The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-07-15
CORN IN A BAD WAY.
Crop Will Be Nearly a Failure If Rain
Doesn't Come Very Soon.
EFFECT ON THE RAILROADS
viii Not Only Cut Off Grain Haul, but
the Cattle Also.
FARMERS WILL LOSE HEAVILY,
As Great Damage Has Already Been Done
ia Many States.
TIE EFFECT ON THE YEARS BUSINESS
Is the Problem Which the Railroad
Managers Are Now studyins-No
T ,ey H., Sign Of Relief.
As Great Damage Has Already Been Done
ia Many States.
TIE EFFECT ON THE YEARS BUSINESS
Is the Problem Which the Railroad
Managers Are Now Studyine-No
,,Dy D.. Sign Of Relief.

Cn,, g-,t,. Dad officials view
the Western i9Oo ton with a great
deal Of alarm. W. ut exception 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 portion Of
Wisconsin. Kansas is probably the worst
sufferer. The loss Of the traffic represent
ed by the corn crop of these States is not
worrying railroad officials SO much as the
loss that will come later. II there Is no
corn to fatten the cattle and other stock
there will be no cattle and stock to carry
to market in the fall and winter
This is where the shoe pinches in the
railroad world, and local officials have
finally admitted that the situation Is to
be viewed in a serious light The ques-
ton Of how far the crop failure will af-
feet revenues as compared with last year
is another matter The general opinion
seems 10 be that most Of the Western
roads will show as large freight earnings
as the did the previous year, II not
larger. 1t was expected, however that
the year would be record breaker and
disappointment is consequently great
The railroad men depend upon the
wheat crop to keep up the averages OF
last year In most of the states affected
the wheat crop has been harvested, and Is
out of the way of drouth, and there is
nothing to be affected except the corn.
For number of years the corn carry
Ing traffic has been but an inhnitesimn
| portion of the business of Western roads
running through the corn States Inc
| time Is not long passed when corn wn'
| the main freight making product of q
| number OF the Western States, and tn
! railroads showed Il marked decrease In an
| nual earnings whenever there was an eX
| tcnded failure Of the corn crop.
In late years, however. the farmers nave
! fuel and to fatten stock, so that the corr
! traffic has fallen off materially II has
| however. been the means of producln.
much more revenue than formerly because
| Of he increase in stock raising. When
| therefore. there is failure Of corn thor
| is scarcity Of meats and live stock 10
| shipment
! valley, In Colorado. the farmers are rails
! ing n large acreage Of alfalfa grass. whlcl
is a good substitute for corn IN fotten9
ing stock, but It Is not every soil that 4
adapted to the growing of alfalfa.
| All Of the Western roads which extent
into and through the drouth states re
| ceive daily weather reports which ar
carefully scanned. Inquiry made toda,
at the Offices Of the Northwestern, s.
! Paul, Rock Island, Santa Fe and Burline
ION excited the general statement tina
there was no relief in sight in any Of tn
afflicted States.
The general view Of the situation wa
expressed by President Purdy of tn
| Rock Island, MS follows:
Unless there are heavy rains withi
the next two or three days, the. corn Gro
in several Western states will he a tota
loss. There has been great damage don
already enough to make the situation
serious one. IL Is impossible to estimat
the loss 10 the farmers or to the railroad
in freight until the extent of the damae
is known.
80 far as ! have been able to lear
therc is no sign Of relief 10 any Of th
Western States today. and about all W
can do is to pray for rain to com
speedily.
crop in the same States has been harves
ed and It Is greatly in excess OF the GRO
last wear. For this reason there may nc
be great loss in Tonnage over last yea
But this does not help ont the farmers
who are going to suffer this fall for lac
of corn to feed their stock -