Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-03
CORRESPONDENCE.

| CORRESPONDENCE.
| More About Charleston, South Carolfna-
Negro Phenomena-Some Objects of In
| terest-A Fire.
| CHARLESTON, s. c., Feb. g.
To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
just think, Mr.. Editor, that you have two
correspondents in this region. Play this is
the other, and perhaps you will not tire of
| what is heard and seen. The London cries.
SO familiar to all who read them three-score
years ago. are reproduced here by negresses
| with tubs, baskets and bundles on their
heads, Gin one case six x-gallon iron pot) cry
| ing, suppose, lice cream, crabs, " etc., but
| it requires more than three weeks residence
| here to understand the screeches Therefore
| L gave 1t up. A young negro, 10 years of
| age, whom girl that already had three hus-
| bands recently married because she was tired
of being alone, was pointed out to me. And
when expostulated with by the lady as fol-
lows: "Why, you knew better. Why did
you not tell the minister you had already
| three husbands ?" she answered: "Tbe
minister told me to hereafter hold NV peace
| and thought would hold my peace, mis-,
sus %
Another, a venerable gray-headed chap.
one who wanted nothing but board and
clothes for his labor; and he as cook of the
", mACnln0S.
His old mistress kept her silver brighter
than folks do now. The old turbaned
negresses, as well as the generation of
negroes who lived anterior to the war, are
universally ready with a smile, courtesy or
bow as you meet them, while the latter
generation are as ready to black your boots,
hold your horse, or carry your package for
the expected nickel or dime And all hotel
attaches, though taught to be attentive to
guests, never refuse quarter or half for
imagined services for attending to fires, ice
water and other bell calls. Even elevator
boys are ready to assist willingly, and as
willingly receive gratuity. Altogether, it
does not appear much different in one Sec
ton of the country than in another but the
guest is led to wonder whether the landlord
pays the servant or the guest does that i'm
portant part.
By walk of few blocks to the corner of
Broad, which is the brokers', bankers and
lawyers center, you will come to perhaps the
oldest Episcopal church, at the corner Of
Meeting street Enclosed by brick wall is
a cemetery of ancient appearance. On the
opposite corner are the city Office buildings
enclosed in a small park, the only open place
in which I have seen shade trees, with the
exception of what appeared to be one or two
private parks or cemetery grounds. In this
I was accosted by an apparent master of
ceremonies, who overseeing a couple
dozen of negroes telling the trees which had
previously been source of admiration. Al
though not as magnificent as your elms, they
were to my eyes an "oasis in the DESERT
In answer to my inquiries it was answered
:sWhat do we want trees here for in this
small place? We are going to beautify it,
lay it out in grass, plant howers,''
etc. I thought the half dozen elms
might better have been spared
even if it was not thought best to spare
the sycamores. No trees as large can again be
grown there in fifty years. Another walk and
the old United States arsenal grounds are
reached. These grounds are about the size
of your two green's. The old oak trees inside
the walls are hung with moss, indicating the
dampness of the place. The grounds are
near the Ashley river. Inside the enclosure
remain the old government buildings, show
ing that in days of yore much money had been
expended by Uncle Sam. Now the grounds
are occupied by the Rev. Doctor Porter for
school under the name, as 1 copied it at the
main entrance, ''Church of the Holy Com
munion Institute" Mr.. Porter obtained the
use of the premises from the government at
a nominalprice for fifty years. The Institute
numbers 200 day scholars and 100 boarders
and is popular. The pupils wear a uniform,
but think it is not military school.
The orphan asylum is in the heart of the
city. The buildings and grounds are in Cab
houn street, occupying nearly a whole
square; an impressive looking enterprise be-
longing to the city for the use of all denomi-
nations of children. Mr.. Bee, benefactor
of the orphans, died last week. His funeral
was largely attended, the orphans being
present in the church. In the Citadel Square
is yet to be seen and examined small piece
and cement, about eighteen inches thick and
six feet high, left as a memento of the late
war; In this public place not tree is to be
seem The grounds compare with the lower
Green of your city and are equally suscep-
tible of Improvement. The private grounds
generally enclosed, and show that in
former years great care and expense
we're used in beautifying the premises.
Alhthe old dwellings, and new ones as well,
ire enclosed on the east or south side in gal
eries or verandahs for the purposes of air in
not weather. The tenement and negro
houses, of course, are exceptional and one
half of fifty thousand people are of African
descent In Methodist church 1 heard an
eloquent discourse; faith and confidence IL
ustrated by the simile of United States
ZEN dollar note being taken in confidence, as
,rnment was behind it. 1 have seen the day
when some in New Haven would have said
hat was political preaching. heard it, how
aver, in the city of Charleston.
We could not leave without something to
carry out the ominous forebodings of
start Therefore first-class fire was gotten
ID by little negro in bagging factory near
1s For while great fear was entertained
hat the stables in our rear would succumb.
Then the fifty men on our ROOT, prepared for
/ contingency. The water works of the Char
eston Hotel were working for our protection,
,ut the clouds of smoke all around bid
Is as matter of safety to prepare
:or worse. The water works of the city after
'ome delay supplied the need and the fire
vas subdued after fifty thousand dollars had
,een destroyed. Six steam fire engines
,uffed till midnight. AL was then over, but
he effort on the nervous system of those
Who did preparing in haste had no good eff
ect. The water works are peculiar to this
ity. They answer WE'LL with the supple
mental tidal flushing of sewers, till some
arge confagration gets the master hand
hereof. Annual clearings are now taking
,lace; at each high tide the water is detained
n these sewers, and when fire takes place
he hose is inserted into a man-hole. Also
he hydrants are in use, but the force of wa
er is insufficient for extraordinary purposes
he main reservoir is near the hotel, and is
ed from the well in Citadel Square through
four inch pipe which is all the time dis
harging warm water. M.