The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-12-19
History q Former srazos Floods.

early part u tuS zINiH6I6e1lH, century
lis here given:
These traditional overfloks appear
ed to recur every ten years, a fact that
would seem to indicate the possibility
of their regularity having been at
fected subsequently, by acts of civil
lization, such, for instance, as the
clearing of large timber tracts and the
clearing of underbrush.
Observers of these changes in the
supposed early periodical occurrences
of the floods are inclined to believe
that scientific causes may be found
for them that may in the future make
it possible to predict them with COM
parative accuracy. and If not actually
prevent overflows, put the inhabitants
in readiness to get out Of the way.
/ The only plausible solution, it |
. seems, of the overflow problem at |
lpresent is an extension of the diking |
system begun in the upper portions
Of the stream some years ago and |
of more recent years attempted in a
more systematic and scientific way in
some of the lower counties,
l The earliest traditional Brazos
river flood is said to have occurred
: In 1888. Of this the only detail that
4 seems to have been remembered is
: that it entailed an immense amount
! of suffering and hardship to early set
I tiers inhabiting the upper portions of
) the stream.
: 1t was followed in 1S43 by a second
and in 1862 by a third. Little seems
to be known, except the fact that it
was said to have covered an immense
!" area, damaging stock and other prop
- erty and occasioning loss of life and
= hardships by the tying up of high
ways. All that is known of that flood,
in spite of the fact that it occurred
within the memory of men now living,
- are few verbal accounts told by old
- settlers.
- Two succeeding periods then seem
~ to have passed either without flood
- or so slight rises as not to have been
- recalled and the next was that OF
:. 1885. This date seems to indicate
: that the regularity had been broken
:. or that the period was a few months
- more than ten years. This flood Is
said to have entirely surpassed the
i, previous flood in extent and property
- losses in the upper part of the basin
~ The lower Brazos valley was still 81
~ sparsely settled, comparatively, tina
- that fact may have accounted for thu
~ small damage done In the region
- closer to the gulf
,ro All floods of which there is any ret
offs ord at all, except the one just pas
nd. was exceeded by that of June an
GRO July. 1899. This flood, like that 6
ma 1908, was in reality double rise, tn
tbo crests following each other In clos
md succession. 1t was preceded by
dos period of unusual drouth, a conditio
that would ordinarily be supposed
.ons leave the ground in condition to a
am. sorb large amount of the rainfall.
of The flood stage at Hampstead G
nee this occasion was SO feet, or thrt
! is feet lower than that just past. 1t W;
ero- also higher at Kopperl, Waco al
the other points where records were keT
ned There were then no government. fls
on gauges. but the water lines left by Il
ave. rise were subsequently compared
gauges established by the governme
900 In 1903 and later.
b as It is estimated that the flood COW
hui ed an area, out OF the banks OF I
oods stream of more than 1000 squa
+, a miles. caused the death Of 40 perso
3een known to have been drowned and
,ken shifted In losses of cattle, corn a
be- cotton amounting to $7,412.549. 7
hou- exact acreage covered has been
eing timated at 1,3SS,s5O according to 8
but fernment records.
alley The cotton losses were estimated
sent 226, $50 bales, carried off by
alley stream. The corn loss was estid
num- at 100000 bushels. Tha
lood. more greatly affected were
from Falls, Robertson. Bragg
jitua. Grimes, washington, "
Fort Bend and Brazori ~
who The United States
port ports gave the fol
tons the river in the i e
4 = IL
|. At June, 1908, the
was present: 5 IA
mate Kopperl, " h s
exag 81 feet; Hens
beral Booth, A NJ & s 4 E
were No est s
alton corded
i the cessible IS 4 i
Id be was
ID, re colt 3 4 Il 4 ..
" on