Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1901 — WEST PRAYS FOR RAIN. [ARTICLE]

WEST PRAYS FOR RAIN.

Farmers of the Great Wheat and Cora Belt See Crops Wither. The people of the middle West are praying for rain. They are praying singly and in groups, but the entire stricken region, which includes Kansas, Missouri, lowa and parts of Illinois and Indiana, is toward a huge, concerted prayer day to bring rain to their burning crops. Unless rain quickly comes to the relief of the great parched crops in the immense corn and wheat belt of the West great loss and in many cases complete ruin of the crops will result. For twoVeeks the hot wiuds and heat wave have been at their worst, with the thermometer soaring close to the 100 mark. The only way the farmers now hope to get relief is by asking more than hu-' man aid. Kansas is burning up. In 50 per cent of the counties the crops are entirely ruined. It has been 100 degrees or over in the shade for days upon days, and the grain is just at that point where it must have rain or die. The same condition prevails in Missouri, and other of the grain States. Already crops are damaged and. vegetation withered and ruined in many parts of the middle and Western States, which have felt the greatest force of the sun’s fury. The scorching heat prevails also in Illinois, lowa, Nebraska. Indiana, Ohio aid in other States contiguous to those there is little difference. A communication was sent from Macon to *Gov. A. M. Dockery of Missouri, asking that he set apart a day in that Immediate futnre. proclaiming a day of humiliation and prayer, requesting everybody to meet at some place of worship and join in prayer for rain, that the calamity of further drought may be averted. The suggestion for enlisting executive action was made by the Rev. George W. Sharp, a well-known preacher of North Missouri, whose home is at Kirksville. The Rev. Mr. Sharp is confident that this is the appropriate thing to do to secure relief in time. The conditions in Missouri at present are serious, according to information coR lecte<J by a Chicago paper. All hope of a corn crop is extinguished and stock raisers are shipping their cattle to other States for feed and water. Farmers keep their wells locked for fear of travelers stopping at night- and clandestinely watering their horses. In Mexico and other villages prayers for rain have been publicly offered. At Warrensburg experiments have been made by shooting chemicals at the sky. At other points cannons have been fired at regular intervals. The heat belt extends across the corn, growing bottoms of the Mississippi valley aud hour by hour it is drying up the creeks and wells, which usually have been adequate for all purposes of cultivation. Now the stock wanders miles for a little fresh water to drink where a month ago the cows stood rib deep near the banks. Some of the finest orchards in the West now look as if they had been swept by fire. The fruit is drying up into little brown shells, which will soon fall to the ground and dry up to nothing.

Where Heat Wm Most Severe.

Burlington, 1a....106|: Cincinnati 10o| Decatur, 11l 103; Columbia, M0....112; Des Moines, la. ..101] Fort Scott, Kan.. 108] Harrisburg, 111. ..10ti Hannibal, Mo. ...105] Jefferson City. Mo.lo7|' Kansas City, Kan.lo3l little "ock, Ark. .1011 Louisville, Ky....103|

Mexico, Mo 112 iMoweaqua, 111. ...104 Princeton, Ind. ...103 Paducah, Ky 104 St. Joseph, M 0.... 109 St. Louis, Mo 104 South Bend, Ind.. 101 Springfield, 111.... 102 Topeka, Kan 102 Vandalla, 11l 103 Wichita, Kan 102 1