The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-06-19
"Reminiscences OF Charleston,
5BY J. N. OARDOZO.

INGOHAHCE O1ElOkb AMI FINN OAxAaAAA"NA W
oHARLEgToN.
OHAR1EsroN, June 19, 1861 was as nearly as
can recolleot about the year 49, that gentleman en-
tered the office Of the Southern Patriot. OF which paper
Was then proprietor and editor stating that ne wshed
to consult with In relation to matter OF some I'M
nortanoe That gentleman was Mr.. WILLIAM WASHING
roN recently elected member OF the bouth oarohna
1aoia,ature son Of General WILLIAM WARRINGTON, the
celebrated parzsn chief He stated that ne had been
informed of the design of several gentlemen to apply to
the Legislature for charter to organize company Tor
insurance purposes-hat he inclined to resist the
anpcaonthat our citizens had for several years et
feoted the insurance Of their property In the London
Phoenix Insurance Company, and that all losses had
been promptly paid, without trouble or litigation I
stated that the eeot of giving charter to Charleston
COMPANY would be to confer monopoly coupled with
the privilege insurance on less favorable rates than
the assured could obtain abroad-that the attempt If
sucoessfl would be attended by the withdrawal from
south Caroline OF ali the insurance capital from beyond
ita limits with the certainty Of the rates Of insurance
being advanced and the great probability Of the loss
finally Of the whole insurance capital Of Charleston.
The whole Of these results It is needless to say, were
realized.
Tho opposition Of Mr. WASHINGTON was unavailng.
OF Mr.. DAVID ALEXANDER. went into operation shortly
after. The Fire and Marine Insurance Company. under
the Presidency OF JOHN HAsIErT. followed. These
Offices sustained at times heavy losses, but these
all paid the oapitals remaining intact, until the great
oonagration Of 1885, when their capitals were again
shsorbed by their losses Both these companies we're
rechartered shortly after. The South Carolina was
chartered In 18A7 Another more disastrous oonAagra-
tion occurred In December 1861 The whole Of the In.
surance capital Of Charleston WAS again swallowed up
nv he losses of that re The losses incurred by these
massive conagrations almost beyond computation
or belief
From the period Of our first arrival in Charleston,
which was in 1896 there was scarcely interval OF
from three to five years In which large are did not
OCCUR It Of occurrence that fire took place
below the line OF Broad.stree on the SOUTH and Mar
ket-street the north and Archdale.street on the
west and what no less remarkable they embraced
the business portions Of the city in which there were
deposited large quantities Of portable property particu
ary merchandise leading to the suppositton that they
we're the work OF incendiaries.
The Fire Department Of Charleston was thoroughly re.
organized after the great fire of 1885, When that re-
organization took place. and the Legislature forbid the
erection of any but brick houses within the CITY hmss
except on low water ots 1t thought Impossible snas
fire 80 destructive that Of 1888 could again occur
vet the fire of 1851 was still destructive than tnat
Of 1885, The department was thought to be III hign
state of efficiency; 1t was subject OF PRIDE 70 al
Charestonians The war cae to dlsorgan1ze its RANKS
and disarrange its material 1t embraced before the
commencement Of hostlities in 1851 six hundred ana
forty men on roll in that year, composed OF respectable
young men. many Of them Of the best families OF the