The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-24
THE DROUGHT OF 1854.
Not n Drop of Rain After June that
Year-A Missouri Pioneers Story.

Jefferson City Mo- Tribune.
The following special from Macon, Mo,
tells some interesting incidents of the only
drought within half "A century that has ap-
preached this one:
1.-The present drought in Missouri recalls
TO many pioneers the one that existed in
The West and South during the year 1854. p"
said Mr. J. II. Wright. president of the
CallaO Bank, to-day. Il was about nine
teen years old. a large party of US left
Missouri for Texas in April. On the 10Th
or 18th of June, while in camp on Red river,
near Preston, a heavy rain fell, which was
general throughout the country, but it was
the last one that year. Up To that time
the weather had been unusually favorable.
and there never had been better prospects
"As the summer went on without rain we
began 10 get discouraged, and most of us
decided TO return To Missouri. There were
seven covered wagons IN our caravan, con-
tanning as many families. As we slowly
drove through the Indian Territory the
scarcity OF water became a serious prob
9em. l remember one day We travelled forty
miles with only FIVE gallons. the heat and
lust were awful. and toward the afternoon
our thirst became intOlerable. At nightfall.
instead of camping, we resolved TO press
Dn To a place where a spring was said to
exist. Some of the teamSters were in an
ugly mood and nearly delirious. My heart
nearly failed me in thinking what should
happen should we not find the spring or
II 1t should be played out. But we reached
IT at 10 o'clock in the night, and such a
yell and Scramble for II YOU never saw.
Men. women and children fought for
places. and accidents were only averted
by the men IN charge taking their sta
tiOnS between the crowd and the spring.
and passing the water out in moderate
CuanllJleS- Ihey were SO thirsty that they
would have killed themselves had they been
flowed unrestrained liberty at the water.
All aIOnS our route was the dTeary pic
ture OF the drought. fields of Stubble. leaf
less trees and duSt-white roads. There
were no birds singing i'm the trees and very
little sign of animal life ywher There
was TO relieving spectacle anywhere along
The whole 400 miles OF our hOmeWard i0ur-
ley, which showed the absence of rainfall
lad been general.
I'VE reached the Missouri about the mid
Gle OF August. and found vegetation on
every farm burned up. The corn that looked
90 promising in the early summer was Cut
for fodder. ana that is an that saved fba
stock There were no railroads. and il
was impossible TO get anything in the way
Of vegetables. fruit or cereals. Corn meal
cost Sl-50 a bushel when brought i'm from
Glasgow or Hannibal. We lived on bacon.
cOrnbread, couee and m0lasses purchased
ct those places Farmers moved their sfock
over 20 the Charlton river. which ran until
the country 10 reach the river perfshed-
There was nothing 20 be done on the farm
ind people SAT around and looked az Tie
sky Some OF the emigrants who had taken
up large tracts OF LAND abandoned il and
returned east, under the impression that
souri,. MS
Toward the latter part of the summer
a great meetiag was held at Antioch
Church. and three ministers. who had come
q long way for the purpose. PRAYED for
Iain- IL was on this occasion that Uncle
Timps Dysart mode use OF the expression
which has since become famous. He said.
brothers. / tell YOU there ain "a bit OF use
praying for rain. because the wind is in the
wrong direction
Il guess he was right, for the rain never
came. At last winter set in, and IL was
hoped early snOWfalls would furnish water.
and one right good storm came up but
the snow was dry and il blew away with
The dust, without even dampening the
sarth-
sThe dust on the pixies was frightfuI on a
windy day. You could hardly see a vehicle
lust ahead Of you. The old Glasgow stage