The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-04
THE DAILY NEWS.
OURSELVES rs OTHERS SEE US

LII IL DAlH Il ~ - y. -
OURSELVES rs OTHERS SEE U.s.
A Visitors Impressions OF Chhries.oh-
Prospccts-A Northern Estln"te VI o"H
Phosphntes-Thc Orphan HoNse-oor
Market Systenl-Cost of Living ana
how Prices Compare with those OK the
North-Thc Artesian Wen-AIaa nolia,
&c.
MIR. J.. NJ. Francis, the editor of the Troy
fN.Y.) Times, who recently visited Charles
ton, has written some interesting letters TO his
paper about things in our city. We make
some extracts:
CHARLESTON AS 1T IS.
CHARLESTON, S. c., February I've nave
spent altogether nearly week IN TINS historic
city, Wenever cease to remember that thls
was the hottest hotbed OF secession. ana tha1
IN Charleston were concentrated ana uele,opi
ed the malign Influences that brought apout
the recent terrible civil war. But oh; Wnat
penalty has it paid for the SHINING Ihere
is mourning throughout the CITY Ior tIc
loss of dear relatives and friends; large pro
portion of the white young men OF !ne p,aoo, ran
to untimely graves by the unspa1lng manu- o,
war: the weaIthiest citizens, the most rehned
and afflnent were reduced 10 want in many n
stances to abiect poverty. Surely Chafieston
has been awuIly SC urged ana merciessiy
nnnisbed for It's rebellion. But OF the city
now: 1t bears an ancient appearance-and as
ior that matter it is old. for il was founded two
hundred years ago. 1t has been drcadfully de-
yastated by fires. Large sections OF the city. 1t
will be RENE em;oered, were burned over at an
early period Of the war. There has been very
little r, building. The crumbliDg walls and
r,ino ot rnpoe in evidences OF the
great fire. Few buildings comparatively
were DESTROYED by Giimores shelllng from
the ssswamp angel battery" but many were
more or less injured, and you may now see
on every hand where the Yankee IRON left It's
marks. Charleston is gradually improving,
however; it's business men sre slowly gettlng
upon their feet again, and trade is increasing.
But it will take years, many years. 10 pT1ng
back the old prosperity to the city. The place
has passed Though an ordeal OF fire and
sword that came near destroying 1t atogetner;
but battle-scarred and exhausted OF capitai
and energy as she has been, many OF the best
citizens, who were the heaviest sufferers, are
at work with all their abilities, and in spirit
of most commepdablo enterprise. to recon-
struct their own fortunes and restore CONNER
ciaI7p1osperity to their city. Even now there
is good deal Of business Cone IN Charleston,
and more will come as the people acquire cap:-
tai to rebuild the waste places, ana as the
South gains wealth to bestow patronage. Real
estate is at q very low figure. We were shown
q fine building occupied by the First Nation
al Bank which with the site cost some S45,0O0
in gold before the war. 1t was pnrchascd
by the bank corporation about year, ago
for f11 600. We were assured that real es-
tate generally can be bought for one-third TO
one-duarter what it would readily brlug eight
years ago And it is DOW held at copsld-
erably higher rates than it was year ago.
But the incubus upon the city 10 ITS large dept,
amounting to no less Than s., 600 goo. l. holds
railroad stocks tor portion oil this indebted
ness. but We believe they yield very little or no
revenue. Think Of such a load upon the tax
PAYERS Of city whose entire population, both
black and white, is probably not ten thousand
larger than that Of Troy. Yet 1t could easily
have been carried by Charleston as 1T was, and
still it may be borne II returning prosperity
comes as is anticipated by its saneuine busi-
ness men. Now, however, it is very heavy
burden-probably mole oppressive than ten
millions would be to Troy. The business men
ssy.showever, give us one large cotton crop,
with anything like the present ruling prices,
and Charleston will no more be dlscredlted;
she will snap her fingers at The debt. and 1t
will not in the least impede our prosperity.
Speaking Of cotton the whole South is playing
for good crop and continued high prices. de-
clarlpg that this will not only put them upon
their feet again, but place them IN position
where they will be enabled to walk right along
in prosperity.
ASPECTS OF CHARLESTON, RESIDENCES, &C.
There are many points OF interest Ito the
Northerner here at Charleston. Everything IN
fact is as different from the North as could
we'll be imagined. The streets are losg aud
barrow, rupnlng from river to nier--the
Ashley and Cooper-and CROSS at regular an
giles; the residences are set up high from the
ground and built mostly OF WOOL, although
there are many of brick, covered with mastic
and painted light colors, with wide corridors
upon two or three sides OF the building, sur
rounded by ample yard room and the beautiful
foliage of the lve-oak and magnolia, which are
green and fresh the year round-the whole be-
ing enclosed by high brick wall or wooden
fence, through which yon pass by door or
heavy gate made more secure by lock and key.
Nng-strees, the principal avenue for retail
trade. looks very much like CoRgress-street in
Troy. There are some fine stores, however,
and quite brisk business is going Oh.
THE BATTERY.
There is q beautiful place calico "Tho Bat
tery,' extending along the east side OF the city
fronting the harbor, upon which are some Of
the finest residences Of the place. In the
grounds OF Mr.. Trenholm, one OF the members
or the late Confederate Cabinet, Is grotto
imported from Europe. This grotto Is struc-
ture OF stone above ground with several open
ings in which are aquar1ums, and upon which
are growing rare plants, vines and MOSES
eAoV oSeA eA3S "SeS~@~~~S S> o>S"~S0 SAo ~ ~
bed Of stone.
TREES AND OTHER ORNAMENTS.
The live oak and the magnolia are the native
wood to be seen in great abundance all about
here. The live oak with its wealth OF moss
pendant from it's branches almost dipping the
water or sweeping the ground. is truly bsautl'
full, and the magnolia with its waxen leaves
and magnificent blossoms is the pride of the
State. Eitber of these might give name to the
State rather than the palmetto, for 80 far we
have seen few palmettos, and but one in
Charleston. and that on Front-street, carefully
boxed in to insure its pro ecton. The moss
which grows in such luxuriance IN the swamps
and on higher land to-, is au article of home
consumptlol l. and export also 10 some extent.
It is taken from the trees and cured by expo
sure to tho ar, cut up AMI used for maxim.
beds and pillows. 1t Is almost equal 10 curled
HAIR, and with little Yankee manipulation
could be made 10 quite equal it, should say.
THE PHOSPHATE BEDS.
The apparently lnexhaustible .>eds OF phos-
phate DISCOVERIES in lands lying uron the river,
one section distant not more than six miles
from the city, promise source of large leve-
nue. and rapidly increasing wealth. Careful
chemical analysis proves the superiority of tuis
material ss fertilizer. 1t Is dug up i'll large
quantities foot below the surface Of the
ground. and bears unmistakabc evidence Of
formation :. the course Of aeee from ~ ~ zones
Of aniu.als. Indeed the original bony shapes are
~ ~. ut homes