The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-06-17

THE CONTRAST BETWEEN NJ" hNN $1,000
LIVE SPIRIT AT woRK-How 1T PROGRESS Es
WHAT HAS BEEN DoAE AND WHAT BE MAINS
-THoUaHTs FOR THE THOUGHTFUL &C., &C.
One of the most remarkable features OF our
city experience, which daily strikes the eye of
the observer, is the contrast between Charles
ton as it is to-day and as it was at the close Oh
the war. Then more than half Of Charleston
was deserted. The old men were refugees, the
young men were in the field. Business houses
we're closed. and the very signs read like obi
tuary notices Of the dead or absent owners.
| The wharves were crumbling to ruins; The
streets had given up their payements to build
Notifications, and on all sides might be traced
the embroidery done in shell work by the ar
istes Of the Federal General Gilmore. Silence
reiened supreme save when disturbed by the
monotonous tramp of the Federal soldier as he
kept watch over the recently captured strong
hold.
7 By and by the wave OF business began to re-
cede from the uptown rookeries to the down.
town wareho uses. From army, bomb-proof
and country village, the young and old came
fockine back. There was little money; but
now and then the results of an unbroken
credit cropped out in some handsome stock OF
merchandise, and business once more resum-
ed. By degrees all found place in the pic
ture. Cotton came to light from score Of
hidden recesses, and was turned togold. The
mechanic found ample work to do, and living
compensation. The merchants We'd with each
other in the general scramble for patronage,
and equick sales and small profits" was the
motto Of the day.
There we're broken hearts and ruined homes,
empty, pockets and famished wives and little
ones;there were thousands who before the close
of the struggle knew nothing Of wantand mis-
y;but externally in her local features the city
wore an air of ofeonvalescence. The streets were
repayed; the public institutions were again
opened; banks were established; rows OF offices
and stores made Broad-street and the Bay look
not unlike the beehive OF former times; the
Battery was beautifed, and once more made
attractive; several steam fire engines were in
troduced, in addition to the one made at home;
city railroad was constructed; lines of stean-
ships began to ply to and from the great Sea-
port of the North; the railroads were rapid
" repaired; mon Of wealth came hither, bring
ing wealth and capital some stayed; tourists
visited the .sCity by the Sea-" that had been
made historic, and left their greenbacks, and
progress and prosperity seemed, for q while
at least, to have marked Charleston for thoir
own. :, =, :. - = .ri.- ,.t=i
Looking back upon those hours from the
present standpoint We have no reason to COM
plain that the spirit OF progress has been ma
teriaIly interrupted. On the contrary, not
withdrawing the depression of trade incident
to small cotton crop, bad debts, and unpaid
loans, we have moved steadily forward until
the contrast between 1866 and 1868 has become
marked and well defined. Under the admins
tration OF, Mayor Cogswell, especially public
Improvements have been made with rapidity
and dispatch, and attended With an economy
that has left no room for icaviI or complaint.
Broken sidewalks which, for months, were an
eyesoro, have given place to smooth, handsome
asphaltum payements, whereon it is pleasure
to perambulate; the streets have been relaid; q
shell road is in process OF construction and
well-nigh completed, which will constitute
daily attraction to every owner OF a vehicle
who loves the country air, which he may find
in a half hours drive.
A new system Of cleaning streets by contract
has been adopted and nearly twenty thousand
dollars saved to the taxpayer, besides the ad-
ditional security given to health and life. The
lower guardhouse, has undergone q purihca-
ton and adornment, which makes it. the tenn
pie it ought to be-that, too, without dollar OF
expense to the city, the cost Of repairs being
paid from the fines exacted from the ,ffcnders
against the law. Instead OF fifteen hundred
dollars heretofore paid for tho rent Of Hamp-
stoad Hospital, only eight hundred dollars is
this years charge another clear saving to the
city's purse; and so, stop by step, accompany
ing the work of visible improvement, the re-
trenchmsnt goes on, and promises relief to q
people groaning under the load Of public debt.
Much, however, remains to be done, and We
learn that the now Council do not intend to be
behind their predecessors in ut least striving
10 deserve the approval Of their fellow-cit:-
zans. >. ~ - r1
Uptown, we observe that Hampstead Mall is
undergoing beauttying process. The seats
are being rearranged, broad shell-walks are in
process Of construction, and when the grass is
cut, the denizens Of that portion OF the city
will enjoy lovely breathing spot after the heat
and fatigue of the day. Public parks arc a
city's lungs.
Farther up. IN the vicinity Of Liue-street,
there is an admirable opportunity for some
body to make mark, by digging deep canal
that will connect river with river, and open an
outlet for the heavy freights Of the railroads
by water to the bay. As an accessory to the
.drainsge OF the city in that part of Charleston,
the improvement is most desirable. This
scheme. however, con we'll afford to be held in
embryo, but some time it will undoubtedly bo
perfected.
An effort Will probably be madc to make o
direct route from the depots to the Bay, more
'navigable" than at present, 30 as to divert
portion of the heavily laden drays from Meet
inY-street, and save horsefesh and power. 1t
has been suggested that layer Of sawdust
mixed with the sand would make q good road
for the purpose.
An improvement that may hereafter engage
the attention OF practical mon is the concentra-
,tion Of fall the butcher pens on the stream that
makes up to Gadsden Green and the Potter's