The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-02
PLANTERs. LossEs HEAvY.
Rice Crop Estimated Damaged BE-
tween 100000 and $500. 900.

The rice planters We're all on their plan
tations yesterday, endeavoring to get some
idea of the damage done to them By the
cyclone. on probably all Of the planta-
tons it was found that big crevasses had
been washed in the banks and the rice
was covered with water
Until these breaks can be repaired and
the water got off the fields It will be i'm
possible 10 tell accurately what the dam
age is TO the crop. At the same time
enough has been seen to lead to the be
lief that the loss viii be fully equal from
40 to 50 per cent Of the total anticipated
yield.
The crop up to the time of the storm,
had been in magnificent shape and graf
flying prospect of very profitable returns
was ahead Tor the planters for the first
time in several years. Nearly all of them
had made especial efforts to get in their
crops early and be ahead of the LOuisi-
anan crop, securing the benefit of higher
values.
Great quantities of the golden grain were
heavy in their ripcness and awaiting the
reapers In this condition it is feared that
the grain fell an easy victim to the VIC
fence of the storm and was whipped from
the stalks by the wind In addition to
this, there was considerable cut and in
the fields, more than was at first reported,
and the damage to this must necessarily
he great. If the water is not got off this
and the standing grain soon At will begin
to rot causing further loss Taking the
situation altogether the outlook for the
crop in this section is very dubious TO
say the least
1t was expected that the yield in this
territory would be nearly 100000 bushels,
and if the weather conditions had cOntin-
ued favorable it would have fallen little
below that figure. A reduction of 40 per
cent would mean a loss Of 10000 bushels,
worth about, on the average, $50 900. From
the present indications It would not be
surprising if the returns to the planters
wer cut down anywhere from 100000 TO
$4,000 by the storm of Tuesday night.
The sea island or long staple, cotton
crop is also believed to have been great
sufferer from the storm, the tremendous
downpOur of rain coming on top of those
which had preceded it, putting the finish
| ing touches to the despair of the growers
| While no definite information has come
in from the planters, and may not reach
here until next week, there is every rea-
son to believe that in the Georgia. coun-
ties which raise so largely of this cotton
there has been considerable damage done
by the rains and wind. 1t is the belief
that the market will show the effect of
liis as sVvh ~ some ue.iittt0 itllul llia'lOsA
is received. The long staple cotton is a
comparatively small crop and the effect
of such weather on the market may be
speedily apparent.
Corn is also greatly damaged by the
storm. The farmers in this section in the
aggregate will lose a large amount of
money from the injury done this crop.
Outside Of this they have suffered heavily
from the washing out of their farms, from
the. hreakine down Of fences. the blowing
off of roofs, and the injury TO fruit trees,
etc. While the storm was confined to a
territory reaching probably not over nine
ty miles from Savannah, the damage to
crops alone may foot up into the hundreds
of thousands of dollars