The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-09-08
Charleston as 1t Was.

Charleston, like New York, lies on neck
of land bounded on the east and west by
rivers and jutting southwark into the har-
Dor formed by the junction of these two
rivers, the Cooper and Ashley. 1t also has
its Battery, pretty sea-waled park. The
land is so low that upon approaching the
city through the harbor the buildings APP
pear to rise out of the sea. The population
is about fifty thousand of which all but four
thousand are native-born. The dwellings
are mostly isolated and there is room enough
between the houses for side verandas. There
are few public squares in the city, such as
there are being small. The largest beside
White Point garden are Marion square and
the Colonial common and lake. The prin-
cipal public buildings are the city hall on
the corner of Broad and Meeting streets,
the orphan house, standing in the midst of
spacious grounds, the Roger hospital on
Queen street and the citadel on Marion
square. The citadel is owned by the state.
1t was seized by the federal government in
the war, but restored afterward. 1t is now
used as state military academy. Although
the Oldest religious organization is that of
st. Peters church, the Oldest church build
ing in the city was st Michael's, erected in
1852. Its chime of bells was brought from
England before the revolution. AT the time
of that war it was sent back to England for
safety, and it took third sea voyage to get
it back The church, which was destroyed
by the earthquake, stood on Meeting street
below Broad. Its interior had not been al
tered since it was built. 1t was lighted by
small windows, had square, high backed
pews and presented very quaint appear
ance. Adjoining st. Peters church is a
graveyard, where lie Calhoun, Pinckney
Gadsden and Rutledge. The streets cross
nearly at right angles. The two principal
streets, King and Meeting, run north from
White Point garden almost parallel but
converge so that they nearly intersect at
the city line. The cross streets running
east and west, are generally narrow. On
King street are the principal stores of the
city, while on Meeting street the principal
hotels are situated. Rutledge street, rum
ming north and south on the west side, is
one of the finest in the city. 1t is broad
and well paved, and, like almost all of the
residence streets, is well shaded by orange,
maple and elm-trees The houses of the
city are nearly all of brick, many of them
being very handsome structures, although
they are rarely more than two stories high.
There are many of wood, but comparatively
few of stone. The business part of the town
centers at the crossing of King and Hassell
streets. The shipping interest, however,
is to be found ON the east side, where, at
well-built wharves and piers, many vessels
are constantly to be found. About mile
and half from White Point garden, on the
east side, is the depot of the Northeastern
and the South Carolina railroads. To the
north of that point, on both sides of the
city, were large swamps, which have been
drained and filed up to meet the demands
of an increasing population. The city, al
though low, is well drained and has an
abundant supply of water. In the harbor
and its approaches are Forts Moultrie, Sum
ter, Ripley and Castle Pinckney. The city
was held by the confederates in the wal
from the time of firing on Sumter until il
was evacuated and set on fire by Genera
Hardee in February, 1865, upon the approach
OF General Sherman's army. The Unior
troops then took possession and put out thu
fires.