Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-28
CHAT AHOOCHEE VALLEY
.CROPs TOTALLY DESTROYED
In Many Instances Farmers
Are Abandoning Land and
Going to Cities
special Dispatch 70 The JournaIl

ESPECIAL Dispatch 10 The Journal)
COLUMBUS, Ga. July 27.-As re-
suit Of the damage. and in many in
stances total destruction to crops In the
Chattahoochee valley, wrought by the
recent storm and floods. scores of ten
ant farmers are moving out and COM
ing TO the city and going 20 other COM
munitfes seeking work at the mills. or
the railroads and at other industries.
leaving their crops that were, prior TO
July 8. in a most promising condition,
abandoned.
Thousands of acres of these lands
south of Columbus and all along the
course of the river TO the Florida line,
on both the Georgia and Alabama sides
OF the stream, were under water for
solid week from Friday, July TO FRI
day. July IL Some. of these lands in
the lower basin places and more imme-
oiateIy near the river were under wa
ter even longer and in view of the con-
tinued rains that have prevailed every
day except yesterday, since July 8, II
has been impossible to work these lands
for the purpose of planting other crops,
and there has been nothing else for far
mers thereon to do only TO abandon
them. especially in instances where they
were entirely dependent on crops on the
river bottoms.
mere
growing crops of corn, cotton and hay
for q period of several days they are
dead. and the loss has fallen heavily
upon the landowner and the tenant. Not
in many years have the river lands along
the Chattahoochee had promise OF
more abundant WELD than that of this
year prior to Judy 5, the date the rains
set in. The total rainfall In Columbus
since that date is shown by the govern
ment gauge maintained at fire engine
house No. /. 10 have been 1889 inches;
al North Highlands and Goat Rock the
was several inches more and
at West Point and Newman about as
much, while at Eufaula it is understood
to have exceeded 20 inches. There have
been only six days during the month
without rain.
The thousands of acres that have been
drowned out might have been replant-
ed in corn. millet. sorghum, peas, vel
vet beans and other short time hay crops
had the rains not continued as they have
daily even since the flood waters re
ceded. but if the rains were to cease
now il would be several days before
these lands would be again dry enough
to be worked and the remainder of the
growing season before the time for frost,
IL is anticipated, would be too short for
even the quick maturing Varieties of
corn. and peas except for hay and millet
and some of the other hay crops is about
all that the landowners could hope to
realize from these lands this year. Many
of them have indicated their intention
of planting such crops If the rains cease
in time. while others have indicated their
intention of abandoning these farm lands
for the year The floods could have
hardly come at a more critical season.
that would have made more complete the
disaster to crops.
Since the calamity came, of course,
the supply merchants and landowners
have been forced to discontinue supplies
to the farm tenants on these lands and
many of them are understood to be in
almost destitute condition. The fact
that the local cotton mills and other in
dustries were facing problem of urgent
need of labor has very materially helped
the situation. White farmers whose
crops we're totally ruined or so badly
damaged as to make IL necessary TO
abandon them. have experienced but lit
tie trouble i'm finding work at the local
cotton mills for themselves and the
working members of their families, while
the negro farmers have found employ
ment at the railroads and other indus
tries. The greater number of these far
mers are negroes.