The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-09-07
SOME NOTABLE DROUGHTS
IN THIS COUNTRY.
An Interesting Story About Some Dry Spells in
the United States.-First Great Drought in
New England Took Place in 1749.

| ton prevails, there has been no scar
city of water this year, despite the de-
creased rainfalls because it happens
that the heavy snowfalls last winter
provided sufficient amount of water
for this season. If such drought as
is now prevailing throughout the
country should follow upon a winter
in which the snowfall has been light,
there might be a scarcity of water
for supplying the irrigation plants
even where they are we'll established.
The causes of drought, like vari-
Gus other phenomena of nature have
never been explained. They have
happened from time to time since the
beginning of the world, and, in for
mer years, have brought far great
er suffering to mankind than they
are ever likely to cause again. When
the crops of the nation fail famine
ensues, unless some provision has
been made to prevent it.
The first great drought on record
in the United States took place in
New England in 1749. Historians re-
cord especially the suffering of the
cattle, which could find no food in
the dried up pastures. In some places
the ground dried up and cracked
open in great fissures. The fish died
in the dried up streams and ponds.
This drought also extended as far
south as Pennsylvania, for colonists
in that State imported hay from Eng
land to feed their cattle at cost OF
three shillings per hundredweight.
Owing to the difficulty of obtaining
food many farmers that year slaugh-
tered their cattle and subsisted dur
ing the winter upon the meat they
thus secured, often having to eat it
without bread of any kind, since the
grain crop was almost total failure.
A second drought in New England
took place in 1852, which caused
even greater suffering than the first.
1t is claimed that at this time there
was absolutely no rainfall from May
Z to July 80. Public fasts were pro-
claimed, and in most of the churches
! in Boston, Falmouth and other towns
almost continuous services we're held
for a week in the different churches
to pray for rain. It is said that in
this drought thousands of cattle per-
ished and that the loss to the colo
nists was felt even up to the time of
the Revolutionary war.
Previous to the drought of this
year, the full extent of which cannot
yet be estimated, the greatest drought
in the United States in century cul-
minated in the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, valleys in 1894 and in the Great
Lake regions and along the Atlantic
coast in 1895. This drought of 1894
was a elimination of deficient rain
falls for 1893. The average deicien-
cy of the rainfall during the drought
throughout the annual precipitation.
Notwithstanding this dry weather,
there was a normal yield in the
wheat crop throughout the country,
and almost normal in corn in 1894,
although both crops fell little short
in 1895. The average yield for corn
in the latter year stood at 19.4 BUSH
els per acre, instead of 23.5 which
was normal, and the shortage In
wheat amounted to about 10 per cent.
In 1881 there was a. great drought
in the Missouri valley from July to
September, which extended to vari-
Gus other parts of the country. In
Indianapolis, that year, the rainfall
from June % to August 80, a period
of 70 days, was less than II inches,
while from May Is to June 4, pre-
ceding, a period of 21 days, it was
less than II inch. During this
drought vegetables and staple crops
suffered severely. There was also
great loss of life among cattle, which
were often turned loose to find water
or food. Springs and wells, which
had always run freely, went dry that
year and in many parts Of the coun-
try the water famine took very Sc
rious aspect. Services to pray for
rain were held in different churches
in large number of cities. In many
towns the water supply was only
available for a few hours each day
and it's use was greatly restricted.
Aside from it's effects upon the
crops a great drought throughout
country with as large manufacturing