The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-07-18
THE GREAT DROUGHT
No Relief Yet in Sight for the
Sorely-Stricken States.


portions of the south. There seems
to be no immediate evidence of abate-
ment except in the south and south
west, where local thunderstorms may
cause some moderation. The states
affected include Indiana, Illinois, Wis
consin, Minnesota, Iowa; Missouri,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mis-
sissippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Okla
homa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Da-
kota, North Dakota, Colorado and
Michigan. It has become consider
ably warmer also in the upper lake
region and in New England, Mar
quette, Mich, reporting a record
breaking temperature of 102 degrees.
Hope of rain in the region affected by
the heat was not fulfilled, only traces
of it appearing in one or two sections
except at Galveston, Tex, where
about one-third of an inch fell, and
in eastern Texas, where there were
local thunderstorms. The tempera-
lures reported show only slight varia-
ton from the extremes of the past
few days, and these are due to local
conditions entirely. In Des Moines,
Ia, the temperature was 100, in Kan
sas City, 1o2; and in Omaha, 1o2; at
Davenport, Ia; Denver, Col; Little
Rock, ARK; New Orleans; North
Platte, Neb.; st. Paul, and Vicksburg,
Miss, it was 90 or higher.
Ruin Is Complete.
st. Joseph, Mo-, July 15.--The long
continued drought has resulted in the
entire ruin of the corn and oats crops
in this section of the country. Corn
has commenced to tassel only a few
feet high and no amount of rain
would now be of any benefit to that
cereal. The fruit and vegetable crops
are also complete failures, and the
pastures have dried up so that the
farmers are paying enormous prices
for hay and feed. Sunday was clear
and hot, with no relief apparently in
sight. Unless rain comes this week
wheat, which was an abundant crop,
will have to be substituted for even
the coarser and cheaper kinds of
feed.
Rain Badly Needed.
Omaha, Neb., July 15.-This city and
the state has had another torrid day.
The mercury registered 101 degrees.
The atmosphere was fresh, however,
with an absence of anything that
tended to hot winds. This condition
has prevailed for almost a week, and
its effect on the corn crop has not
been serious, although rain is needed
to insure a fair crop. Nearly all the
corn planted in Nebraska and west
ern Iowa is two weeks behind the
normal on account of the late plant
ing, and this has conduced to save it
from more serious damage. Reports
almost universally from the state are
to the effect that rain is needed, but
with the absence of hot winds the
crops will stand considerable hot
weather. Spring wheat and oats in
Nebraska are well-nigh a failure.
InJuring Wheat.
st. Paul, Mimi, July 15.-Prof. W.
M. Hayes, of the state agricultural
experimental farm, reports that the
hot weather is doing a great deal of
damage to wheat in southern Mime
sofa, and that chinch bugs are very
numerous and are contributing to the
destruction. He believes that but a
small crop will be harvested in this
section.
The hot wave continues throughout
Minnesota and the Dakotas, Huron
reporting 1O2, and Sioux Falls 100. At
the latter place a child went to sleep
in the sun and died from the effects.
New Ulm, Mimi, reports tempera-
ture of 1O4, with a number of pros
traGons.
shriveIs Illinois Corn.
Springfield, Ill, July 15.-Reports
indicate that the hot winds that swept
the state last week inflicted much
damage upon the growing corn. In
some fields fully ten per cent. of the
grain has been literally cooked by the
torrid breath, and where the stalk is
thus injured the yield will be CORE
spondingly reduced.
Nashville, Ill, July 15-Southern
Illinois crops are whitening under the
burning sun. No rain has fallen
throughout this section for four
weeks and the corn is being dried up
by the heat and drought. The yield
of oats in Washington county does not
amount to enough to justify thresh-
ing. Truck farms are ruined and pas
lures are burned to crisp. II rain
does not fall soon the farmers will
not raise enough feed to winter their
stock.
Railroad Omcials Alarmed.
Chicago, July 15.-Railroad officials
view the western crop situation with |
a great deal of alarm. Without eXcep-
ton they declare that unless rain
comes within the next three days the
entire corn crop of several states will
be almost a total loss. The states
which are particularly affected are
Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri,
Arkansas, the Dakotas and a portion
of Wisconsin. Kansas Is probably the
worst sufferer. The loss of the traffic
represented by the corn crop of these
states is not worrying railroad Off
Gals so much as the loss that win come
later. If there is no corn to fatten
the cattle and other stock there will
he no cattle and stock to carry to mar
ket in the fall and winter.
Z No Relief
Kansas City, Mo-, July 15.-No relief
came Sunday to break the almost I'M
precedented drought in the southwest.
The day was a repetition of the past
two weeks, with reports from many