The San Francisco call., 1899-07-10

- receiving reports from the num-
erous committees which have
charge of the work of rescuing
and distributing food supplies to the
food refugees. The Governor also re-
ceived many contributions from Texas
towns and individuals of Eastern and
Northern cities to-day in. behalf of the
destitute people. Blair & Company OF
New York City. sent a draft for $500.
The situation is much more serious
than was indicated a day or two ago
1t is now fully realized that it is going
TO be a big task to take care or the
homeless and needy until they can be
provided with shelter and work. y plan
Of action by which Ii is hoped an abun-
dance of the necessary supplies can be
obtained was perfected by the Governor
to-day 1t consists of the formation of
districts each Of which is composed Of
counties that We're unaffected by the
food and are contiguous to the mum
dated region The county Judges in
these districts were asked to call on
The people Of their respective counties
for aid and forward the contributions
I'm the way of food and clothing to GER
titled distributing points.
The sea OF water in Fort Bend, Waller,
reCede to-day TO any appreciable ex-
tent. a telegram was received here
this evening from Sandy Point, Bra
zoria County. stating that the water
continued to rise there all last night
and this morning. Thousands Of addi-
tional acres of cotton, sugar-cane and
corn were inundated and the property
loss greatly increased. according to re-
county in the flooded districts during
the past two days.
The first estimates of the aggregate
loss to the cotton yield will be exceeded
several times over There is no longer
the slightest doubt that there have been
fully 100000 prospective bales of cotton
swept out Of existence. The actual loss
may exceed this estimate. when the real
condition OF affairs in the bottoms be-
come apparent. A careful calculation
made to-day by Judge y. a. Cravens.
private secretary of Governor Savers,
from the reports on file in that office
shows that the length of the oVerfoWed
districts extends from McLennan COun-
" to the gulf in Brazoria County,
distance of 325 miles. The average
width of the overfiowed bottom or val
ley Of the Brazos River is about ten
miles In some places the water cover
ed the rich agricultural land to width
of fifteen miles, while at other points
the width was not more than four
miles Taking these conservative cal
culations as basis it will be seen that
the total number of square miles inun-
dated was 80 500 or nearly 2l,OOO,OO0
acres. Estimating the cotton yield at
only one bale per acre and the value OF
each bale at 800. and calculating that
only one-twentieth Of the inundated
district was planted in cotton, the loss
from that source alone is $50, 900, 900.
Estimating the loss to each acre of the
remaining 19 coo 000 acres at 81 and the
total Of $19.000,0 600 is obtained, which.
added 10 the cotton loss makes grand
total of about $40 100000.
II is claimed by those who have been
through the inundated region and
viewed with their own eyes the terrible
destruction that has been wrought that
the foregoing estimate is not any too
high
II. 3. Eaten Of BurIesOn County was
here to-day TO buy provisions out OF his
own private purse for the refugee ne
eroes on his inundated plantation. He
saws that all the planters of his section
who are so fortunate as to have a bank
account are showing a generous dispO-
sition toward the destitute men, women
and children who were in their employ
when the food came In explanation
Of how it came about that there are so
many waterbound negroes in the bot
toms. Mr. Eaton said:
The highest flood in the Brazos
River previous to this record breaker
irty
valley of the stream was at that time
comparatively sparsely settled and the
loss of life and destruction of
property was not so very great.
All along the course of the river
might be seen markings to in
dicate the height reached by the flood
at that time. The negroes kept outside
the bounds of these high-water marks
for many years, but finally began to
grow careless and built their homes
nearer and nearer the river. When the
present great rampage began hundreds
Of negro families moved their livestock
aud household effects above the old
high-water mark. They thought they
were safe there, but the waters contin-
ued 10 come upward rapidly and before
the negroes were aware of their danger
the food had risen many feet above the
high-water mark Of the last great flood
and cut them off from all escape. They
then climbed trees, where they endured
from two to three days of untold suf-
fering before rescue came"
Ninety-hve per cent Of the flood suf-
ferers are negroes. BY this it is not
meant those who suffered loss of crops,
but only those who are destitute of
clothing and shelter There are many
thousands of well-tO-do negroes in
Texas, but they have not responded to
the call for aid which has gone up from
thousands of destitute members of their
race. The only contribution received
from negroes by Governor Sayers is $40.
which was raised by a local lodge here.
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