Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-03-05
WHERE BLOOM
A Graphic Description of the
Old Southern City of Char
lesion and It's Many
Places of Interest.

haps our friends at home would
like to hear from US through your
valuable paper, and having seen so
much of real historic interest here
in the past few days, l will attempt
to tell you something about our
visit.
Since it has been said that at
least thirty per cent. of the people
| of Missouri are from South Caro-
lima, and all South Carolinains are
proud of Charleston, 1 write from
here.
Last Thursday, after a most
pleasant and interesting visit of a
week at the State capital, OF which
1 may write you later, we arrived
here by the South Carolina rail-
road, which was the longest rail-
road in the world a half century
ago.
When first built the rails were
made of wood, and the time made
was ten miles per hour.
Thursday afternoon, in company
with w. J. Thackston, Jr., Secre-
tary of the State Board of Educa-
ton, we came from Columbia to
Charleston, a distance of 15O.miles,
in three and one-half hours, and IN
that beautiful private car "Evange-
line," travelling was made a real
pleasure.
This road has always occupied a
unique position, because it has
never been absorbed by any of the
great railroads syndicates of the
South, as the Danville and Rich
mond, and Atlantic Coast line.
1t IL DOW in the hands of a "Re-
ceiver General" ex-Gov. D. H.
Chamberlain, who was the last
carpet.bag Governor South Care
lima had.
Gov. Chamberlain, who was de-
feated IN the political revolution
of 1876, when Hampton became
Governor, returned North and
after an absence of fifteen years,
by a curious coincidence, came
back to the State as Receiver of
this railroad,
This road, which ia SO inseper-
ably connected with the history Of
Charleston, approaches the city on
the north. The city is situated on
a tongue of land, between the Ash
ly and Cooper rivers, just seven
miles above the site of old Charles
ton.
Our first trip sightseeing was
made in the direction of the old
forts, Sumpter and Moultrie, and
out to the bar.
Fort Moultrie ia on Sullivans
island, a distance of miles
lover the ocean waves" On the
wav out we passed the island, Mt.
Pleasant, which, with its hand
some homes and beautiful sur
roundings of e~vergreens, the mig
nolia, live-oak, oleander, ETC.,
presents a picture of beauty and
grandeur in mid-ocean.
Our visit to Fort Sumter i'm
pressed US more with a feeling o.
awe-a great mass of earth thrown
up from the waves, with brick
walls that defy the greatest break.
ers.
On approaching the fort the first
objects that me- our gaze were sew
eral very large cannons, the mouth
of n being 0 than fifteen
inches in diameter, relics of the
war, and wheeled into position.
with a huge pile of cannon balls
near, as if yet ready for use.
A competent guide, the only resi-
dent on the fort, took us within
the intricate walls, and it wa.
with almost silent tread and beat
ing hearts that we approached
through the dark narrow passages.
the old war guns, rusty with age,
and at whose side many an anxious
heart has waited breathlessly to
defend his homes.
After picking up a souvenir
shell and gathering a boquet o,
blooming wild flowers, We returned
to Sullivans Island, which we hao
passed on our way out, with NJ
longer only an historic ruin of the
old fort.
As the day was a lovely one, We
had prepared our lunch and spen'
the remainder of the day on the
beach, gathering shells from thu
sea Shore" daring the waves, bat
thing sand, etc. Returning to thu
city by the sea, on the "Pocosin,'
we were never SO filled with de
light, nor so thoroughly tired; blu
Saturday morning found Us cage:
to ascend the tower of St. Michealr
Church and take a fine view of tn
city and surroundings.
This church is about $50 year,
old and contains a large pipe-orgaI
made in London in 1867, and PLACED
in the church in 1890. We wer'
fortunate enough to hear st
Michaels chimes and the old organ
which has to be tuned once a week
: Charleston certainly has NOR
. charitable institutions than an,
other city of Its size in the Union