Daily camera., 1900-12-20
THE TEXAS VALLEYS.
After Recent foundations They Are
Blooming Again.
Great Destruction Caused b. Over
flowing Rivers-stupendoIs Task
That Confronted the People
Of That Section.

The valleys Of the Brazos and Col
orado rivers, which were inundated
by overflows Of those streams in July,
1899, have been reclaimed and will this
year yield an immense crop of cotton.
1t was conservatively estimated, re-
ports the New York Sun, that the
floods of last year destroyed growing
cotton in the valley of the Brazos
river that would have yielded fully
100000 bales, while the loss in the val
ley of the Colorado amounted to an
other 100000 bales. Not only was this
growing crop swept to destruction,
but the plantations along the rivers
were denudeu of all their buildings,
fence and other improvements. The
humble homes of thousands of negro
families who were employed on the
plantations were washed away and
the terrified inhabitants had to seek
refuge on higher ground along the
surging rivers.
When the waters subsidized the full
effect of the destructive inundations
was to he seen. The overflow extend
ed along the BraZos river from it2
mouth to Velasco. on the Gulf OF Mex
leo, to the northern part of the state,
distance of probably 400 miles by
course of the river. The width of the
oyerfiowed valley was from one mile
to fifteen miles. Along the Colorado
river the inundation extended from
the Gulf of Mexico to Austin. a dis
tance of probably 800 miles When
the news of the disaster reached the
people of Texas and the outside world
contributions began to pour in from
all over the country in aid of the suf-
fering colored people. Several hum
dred thousand dollars were expended
through relief committees for sup.
plies. II was probably six weeks from
the time the overfiows were at their
height before the waters had subsided
and the ground was again in condi-
tion TO he worked
The task before tho planters was Q
siupendous one. bur they met the dif-
ticulties with an indoMifable will and
courage that soon accomplished Won
ders. The negroes were at first loath
to return to the bottoms. They had
been faring so well through the genz
erous charity of sympathetic peo-
pie that they had no desire to make
a change. When the planters could
not induce them TO return to their IN
bors the free food supplies were cut OF
by the relief committees OF the sew
eral communities and the refugees
were informed that they would either
have to work OF starve. They pre-
ferred to work. Upon their return
TO the plantations the work of re-
habiiitation was carried on with vigor.
\ rich silt covered the valleys of the
two rivers to great depth. Owing
TO the .ateness of the season no gen
eral effort was made to raise another
crop. except that of forage for the
plantation live stock. The next sew
eral months were devoted to re-
building fences, buildings, and get
ting the plantations in condition for
this seasons crop.
When the planting season ar,
rived this year the inundated district
had been reclaimed and full acre
age was put in along both rivers. The
soil had become so greatly enriched
by the overhows that the cotton plant
has grown like magic. 1t is the opin-
ion of many planters that the inupda-
tion was really blessing in disguise:
that the salt which was deposited
throughout the valleys Of the two
rivers has added more to the value
of the soil than the amount Of loss
sustained by the destruction wrought
by the floods.