Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-17
DESTRUCTION IN TEXAS.
Weather Bureau officials Report on
the Storm.

the Storm.
The weather bureau has issued a special
bulletin on the recent flood in the BRACES
river district, Texas. Professor II. A.
Hazen, in an Introductory article. after
citing the heaviest of the rainfalIs, says il
is a remarkable fact that no serious dis
turbance of the atmosphere is Indicated in
the twice daily weather maps during the
storm period. In conclusion he says:
In seeking for an explanation of such
very remarkable phenomenon, and so local
lied, we are forced TO acknowledge dearth
of facts bearing upon The condition of the
atmospheric strata which can produce such
a downpour. The onward advance of 4
high pressure from the north caused winds
from northerly direction, which, imping-
ing upon those from the south or southeast,
caused some of the rain. Also the topogra-
ply must have had some effect. Ii must
be said that, after allowing for all the con-
diuons We still have most serious diff
Guilty in accounting for such rains which
are analogous to so-called cloudbursts,
about which almost nothing is known"
The following report has been prepared
by l. NJ. Cline, local forecast official and
section director, in charge of the Texas
section:
The Most Destructive Flood.
THE flood in the valley of the Brazos
river, commencing June % in central Texas
and passing out into the Gulf of Mexico
between the 10Th and 18th of July, 1899. mas
been in all respects the most destructive
flood which that section, one OF the most
productive in Texas, has ever experienced.
The Brazos river, with its deep channel,
has the capacity for carrying off n vast
amount of water, and as a result destruc-
tive floods on this river are very rare. Ac-
cording to calculations published in spe-
cial bulletin of the Texas section. climate
and crop service, the Brazos river dis
charges into the Gulf of Mexico, on an
average annually, during the months OF
April, May and June, 6,441 1886 cubic
yards of water In this instance it has
been required to carry off more than this
amount of water in fifteen days.
River Twelve Miles Wide.
"PhenomenaIly heavy rains fell on June
IS and 30 over the drainage basin of the
Brazos river in the central portion of the
state, and these were followed by heavy
rains for four or five days in succession.
On June % all the tributaries of the Bra
EOS river from McLennan county south TO
BrazoS county were higher than they lad
ever been before. This water. with that OF
succeeding rains. caused a flood in the
BraZos which inundated all low lands to a
depth ranging from two to twelve feet In
places it is said that the river vas moro
than twelve miles wide. The flood moved
southwark very slowly, and it was fourteen
days from the time the crest of the flood
was noted in central Texas until il passed
cut into the Oul1 OF MEXICO.
All Crops on River Bottoms Lost.
THE damage to crops has been very
great. All crops on the immediate river
bottoms from McLennan county south are
a total loss The land bordering on the
BRACES river is the most productive in the
state. There was a large acreage in cot
ton, corn, sugar cane and other crops. The
following are the counties which have suf-
fered the greatest damage: McLennan,
Falls, Robertson, Milan, Brazos. Grimes;
Washington, Waller. Austin, Fort Bend and
Brazoria. There has been a small acreage
inundated in some other counties, but 10
great damage resulted outside of these.
Cotton planters have suffered most The
less of corn has been great, and besides the
crop now growing, there was a large
amount of last years crop yet in the bins
which has been spoiled. Sugar cane planta-
tons in the Brazos bottoms have suffered
much. In some places half the crop has
been destroyed. The minor crops also are
of considerable Importance In some OF these
counties, and the loss of these represents
large sum.
Homes Washed Away.
Farming implements, stock and many OF
the small tenant houses In the bottoms
have been washed away. Houses left stand
ing are in many instances not in a fit con-
dltion for use. The total losses, judging
from press reports and other available in
formation, will aggregate nearly ten million
dollars. The number of people who are left
without means of sustenance is very large.
The towns which have suffered most are
Calvert, Brookshire, Richmond Sandy
Point, Columbia and Brazoria- Ii now ap-
pears that the total number Of casualties
as a result of the food will fall somewhere
between forty and fifty.
Action has already been taken by some
farmers to plant other crops where cotton
and corn have been destroyed. Some cot
ton will be planted, but to what extent can
not be even Appropriated. Efforts are he
ing made to get the farmers In the food
district to plant variety of crops 1t is
desired to make the district sulf-sustaining
as soon as possible, and many who have
interests along the Brazos river consider
this the best course to pursue"