The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-09
GOOD In MISSISSIPPI FLOODS.
THE EFFECT or OJERFLOWS NOT
All HARMFUL.
Benefits That Do Not Appear When Esti-
mates or Losses Are Wade One
Planter VIII Gain by the Destruction
Of HIs sugar Crop Other Like Cases

Planter VIII Gain by the Destruction
Of HIS sugar CrOp--Other Like Gases
New ORLEANS, Aug. s,--Overhows il
the lower Mississippi are very uncertain
in their results. 1t ia never possible &c
give the exact loss caused by crevasse.
While the crevasse always causes positive
losses. it also works certain benefits The
latter are often so grea; that 1t is difficult
to say whether the net result has been loss
or gain.
A levee convention has been called ia
meet in New Orleans in October to urge
upon Congress the necessity for larger
appropriation for the levees. II will collect
statistics showing the amount Of loss from
overflow this year and will lay the figures
before Congress. but it is scarcely possible
that il will collect statistics of tho after
math and show that apparently, while
the overflow did incalculable harm, il
was really benefit in the end
The manner in which the food works
good in shown in the case of W. F.. Howell,
United States Collector of Internal Reeve
nue. for Louisiana and head of the Lily
White faction of the Republican party of
Louisiana. Mr. Howell owns the Waverlev
sugar plantation, three miles above Thibo-
daux, on Bayou Lafourchc.
When the Mississippi River rose in Feb
ruary it was recognized that the Lafourche
levees would not be able to stand the flood
that poured down on them In point OF
fact, they we're the first to break.
The first crevasse occurred Immediately
-, g
and came so suddenly that the family had
a narrow escape from drowning The
house was ruined ard the furniture was
carried of by the food; go also was the fine
cano CROP Mr. Howell had planted.
Freshet after freshet came down the
Mississippi and into Bayou Lafourche, and
as late rs the middle Of May tho Waverley
plantation was still in large part under
water The sugar crop was complete
failure, and it was impossible TO plant
second crop so late.
As the food left the land water-sogged,
Mr.. Howell determined to try crop that
likes moisture, and accordingly planted
his land to rice. The crop will not be
fully harvested until the middle of Sep
tember, but il il in splendid condition and
the results already obtained indicate that
it will be very profitable
The crevasse fortified Inc land with
the rich alluvium of the Mississippi. Part
Of the crop has been harvested and ha
Welded twenty-five sacks to the acre Of
the highest grade Of rice, worth 81 a sack,
or a the rate Of $8s an acre,
1t s scarcely possible that all the land
will do 40 well, but Mr. Howell il likely
TO harvest some 10, 900 sacks Of nigh grade
rice, worth $50 900 or $40 900, Such ro-
suit will afford larger profit than he could
possibly have obtained had the first
crop Of sugar yielded up to the highest
expectation.
A crop worth from $4,000 TO $40 900 the
cultivation and harvesting Of which cost
less than half that amount, IL u decidedly
favorable return from the plantation,
which was the worst flooded Of any in
Louisiana during the high water OF 1909,
and which will go upon record in the eng-
ncering and levse report OF having had
its crop entirely destroyed by the over
flow.
This profit on the crops which Ia the
immediate result OF the overflow I'D not