The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-04
THE CITY BEFORE THE SHOCK.
Its Location, Population and Commercials
Sieges and BOmbardments.
New York Tribune.

It's Location, Population and Commercials
Sieges and Bombardments.
New York Tribune.
The city of Charleston and metropolis of
South Carolina stands the point of land be-
tween Ashley and Cooper rivers at their confiu-
ence and at the head of broad estuary extend
ing seven miles to the Atlantic ocean. This bay
is iandloeked, save at the mile-wide entrance, is
fifty feet Deep and affords one of the finest har-
bors on the coast At the north of the entrance
is Sulivan's island, on which is the famous Fort
Moultre, which beat off Sir Peter Parker's Brit
ism feet in 1776. There are Notifications also on
Morris island, at the south of the entrance, and
scattered everywhere about the harbor are Fort
Sumter, Fort Ripley, Fort johnson, and Castle
Pinckney-all of which became historic during
the war of the Rebellion. The city of
Charleston is in shape a rude isosceles tri-
angle, about three miles long from apex to
base, the Apex being the battery, at the sea-
ward extremity Of the city. from which the
opening shot was, in 1861, fired at Fort Sumter.
The streets are mainly laid out regularly, cross
ing each other at right angles. King and Meet
ing streets. running lengthwise of the city, are
the principal thoroughfares. The chief streets
are paved and lighted with gas. The houses
are mostly of wood or brick, and present great
variety of style. Lawns, gardens and shade.
trees abound, and the city thus gains in pictur-
sence of imposing rows of buildings and business
blocks There are a few notable public builds
ngs-the Arsenal and the Citadel, the city hail.
courthouse, market, orphan asylum. custom
Academy of Music. St. Michaers is the
most famous church. It is lofty
spire, used landmark by vessels entering the
harbor, and containing fine chime of bells
The saving of this spire from burning, by in
trepid slave, forms the topic of we'll known
poem. The public institutions of the city in
clude Charleston College, founded in 1855; the
Medical College of South Carolina, the Military
Academy, two good libraries a high school and
SIX or seven common schools, dozen asylumS
and homes of various Sorts and perhaps fifty
churches. In the cemetery of St Philips
Church are the graves of Calhoun, Gadsden
Rutledge and Pinckney There is one good
daily newspaper and half dozen weeklies and
monthlies. There are two street railroads, with
eleven miles of track and three steam roads run
into the city. Some 200 600 persons annually
cross the ferry to the pleasure resort on Sui-
vans island. The city is drained by six miles of
tidal sewers
The industries of the city are principally COM
merciaL 1t is the seat of large wholesale trade
with the interior and exports large quantities
of cotton, rice, lumber, phosphates, and naval
stores. 1t is the first rice and the third cotton
port of the United States In 1883 the ship
ments amounted to SAL 1856 bales of cotton ~, 425
tierces of rice, 357, 100 barrels of naval
stores, 3l3 900 tons of phosphates and 40 000 600
leet Oh luHloer. "A large export trace OF early
vegetables and fruit for the Northern markets
has also been developed during the past few
years. Probably $1,000 barrels of po-
tatoes, 100000 melons, and nearly
million quarts of strawberries are
thus shipped annually. The manufactures of
the city are in cotton iron, wood and phosphates.
There are nearly 400 establishments, represent
ing Sc, SOC, 900 capital, employing $500 hands,
and producing value of 100000, 900 annually.
In 1880 the valuation of real estate in the city
OUU 600 n al
O00 In 1883 there were owned in Charleston
nine ocean sailing vessels OF &C. $50 tons; 160
river sailing vessels, of 3945 tons; six ocean
steamers, of ], 03l tons. and nine river steamers
of 1893 tons. There are steamer lines to New
York, Boston, Philadelphia, Savannah and else
where.
The population in 1880 was 40 984, the proper
ton Of white to coored being as % to q.
Charleston was founded in 1859 an English
colony by William Ssyle. who became its first