Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-22
LETTER FROM CHARLESTON.
correspondence Baltimore Daily CommerciaI.l

correspondence Baltimore Daily Commercial
CHARLESTON, May I6, 1866
Having, after pleasant trip on tho fine steamer
Aalorama," Of the Pendersast line arrived in this
famous City of the Sea" send the annexed obser-
Yatons OF the present appearance and prospects of
the CITY, which may prove of interest.
On approaching the city, after passing the ruins Of
the different batteries along Sulivan's and Morris
Islands, and then what remains of Forts Sumter
Moultrle Ripley and other forts. the visitor per
celVeS IN the shattered walls and tho ruins of what
were once hne warehouses, along the wharves some
idea OF the effects of the bombardmen upon the CITY.
as ne enters into the heart of the city its effect he
comes more apparent Along Meeting, Broad and
IN TACT most OF the principal Streets whole SQUARES
may oe seen Of what were fine stores public
buildings and dwellings, with nothing but the bare
walls standing On the Battery. (Which is q broad
hagged promenade, extending along the front of n
portion of the city, anl against the base of which tbe
waves of the sea DASH there fronts the ruins of hot
were once elegant mansions. built with large port-
COS, supported by granite and iron columns deep bay
"!nuoWS. and massive doOrWays and surrounded
with gardens and brick walls. They are seemingly
TOO large or mere private residences, and are built
with much pretenslon, in the old colonial style
Now they nearly all deserted and slowly crum-
hlhg 10 ruin, with no attempt at repairing them or
keeping them in order Many of them are occupied
Dy the negroes as tenement houses. So it is in a
greater portion of the city. The houses generally
are large and surrounded with gardens and walks
and before the war must have presented n nra4ty,
appearance; but now they are more or less d9uarei
either by the hombardment or by several large fires
that occurred during the war Many of these houses
Their -
tQDs during portion OF the year. and came to the
city during certain seasons, and had them as town
houses; not having the means TO repair them no v
tney stay on nelr plantations altogether. Yet the
Peopie complain of the high rents demanded for
houses-those suitable for The middle classes and
business purposes. There is hardly dozen new
buildings being erected repairing of old ones go-
Ing on in the city Within the last week or two
however, there appears to have been some movanenf
in that direction At a meeting of the Chamber Of
Commerce recently, resolutions were adopted ealing
| the city. ''--O
A company of the leading citizens has also been
formed, for the purpose Of erecting ON large square
OF ground IN the principal part of the city, block of
44pldlngs on the plan OF the Pala5 Royal in Paris.
There are to be sixty first class stores on the first
floor and forty on the second, with an opera house
assembly rooms, &c., surrounded by boulevard
fountains, etc.
business generally. at the present time, is very
du!t 1t has been pretty brisk during the winter
city, having spent what ready money they had saved
from the wreck, have now none to spend; STILL an
Improvement IS looked , R for the coming fall The
and more are constantly arriving by the two lines of
steamships between this city and New York and the
PenderGast and Merchants lines of Baltimore and
| numerous smaller vessels. Besides these there is a
considerable direct trade with Europe. Four large
vessels heavily laden, arrived here in one day last
week. from Liverpool. Many New York houses have
established branch houses here, formed connec-
| tions with resident firms. Numbers of Northern
| ness places.
A company has been organized for the purpose of
estaollshlng city passenger railway, and also one
for the purpose OF bringing water into the city from
the Edsto River; at present tho supply is obtained
| from wells, &c.
The health of the city appears to be pretty good
Ihe small Iox which has been raging here for some
Tune principally among the negroes. from the report
OF the city physician, has become less prevalent
There does not appear to be much fear of the aI-
proaeh OF the cholera; though if it should come it
would doubtless prove destructive, the stones
OF the streets and the paYements having been taken
up IN the carly part of the war for the purpose of
constructing Fort Ripley, n the harbor the streets
are In very filthy conditions; and the habitations
generally do not appear to be in u sanitary state,
| especially IN the negro quarters.
The city appears to be overrun with negroes; how
tney manage to llye-as greater portion of them do
not appear to works. mystery. Many of them,
however, are very industrious and orderly A rtg-
nent Of cOlored soldiers is stationed at the citadel Ia
| place formerly used a State military SCHOOL, to-
gether with portion OF the 9Th Regular Infantry
portion of the Methodist colored denomination re-
Gently purchased church of white congregation
| for $4,000 in gold.
Tho daily wh Carotnian, published in this city,
and of which Wm Gilmore Simms. the novelist, was
editor has been discontinued for want of patronage
Major Du Bos, formerly of Gen. Beauregard's staff
proposes shortly to publish paper in this city as the
organ of the French population in the South. The
charleston Mercury is shortly to be revived.
70 those citizens Of Baltimore who desire TO take
short sea trip either for pleasure or health would
recommend an excursion to Charleston on the steamer
kalorama, Of the Pendergast line. They will find
Captain Denkin pleasant and attentive to the
comfort Of his passengers, and in Charleston and its
| vicinity much to interest them. B. C.