, 1861-01-09
S. C.---Its History, Com.
. meFCC. DC.

mercc, DC.
The city Of Charleston, South Carolina, is Tor
vas, pc7hnps) one Of the oldest in the Union.
Its foundations were laid in 1872; it WAS then
called Oyster Point Town, afterwards New
Charleston. It is located on d peninsula,
washed by the waters Of the Cooper aud Ash
Ley rivers. The harhor is spacious and secure
Ihe bnr has some distractions, hut there are
four channels with different degrees Of depth;
the ship channel between Forts Moultrie and
Sumter being tho largest, and afordiny seven
teen feet at high water and ten at low. The
city svns Incorporated in 1855, when its name
was changed from Charlcstown to Charleston
The advantages afforded by its position On the
coast, and it's excellent harbor, soon made it
place Of considerable trade. lis first exports
were stascs, lumber, furs, pe1trits, considcra-
bic quantities Of rice first planted in 1909. to
which were added, in 17l7, indigo; in 178o,
tobacco; and in 1850, cotton.
In 1Is3 tho foreign import Of Charleston
was &f900 600, over half the foreign import Of
1sb. The export OF tho same year was, in
rice alone, e, HIS barrels. Iii lf44 two hum
dred vessels were 1adrn at It's wlarycs. Ship
building, which WAS at one time arried on to
somo extent, 1:ls nearly ceased, and but few
are owned in the city. The revenue collected
on the imports Of Charleston was very nearly
as large under the light tariff Of 17s3 as under
ment Of the Federal Government up to 1925,
the rcvcnue collected amounted to ~ 5537 53 ;}}91.
In the year 1890, the imports yicldeda revenue
Of s32S 81a; IN 1875 they yielded a revenue
Of only 1874 ,4Ga. This decrease in imports
has been more than counterbalauccdb BY the in-
crease In exports. In 174i, the exports
amounted to G161 ,SG5 sterling: III 1913 they
amounted to sS,0sl,917.
The white population of Charleston In 1870
was 1859; slaves and free colorcd 6,27O; in
l8is 1t amounted to l4,1S7 whites and IL, ,264
slaves md free colored. The census returns
Of 1850 show the total population of he city
to be y ,955-to which may be properly added
the inhabitants Of the Neck, north Of the city,
hut lying without the charter limits, which
contains about II, 900 Inhabitants. The largest
PORTION Of the population is native, being S.
per cent; the proportion of foreigners slightly
exceeds those born in the United Statcs-but
out of Charleston. The productive class, or
those between fifteen and sixty, is quite as
large as in other American cities, except In
Lowell, Lawrence, and manufacturing places
In Charleston in lSJl; in 1S20, 1855 33G in 1SiiS
All The expense Of supporting paupers has
diminished about GO per cent, since 1873, while
tue tiilftrcncc in the number has varied hut
little. The number Of free public schools in
lS5O was 39; amount expended for them,
$500; average TO scholar, SO; average at
tendance, 5 years.
The crops Of Sea Island cotton have de-
creased from All average Of nl.oui Il, 000 bales
in 1870, to an average Of 22G0U bales between
lBO and 1850. OF this Charleston received
about two-thirds, and Savannah tLc rest. The
total rice crop of Carolina reaches an average
Of 1O, GOO ticrccs, Of which Charleston 1c.
ccives MI except 1000 or 1,500 tirrccs. The
average importation of curu in 1850 was
10000 bushels; importation Of oats average
$1,000 Or 10000 bushels; bales Of hay, 20 0oO 10
25,000
There are seven banks, With an aggregate
cal,ital Of 50, IS; $50 four steam cotton rrtss-
cs, one cotton factory, six rice mills, one tuyar
factories, one brass foundry, Ayc saw mills,
tuc ship yards, one turpentinc distilcr5, &C.