The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-07-23
MILLIONS OF BUSHELS
OF CORN LOST.
The Destruction in Mississippi VAL
ley is lppaIIing---The Streams
Continue 10 Rise.


Continue to Rise.
Keokuk, Ia, July 20.-Exploration
of the flooded districts of the Missis-
sippi river from Keokuk, south, shows
condi ditions beyond the appreciation or
realization of any but those Of long
experience with the father of waters
| in its most destructive mood. The sit
uation is growing worse hourly and a
great conaagration In q great city
would not be more rapidly destructive
of values. There is not the slightest
chance of stopping this moss costly
food in the history of the great river
above St. Louis.
4 correspondent Of the Associated
Press went over the worst damaged
area today in the steamer Silver Cres-
cent and found everywhere the great
deep enough to float steamboat.
People at the river cities give ac-
counts of losses aggreating many mil mil
lions of dollars. Hundreds OF farmers,
rich ter days ago, are pennies and
hoaeless..
Careful estimates gathered from the
statements of best informed people In
dicate the loss up to today is about
Sc, 600, 600 with every prospect OF two
or three millions additional by the
rise above not yet reaching the lower
stetches of the river.
Most Of thde loss is on the Missouri
side of the river, between Keokuk and
Hannibal.
s Passing the water-lapped lumber
yards Of Keokuk, the mouth OF the
Des Moines river is nearly two miles
wide. Normally, there are two
mouths and an island delta, covered
witt, farms, which are now under rag
ing torrents. Alexandra was protect
ed to the last by the Egyptian leyee,
the breaking of which would send four
feet OF water all over the town.
Gregory is submerged except the
White church in which service was
held today, the congregation from the
country reaching the church by the
railroad track, which is still above the
food In a waste of waters miles wide.
Other towns and cities on the islands
are beyond the danger line.
Immense fields are seen in q great
lake with the shore visible only with
ag..ass. where the high bnffs bound
the bottoms. Islands dottlng the river
at its normal stage have disappeared,
except for the tops of trees or fringes
of high shore willows, slightly pro-
truding like circular coal reef. Oc-
casionally house on piles or stills is
seen, but geneaEy only roofs rise to
mark the centre of farms of corn.
On the edge of the foods river corn
gradually rises on slope, tassels, top,
ears, stalks, appearing in order. In
the middle of the present Tiyer the
tracks OF the ST. Louis, Keokuk and
Northwestern railroad, normally on
the Missouri shore, are now few
inches above the water and under it
In some streches. Shore lights for
pilots are standing in the midst OF a
waste Of waters where steamboats, can
run over them. The river is five to
ten miles wide, and another lake 20
miles long is added TO the map.
All this territory was practically
estimated to make rs to 100 bushels to
covered with corn fortnight ago,
the acre. Previous estimates OF the
loss have been greatly increased by
the prospective yield being found
much greater than ever before, experts
telling of many farms which were
good for 100 bushels to the acre before
the food. The loss is total. Experience
is that If water stays 48 hours even
four inches above the surface, it kills
corn and every stalkw wet by waves
perishes from rptting.
The height. of the foods indicated
By an incident at Lagrange. The
steamboat warehouse was well back
from the river bank and stands high.
A strong current and a gale caused the
pilot to make an imperfect landing
and the cornice Of the roof OF the
warehouse was torn off by the forward
guards of the Silver Crescent. The
river is rising all the time, SIX inches
during the day, in the immense area
OF 700 square miles and the worst is
TO come.
The chief food thus far is on the
Missouri side, from Keokuk to Louis
isna with Canton and West Quincy as
centres Of the country hurt worst. On
the Illinois side are three continuous
leYees for 40 miles from Warsaw ITO
Quincy above the water, which thus
far are safe, but farmers are afraid OF
crevasses from muskrst holes, and
every rod of the redoubt is watched
day and night.
The breaking of these levees would
food IT'S square miles in Illinois and
destroy $1,000, GOO to s3, 600, 600 worth
of corn. The levees below Quincy
are in the same situation, except that
they are lower and less firm.