The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-09-20
Things in Charleston.

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Things in Charleston.
Whilst on recent visit to Charleston, we had an
opportunity Of noticing few things there The City
looks lively and prosperous-ndeed, the very great
hcalthiness which Charleston has enjoyed this season.
has served 10 put entirely face every thing.
The Merchants are busily engaged receiving very
heavy stocks and will soon be prepared 10 suit their
customers in quantity, quality, and of coursc) in price
Great improvements are being made in the appear
ance Of the streets We noticed East Bay particu
larly, where large blocks of handsome buildings are
taking the places Of small indifferent stores which
rather Served to inspire disgust in place Of exciting
admiration The City Council, with commendable
good TASTE are widening and Strengthening the streets
wherever they can. We have always thought that it
great pity the beauty of Charleston was so much
marrcd by the irregular and narrow streets which are
50 often to be found. With very few exceptions, such
is the case. We trust in tmc that these. 10 certain
extent at least, will be improved
The new Custom House will he very grand affair,
whoever lives 10 see it completed The workmen are
taking their time, and mean, we presume, to do what
they have to do we'll ,Sbtv and sure is Il very good
INDEPENDENTLY when one gets paid well for its
observance. The foundations of this edfce will be-
when completed, on scale hitherto unprecedented;
mustsee to believe The estimated cost of construc
ton is about thirty thousand dollars per month-somc
thing thousand dollars per diem, counting only
working days. There are at present some two hun
dred hands engaged. This House will cost some
money by the time it is finished. But Uncle Sam is
rich, who cares?
We sawan iron palmetto tree in Charleston, which
the ingenuity of one Of her adopted citizens Mr.. C.
WERNER German gentleman had executed at his
extensive Iron Foundty at the or Seato auu
Cumberland streets.
This tree is representation of nature truly, it
seems to US, as nature can be represented. 1t looks
for all the world like simon pure Palmetto. The
limbs and leaves and all exactly like handsome
tree ought to look Indeed, not sure but that
it is something of an improvement on our old warrior
palmettoes. The whole structure, says the Courier,
reaches the height of thirty feet and weighs about
81 900 pounds, all being Of iron except the leaves,
which are of copper. The Evening News is our au-
thonty for the following:
"The tree stands on O base five feet square. From
height from the top of the tree to the base is thirty
feet. There are sixteen branches composed of cop
per- forming principal leaves, and twenty bro
ken branches. The diameter of the trunk is four.
teen inches
At each corner of the pedestal there is an eagle hold
ing wreas of laurel in its beaks. The four squares of
the pedestal are embossed with palmetto. A door
opens at its east side. showing in what manner the
work inside is constructed
On the top of the tree will 6e placed an eagle (of
iron measuring from wing to wing seven tee in close
combat with rattle snake issuing from the branches
of the palmetto, also made OF iron'
Another evidence Of improvement in Charleston, will
he found in the very extensive steam printing and gen.
eral publication establishment Of Mcssrs. Walker
James No. 3 Broad street. We were shown all over
the bLildiug by one of the pr"prietors, Mr.. Joseph
Walker who is also agent for tho Wholesale Paper
Commission Warehouse No. So East Bay. 1t is to us
source of pride that we have at home such csab
lshment as this of Messrs. Walker James They
are the Ha'perS Of the South and are prepared to do
all kinds of work from the smallest book to the largest
volume, executed in style unsurpassed by any other
for durability and finish.
New Banking Houses seem to lie going up with
considerable speed The State Bank are having new
building erected on the of East Bay and Broad
streets The Farmer'sand Exchange Bank is in course
of erection one door North of the Planters and Me-
cllauics Bank-which Is also being improved and mod
ernizcd.
Every thing is looking up, and Charleston is rapidly
improving The merchants, traders, and all are wide
awake: and one must keep his shop.wndows open all
the time if he would succeed, for the motto Of every
business man is-Push along keep moving.