contents, stock and seed grain !
ment officials are unable at this distance f.
to judge of the merits OF this applica- |
ton and probably will refer it to the |
local officers. 1t has been realized from !
the first, however, that there was Il very |
great element of danger in indiscrimih- |
ate distribution of government supplies |
among the laboring classes in the flooded |
sections as. the planters might find it i'm
possible to get sufficient farm labor to
make crops or to repair the damages re- |
sulting from the floods, if the hands were
furnished with unlimited free food and |
relieved from the necessity of laboring.
Secretary Alger to-day received the
following telegram from the Mayor and
citv council of Gra fton. N. d..
"The raging flood along the Red r:tc;
Walsh and Pembina counties
aggregated by cold high winds ana zero
have caused great destruc~ ,
ton Of property and suffering Buildings
with contents, stock and seed grain ,
have been swept away. Immediate le-
lief is necessary or great suffering, will .
prevail. The requirements, ETC., are be-
ycMd local aid. The assistance Of the q