The Portland daily press., 1890-03-07
THE PRESS.
FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 2.
The CITY EY TIE SEA.
A Trip Down Charleston harbor-
The Calhoun Monument from a
Rural View.
correspondence of the Press

CHARLESTON, S. c., March GA visit
to this historic old city after the lapse of
a score of years gives one a sort of Rip
Van W'nklish feeling. Many of the an
cient landmarks have disappeared, and
among the ruins are new features elo-
quent with the progress of the new south.
For long time the wounds inflicted by
Gillmore's Swamp Angel" might be
seen on every hand, but in a great meas
ure these have now been healed, leaving
only the arabesque designs made by the
great earthquake as reminders of ca
lamity even greater than that of war.
To the stranger Charleston is ALWAYS
attractive. Its quaint houses, tiled roofs.
inclosed gardens abloom with flowers,
its markets, the negroes with their Quaint
dialect, Fort Sumter and the other places
identified with the long and terrible
struggle-all these are points of interest
that well reward the visitor.
Two or three days ago Joined a party
in an excursion down the harbor. Among
those on board were lot of people from
the country who had never seen the sea,
and their comments were in themselves
worth the price of the trip. One of them
was standing near the pilot house, and
piled the captain with questions that
NOuld have tested the patience of old
Job. AS buoy came in sight he ex-
claimed excitedly. Il say, cap'n stop
yer boat; thars fellow s lost his valise
overheard" When the long draw bridge
over the Ashley river was approached
his eyes grew to the size of butter plates
and he shouted: Hold up, cap'n; yer
goin' to butt right into the thing" And
when we glided through the draw he
could only draw a long breath of aston
ishment and exclaim: "Wall, I'll be
burned eff that amt the fust time l ever
seen bridge split right wide OPEN"
The Calhoun monument always comes
in for its share of curiosity on the part of
both white and colored. Calhoun stands
upon the lofty pedestal in the attitude
familiar to those who have seen his pict-
ures, the right arm extended and the
index finger pointing downwards. A
colossal statue of Liberty is at his feet.
This last named figure was supposed, by
some of the rural visitors, to be the statue
of Mary Anderson, but the negroes de-
clared that he was "pintin' at his ma"
The people here are welded to their
old idols. A few days ago a number of
octogenarians met in front of the old
postoffice, and the conversation turned
upon the demolition Of the building and
the wiping out of another revolutionary
landmark. Eyes" said one, sstheres the
cell from which Isaac Hayne came forth
to meet his death on the scaffold." "And
there, +" said another, "are the remains of
the powder magazine which the patriots
walled up with brick masonry when the
British took possession, and which was
found safe and sound when the rel coats
departed" And SO they talked-tbese
remnants of proud ancestry and types
of period that in few years will have
no more living witnesses.
A singular incident has been related
to me during my stay in connection with
the late Dawson-McDow tragedy. A
gentleman in good standing, but of spir-
itualistic tendencies, saws he has had
communication with the murdered Capt.
Dawson, in which the latter declares
that he has met in 'fthe other land" a
number of the old Charlestonians who
have crossed the border, among them
James L. Pettigrew, Mitchell King,
and Gen. James Simmons, and he ex-
presses himself as satisfied with the Nc |
Dow verdict. @. G. Bowen, the dead |
congressman, who became notorious
many years ago during the carpet bag
regime, also communicated to the me-
dunn that it was through his influence
that Mellow committed the murder, he
Mellow being resident of the house
occupied by Bowen, who had
grudge against the fearless editor for
publishing certain facts concerning him.
Curious, isn't it, that such a statement
should have large number Of believers?
One of the most beautiful of the many
charities of this city lit would be unique
is what is known as "the
Enston Home" 1t consists of an entire
village of cottages, divided by avenues
and courts named in honor of the founder
and his early associations, Canterbury"
and "Colsterworth" avenues being called |
after the birthplaces of Mr.. and Mrs.
Enston. One of the courts bears the his
toric name of est. Martins Canterbury"
another is Queen Bertha's court" and |
a third is est. Augustine's court" The |
beautiful cottages are not only given free
to those who cannot afford rental, but
oil, fuel and all appliances are furnished.
Mr.. Enston came to America when
a young man, and this beneficence is his
testimonial to the people among whom
his lot was cast. The charity is a prac-
tical one, and is worthy Of study by
other wealthy men and women who may
desire to enjoy the pleasure Of doing
good before the lawyers begin fighting
over their wills.