The age-herald., 1901-08-22
RAIN DAMAGES CORN ANDCOTTON Farmers Are Blue Over The
 Crop Situation COUNTY ROADS IN BAD SHAPE Bridge Over Black Creek Near Coal burg Washed Away-streets and
 Street Improvement Work
 Suffer Greatly.
COUNTY ROADS IN BAD SHAPE

Rain fell again yesterday. This time 1t lasted only about two hours and was not excessive. It began yesterday morning but ceased about noon. In the afternoon 1t also rained. beginning about 3:3O o'clock and continuing until 4:15. Last night 1t merely sprinkled The rainfall for the twenty-four hours ending at o'clock last night was 1.01 inches.
 The continued heavy rainfall has very seriously damaged the crops of the sur rounding country. It is impossible to es- will be felt by the farmers in no small degree. In speaking of the situation yes- terday one farmer visiting the office of the Board of Revenue, said: da sia}
 'The question of damage to crops is one that cannot be definitely told until after the rain has ceased and several days of sunshine has brought to light the effects of the storms. Rainy weather at this time of the year Is more damaging than at any other, except possibly in the fall, when the cotton begins to open. The effect of the continued rain is to make. the bolls rot and fall off; to give a second and dangerous growth to the weeds; to start worms among the leaves, and to cover the lower part of the weed with dirt.
 These effects are all exceedingly dam aging to the crops, but the amount of this damage or the extent of it cannot be estimated for several days. Enough can be seen to say that the damage is not less than 10 to 20 per cent of the value of the crop.
 Oorn Crop Hurt.
 "The corn crop is also badly damaged. Much fodder has not yet been pulled and much is pulled but out in the rain. The greater part of 1t Is ruined in such cases. The damage to the ears of corn is also great Besides this great many stalks were blown to the ground by the wind. Altogether the farmers are very blue over the situation
 The attention of the Board of Revenue has been called to the damage done to roads and bridges throughout the county. The beds of the greater number of the county roads are In bad condition, being cut up by the storms. A number of smaller bridges throughout the county have been washed away and damaged. but the largest yet reported is one over washed away.
 Men will be placed at work on the bridges and roads at an early date and all will be repaired as rapidly as 1t is possible for the board to accomplish its efforts.
 Covered Wide Area.
 A number of travelling men who have recently come from Washington state that the rainfall throughout the Caro- linas and Virginia has been excessive and that the bed of the railroads are in bad condition. They state that in many places the rainfall has been greater than in Birmingham.
 general inquiry at the offices of the railroad companies in Birmingham elicit ed the information that the conditions of the roadbeds of local companies are much better than 1t was at first thought. Train No. on the Queen and Crescent Route. from Cincinnati, due to arrive at 1o:0o p. m.. was two hours late last night. Train No. on the Louisville and Nash vile Railroad. from New Orleans. due to arrive at 912 p. m., was one hour late.
 The Streets Suffer.
 The heavy rains that continue from day to day have done much damage to the streets and street improvement work.
 The biggest loss has been to the Realty Company, which is doing some work of grading and macademizing on Highland avenue. The flood of water has washed the dirt away where they had made tre- mendous fills, and besides more dirt hav- ing to be hauled back. the curblng will have to be reset.
 The flood has demonstrated" said Street Commissioner McCartin," that 1t is useless to go to the expense of grading hillside streets unless brick gutters arc laid. Thirteenth street. which carries of practically all the water from Fountain Heights. has gutter and has stood the test well. Thirteenth street is nothing more than dirt road and macademized streets. without gutters have been badly washed"