The times., 1899-08-15
TEXAS FLOOD DAMAGE
statistfcinn Hyde's Report on ths
Braxos River valley Disaster.

Statistfcinn Hydc's Report on the
BRACES River valley Disaster.
Statistician Hyde OF the Department OF
Agriculture. has sent TO the printers
report on the agricultural situation in the
recently submerged district in Texas. pre-
pared by Mr.. f. s. Holmes, jr.. who has
just returned from the district in question
The report states that the greatest damage
was in McLennan. Falls. Milan. Robert
son. Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Washing
ton. Waller. Austin. Fort Bend. and Bra
zoria counties The number of farms sub
merged is estimated al S,la0. with total
area of about 1850. 900 acres. or this area
at the time of the food there were about
$4,000 acres under cultivation. 5Ss.oo0
acres. or about 81 per cent OF the cuiti-
waited area, being in cotton; l2+. 400 acres.
or about % per cent. in corn; G.S0e acres
IN sugar cane. and 2S 500 acres in other
crops. with total production in sight
equivalent TO about S7,950.0 coo. The value
of the land itself is estimated at SIS s322. .0Ge.
that OF the buildings and other Improve
nents at $S,67S,n00, that OF implements
and machinery at S354.GO0 that OF live
stock at S2.S55.00O. and that OF corn
hand at 1927 .O00, a total OF S23, ,446 900, ex-
elusive OF growing crops.
This highly productive land. yielding Ia
an ordinary season a general average OF
i
bushels OF corn to the acre. was submerged
20 a depth of from two TO twenty feet
during a period averaging eight days for
the entire area OF about 2 100 square miles
! 1t IS a region hardly surpassed Ia the
world in the richness OF its soil, and prior
to the recent inundation the traveller could
have ridden for miles through bread level
farms planted almost to the very brink
OF the river with cotton, sugar cane, corn.
and other crops.
Although nearly 90 per cent OF the total
loss occurred III the destruction OF or in
jury TO growing crops. the damage to farm
property and the losses of live stock, etc.
amount TO the large sum OF SSH. Geo. The
! land itself is damaged by washing and
outlying TO the extent OF over $500, GEO.
but OF this loss about one-half is estimat-
| ed as Offset by the increased future pro-
ductiyeness resulting from the alluvial de-
posit left by the food. Losses from dam
age to buildings and fences were much
more serious. many houses and fences be-
ing carried entirely away and all improve
ments in the flooded territory being dam
aged to greater or less extent This par
ticular item OF the total loss Is placed at
S295, 600, OF about s per cent OF the total
value OF the farm buildings and other i'm
provsments in the district The loss from
damage TO implements and farm machinery
is estimated at S1S,50o. Although the loss
Of live stock was serious. Ii was not near
ly so heavy as was first reported, many
animals supposed to have been lost being
subsequently recovered in some cases at
places far remote from their homes The
total loss of live stock is estimated as fol-
lows: Horses and mules, s145, e0e; cattle,
$4,000; swine. s94. coo: total. $333. coo.
This. with $50. .G00 the value of the corn
on hand. makes the total less to farm
property, sS44, ,000. as above stated.
The precise effect of the food upon this
years crops is difficult 70 estimate While
the crops over a very large area were
practically destroyed, the effect OF the rains
on the upland crops will be highly bene-
fetal and should result in large increase
in yield throughout the entire central part
of the State and so much OF the western
part as is under cultivation A conservs-
tive estimate of the actual destruction In
cludes about 227. 600 bales of cotton. repre-
senting, at an average Of 41-2 cents per
pound. about s5.l00. goo; 44o0, 600 bushels
OF corn, worth at 20 cents per bushel.
$3.50, 600; sugar cane to the value of 1885,
600, and other crops estimated az $235, Co.,
total loss to standing crops of s6.570. 600.
| The addition to this amount of the loss
10 farm property raises the total 20 81
414,0o0, CT about $74 per capita of the pop
ulation Of the district. which is estimated
! at 100000. negroes largely predominating
/ The amount of land that will be replanted
/ this season is difficult TO estimate. II Is
however. safe to say that not more than
| 80 per cent OF the total devastated crop
area will be replanted, and but little of
| that in cotton. What replantIng is done
will be mostly in quick yielding food and
| forage crops.