The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-09-09
CHARLESTON.
Some Interesting Facts Concerning the Stricken
City.

Some Interesting Facts Concerning the Stricken
City.
Charleston is city of which visitors almost
invariably form a favorable opinion. 1t has its
Battery-a pretty, sea-wslled park where the
two rivers between which the town lies come
together. Some of its buildings still bear the
scars of hard knocks suffered in the lombard
ment of the town in civil-war times. The bust
ness part of the city has the appearance of
being little too big for the business done,
and there is comfortable abundance of
elbow room. The street cars that jingle leis-
urely through the level streets are drawn by
the roundest and sleekest horses seen anywhere
in street-car service. In the residence part Of
the town there are almost no continuous rows
OF dwellings. Each house stands by itself, and
there is sufficient room between houses, even
in the more crowded parts of the town, for side
verandas, two stored and vine covered. The
harbOr in front of the town is broad, and there
is nothing TO shut off the view Of the ocean.
The water is shallow. and gets family yellow
ish tint from the beach sand that has been
washed in by currents unfortunately produced
by the jetties. Steamshipmen are of the opin-
ion that If the jetties could be removed the
natural currents would be restored, and the
harbor washed out to the depth it had in block
ade-running days. On the northeast side of
the harbor Sullivan's Island beach has been
built up within the past few years with cottages
till it looks almost like another city. Historic
Fort Sumter looks not ut all as it does in the
war pictures of quarter of a century ago. 1t
has been banked with sand till the walls are
hidden, and, though it doesn't look formidable,
is said TO be as near impregnable to shot as any
fertilization in the world.
The city is on peninsula formed by the con-
fuence of the rivers Ashley and Cooper, the
former Of which flows on the west, the latter
on the east side of the town. For several miles
above their place of meeting the two rivers run
nearly parallel. widening as they approach the
sea, thus gradually narrowing the peninsula on
which tho city stands. The city is built on
low, level ground, and at first to person APP
preaching by water, seems TO rise out of the
sea. 1t stands at the head of landlocked har-
Dor, about seven miles northwest from the
opening into the Atlantic. The average width
of the harbor is two miles, the inner harbor
being rather more than a mile wide.
The corporate limits of the city extend from
the Battery, or White Point Garden, at tho ex-
treme southern point OF the peninsula, to an
arbitrary line on the north, about three miles
above. The White Point Garden is a popular
pleasure resort for the Charleston people 1t
| is laid out with walks and trees and, as it is
the highest ground in the city. affords the best
view to be had of the harbor. Around the
grounds are fine private residences. The city
covers a large area. Because the prevailing
wind is from the south the dwelling houses
have wide piazzas on their southern sides,
when practicable.
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 in
| tersect at the city line The cross streets, run
ming 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, running north
and south on the west SIDE is one Of the finest
in the city. 1t is broad and we'll 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, al
though they are rarely more than two stories
high. There are many of wood, but compare
| lively few of stone. There is q pleasing want
| ofuniformity in the buildings.
There are few public squares in the city, such
| as there are being small. The largest besides
White Point Garden are Marion Square and
| the Colonial Common and Lake The princi-
pal public buildings are the City Hall, on the
corner of Broad and Meeting streets; the Or
| phan House, standing in the midst of spacious
grounds; the Roger Hospital, on Queen street,
| and the Citadel, on Marion Square The Cita-
| del IS owned by the State 1t was seized by the
| Federal Government in the war, but restored
| afterward. 1t Is now used as a State military
| academy. Although the Oldest religious or
| ganizatiOn is that Of St. Peters Church, the
oldest church building in the city was St.
Michaels, erected in 1852. Its chime of bells
was brought from England before the Revo-
luton. At the time of that war it was sent
back TO England for safety, and it took third
and, so far, final sea voyage when that war
came to an end. The church, which was de-
strOyed by the earthquake, stood on Meeting
street below Broad. Its interior had not been
altered since it was built 1t was lighted by
small windows, had square, high-backed pews,
and presented a very quaint appearance. Adj
| joining st. Peters Church is a graveyard.
where lie Calhoun, Pinckney, Gadsden, and
| Rutledge with many less renowned.
The business part OF the town centers at the
crossing of King and Hasell streets. The
shipping interest, however. is TO be found on
the east side, where at well-built wharyes and
| piers many vessels constantly to be found
| About mile and half from White Point Gar
den. on the east side, is the depot of the North
| eastern and the South Carolina Railroads To
| the north of that point. on both sides of the
| city, were large swamps, which have been
drained aud flied up TO meet the demands of
an increasing population. The city, although
low, is well drained, and has an abundant sup
| ply Of water.
The approach to the city from the sea Is de-
| Tended by four forts-Eort Moultrie on the
right, on Sullivan Island Fort Sumter to the
left on a shoal, and Castle Piuckney and Fort
Ripley almost in front Of the city. Charleston
is said TO be the only city on the Atlantic Coast
from which direct view of the ocean can be
obtained, the water view Of all other cities
| being confined To their harb0rs.
Charleston is the seat of Bishop of both the
| Protestant Episcopal and the Roman Catholic
Churches. The city has a population of about
$4,000.