Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-09-20
CHARLEsTON M HIsTnpY.
FHcts About the Beautsful southern ~,
That Has Been I.aid M ts,,,u.

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FHcts About the Beautsful southern c,,,
That Has Been Laid 40 Ruins.
by some curious law Of events the oitv
Oh Charleston has always retained a no.
cullar individuality siuce its settlement
oy the Huguenots In l7l9 or thereabouts
as early as 1870 John Locke, the famous
philosopher, framed a coustitutlon for tho
young colony after the pattern Of thai al
flsto's model republic, and from that
unui tne present time there has been
succession oil incidents well calculated 10
keep awe In legendary and current his.
tory memory OF the town and its people,
Long before the revolution they shared in
tne struggles made by the Georgians, un-
ger Ogletnorpe, against the Spaniards In
florida. Then the people became in
VOWED IN the war with Yemassee
and other Indian tribes, ON
which William Gilmore Simms. like
our own Fenimore Cooper, expended a
wealth OF descriptive talent as novelist.
Then followed the events OF l776 and OF
the succeeding years, during which South
Carolina was occupied by British troops.
The battles Of Fort Moultrie, Camden.
Kings mountain, Eutaw springs and Cow
pens all had for their objective point
the city OF Charleston, and Gen. Francis
Marion, the "Swamp Fox.n stood with
sturdy strength as the sentinel at her
gates.
Tracing one generation after another,
we find the settlers occupying under royal
patent the beautiful islands that en-
oroider the coast and are known as 'tthe
Sea Islands" Here they developed the
growth OF the long stable cotton aud be-
came almost imperially rich. Their city
homes during the mild Southern winters
were In Charleston, and hundred years
ago they began the construction OF the
handsome residences, so many Of which
are doubtless involved In the present ruin.
The style of architecture was simple,
yet suggestive of a large sense OF com.
fort. The halls were broad, so wide, In
fact, that bookcases and pictures were
aligned on either side; the ceilings were
high; great piazzas or galleries were at
tached TO every story, and these, en-
closed by what we now call Venetian
blinds, secured privacy wherever It was
desired, shutting in a dinner or family
group from outer observation
These mansions rarely fronted the
brick wall was the chief entrance, and 1t
was here the bel rang that called the me-
gro attendant. Once within the little do
main, however, there were few things
that heart could sigh for that were not
at command. The richest and choicest
Of wines were ripenlng in their nest I'M
der the roof, close to the sun; the olive,
magnolia, fig and orange and all the glor-
~ ha N fao at
TO the eye that we Of the North now only
see in pictures.
AS rule these people were English or
French, or a mixture Of both nationall-
ties; but they were of gentle blood. Blue
eyes and 6axen hair prevailed Their
speech became tinged with the color Of
their negroes dialect, and as one gener-
alton succeeded another II finally became
so distinctive in character that to-day
you can detect any genuine Glow coun-
try" or coast born South Carolinian who
may be within hearing.
Originally Charleston was built of
wood, but the ravages Of frequent fires,
several of which nearly destroyed the
city, have caused change to brick. Its
public buildings are many OF them an
tique as well as noble, and 1t is doubtless
due to their strength that so few lives are
reported to be lost by the tumbling de-
bris. The city is regularly laid out and
extends about two miles In length. The
streets, which run parallel TO each other
from the Ashley to the Cooper river, are
generally broad and lined with beautiful
shade trees, while King and Meeting
streets carry one from the water front to
the suburbs, where abound the "truck
FARMS" from which come the supply OF
early fruits and vegetables that are to be
ound In our markets.
Notwithstanding its many adversities,
It's frequently recurring yellow fever
plague, its CONGREGATIONS, the storms that
have swept over its shores, and the tidal
waves by which 1t has been half engulfed,
its negro instruction in 1922, when near
ly half hundred slaves were hanged
by the neck until they were
dead; its fearful bombardment
during the recent war, and scores
of other events that have served to keep
its name before the country, there is one
bright incident connected With the his
tory of Charleston that will always be re-
membered In the commercial and agrlcul-
turaI circles. We refer to the discovery
OF phosphates. When the war ended 1t
| left among its poverty stricken drift, one
4
Prof. Pratt, who had served the Confeder-
ate government in making powder and
looking after the geological resources OF
the South. In one Of his hungry moods he
bethought himself Of the fact that ten OF
fifteen miles up the peninsula on which
the CITY is situated existed great basin
famous among scientists as the depository
of various kinds Of fossils, like the teeth
of sharks. bones of elephants and other
relics of ancient animal life. Taking his
old army baversack, a hammer, spade
some acids and chemicals, ne began his
investigations. Too poor to hire buggy,
he walked the distance every day. The
result he kept secret until he found y
advisable to come North. Then he
revealed 1t to well-known Charles
ton banker, now dead, saying that hi
had discovered 20 odd per cent. Of phos
phate in hundreds Of specimens that h
had tested, and asked the loan OF SlO'
to nav his way to the North for the pur
pose of utilizing his "nnd." The regues
was refused, the professor evidentll
being regarded as visionary and i'm
practicable person. He found the means
however, OF reaching Baltimore and Phil
adelphia, In both OF which cities ne ap