Union Parish Drought Over!!! Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by T. D. Hudson, 12/2006 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Union Parish Drought Over!!! From the Farmerville "Gazette"; issue of Wednesday, 3 August 1898, page 3 ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Crop Outlook --------- The prospects for a bountiful crop yield in Union parish were never brighter. In fact, corn is already made, and there will be a larger crop gathered in our parish this year than ever before We have heard many farmers say that they will raise enough corn this season to do them for two years. For the first time within our recollection, farmers are speaking of shipping corn on a large scale. An excellent yeidl of potatoes and peas is assured. Melons and fruit have been quite abundant, and gardens have held out remarkably well, affording a good variety of seasonable vegetables since early spring. While during the past two or three weeks there has been too much rain for cotton, causing it to shed and take the rest in places, still the next two or three weeks will tell the tale regarding the cotton yield. There is now a very luxuriant weed in most localities, and with fair weather for the next ten days it will fruit well. Altogether the crop outlook in Union parish is indeed promising, and farmers are wearing smiling faces. The cry of hard times which has prevailed in this section since 1896 is heard no more. ================================================================================== ================================================================================== From the Farmerville "Gazette"; issue of Wednesday, 2 November 1898, page 3, column 4 ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Union parish has made "cotton to burn," so to speak, this year. It is no uncommon thing to hear farmers say they will get a bale to the acre on much of their land. Ten to fifteen bales to the plow is also frequently reported. ================================================================================== NOTE: Union Parish and the surrounding regions in the "hill parishes" of northern Louisiana suffered severely from a drought that began in 1895. The drought resulted in total crop failures in 1896 and 1897. Many people literally starved to death, and aid was not forthcoming since the steamboats could not get up the bayous due to the low water levels. This was a major event politically and morally for many in north Louisiana. ###############################################################################