Evening star., 1953-09-06
Farm Losses Seen
In Billions in Worst
Drought Since sos
BY the AssOeIaisd Press


Most Of the Nation from the
Rockies to the Atlantic Sweltered
last week under the worst heat
wave and drought since dust
storms Swirled across the Mid
west in the early '30s.
1t is too soon to assess all the
damage, but an Associated Press
survey showed losses from
scorched fields, Drowned pastures
and thinned livestock seemed
certain to run into billions of
dollars.
The Eastern two-thirds Of the
Nation was spared only along the
Gulf Coast. at some points along
the Canadian border, and q few
other areas where freakish ma
ture relented.
Compression Process Begins.
The wave began about August
IS. A cool, dry air mass spread
southwark from Canada. But in
stead of moving on, it strangely
came to a Standstill, and was
heated by the sun and by COM
preston of air tumbling down
from higher attitudes.
By last Monday. two weeks
later, the heat wave was in full
swing. Temperatures above 100
were recorded at points as far
apart at Pierre, S. D., and Rich
mond, Va.
The next day, Tuesday, the
mercury climbed above 100 in
parts of at least 10 States. And
the hot, dry air clung tenaci-
ously.
Many cities had readings above
95 for more than 10 straight
days.
Under cloudless skies, the
drought scared farm lands al
ready hurt by dry spells in June.
Z States Loss Over 81 Billion.
Estimates of dollar losses were
difficult, but in only seven hard
hit States where farm officials
gave figures the loss in farm in
come was calculated at more
than 81, 900, 900.
Field crops alone were hit for
an estimated 1926 million in
Kansas. The loss in the corn
crop in Iowa was aestimated at
100 million bushels, or more than
$3.50 million.
Arkansas officials said farm
income was cut 20 per cent, from
$500 million last year to about
$496 million this year.
Sorghum and wheat destruc-
ton in Texas was figured at
$139 million. Missouri counted
a $3.50 million loss in farm in
come. North Carolina $131 mil
lion, Nebraska more than $3.50
million.
The drought plagued farmers
already beset by generally falling
1arm prices over many months.
Many cattlemen, already hare.
hit, were forced to rush livestock
to market because pastures were
burned out. That toppled prices
still further.
Rain IS Per Cent Below Normal.
An area extending from South
Dakota through the Midwest corn
belt to the Atlantic Coast received
less than 25 per cent normal
rainfall for the three weeks
ended last Monday, and the
drought continued. The Ma
tional Weather Bureau said the
major portion of this dry region
did not get 5 per cent of normal
rainfall.
For the eight weeks ending
Monday. rainfall was less than
half of normal in a belt extend
ing from Iowa, Kansas and
Nebraska to Virginia and the
CarolinaS.
I. r. Tannehill, chief of synop-
tic reports at the National
Weather Bureau, said it was the
most extensive. persistent and
damaging heat wave and drought
since the Dust Bowls" of the
'30s drove thousands of farmers
from the Midwest.
Raleigh, N. c., had the driest
July and August in history.
Heat Records Are Set.
Temperatures went to lot for
two straight days in Portsmouth,
Ohio. Louisville. KY. broke Sep
tember records with three
straight days at 103 or above.
All-time records were broken
with 104 at Port Huron, Mich,
and 101 at Hartford, Conn.
Records for the highest tenn
peratures on single dates were
broken for days in a row in
many cities.