The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1901-01-04
THE TEXAS VALLEYS.
After Recent foundations They Are
Blooming Again.
Great Destruction CanEed by oveTs
Moving RiSerS-StEpeDdOus TaHK
That Confronted the People
of That Section.


The valleys Of the Brazos and Col
erado rivers, which Tere inundated
BIZ overlows of those streams in July,
1899, have been reclaimed and Will this
year yield an immense crop of cotton.
il was conseFvatively estimated, re
ports the New York Sun. that the
foods of last year destroyed growing
cotton in the valley of the BraLoS
river that would have yielded fully
$50. 600 bales. while the loss IN the va
ley Of the Colorado amounted TO su-
other 100, 900 bales. Not only VAS this
growing crop swept to destruction.
but the plantations along the rivers
were dsnu6ed OF all their buildings.
fence end other improvements. The
humble homes OF thousands OF negro
families who were employed on the
Plantations were washed away and
the terri hed inhabitants had 20 seek
refuge on higher round along the
surging rivers.
When the waters siibsidcd the full
effect Of the destructive foundations
was to be seen. The overflow extend
ed along the Erazos river from its
mouth 10 Velasco. on the Gulf OF Mex
a distance Of probably 40 miles by
course of the river. The width of tlie
overfowed valley was from ore mile
70 fifteen miles. Along the Colorado
river the inundation extended from
the Gulf Of Mexico TO AustiB, n dis
fancs 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 ia aid of the sat,
fering cOlored people. Several hun
dred thousand dollars were expended
through relief committees for sup
plies. 1t was probably six weeks from
the time the oVeFhows were at their
height before the waters had subsidized
end the ground was again in eesGdi-
ton 10 be worked.
The task before the planters was a
stupendous one. but they met the DIFF
6oulties with an indonitabls viii and
courage that soon accomplished won
ders. The negroes were al first ldEth
20 return TO che bottoms. They had
been faring 80 well through the gen.
eroBs charity Of a sympathetic peo-
pie that they had 20 desire to make
q change. When the planters could
not induce them to return to their la
bors the free food supplies were cut of
by the relief committees of the sew
eral communities and the refugees
&ere informed that they would either
have 10 work or starvs. They pre-
ferred TO work. Upon their retBrn
10 the plantations the work OF re-
Mobilization was carried on with vigor.
A rich silt covered the valleys Of the
two rivers to 8 great depth. Owing
10 the lateneSs 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
era1 months were devoted Ia ~
building fences, buildings. and get
ting the plantations ia condition for
this seasons crop.
When the cotton-plsnting season ar-
rived this year the inundated district
age was put in along both rivers. The
soil had become 70 greatly enriched
nv the overfiows that the cotton plaRt
has grown like magic. 1t is the optH.
ion of many planters that the ipunda-
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.