New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-04
captain being washed overheard. The AIvo hau d
crew OF sixty men and carried nine cabih paaseh-
AN APPEAL FOR WORTHY SUFFERERS.
IMMEDIATE HELP NEEDED on THE SEA ISLANDS
OF SOUTH CAROLINA.


To IN. rditor OF The Tribune.
Sir. We uould desire to emphasize. II possible
the strong appeal made In your issue OF 'o-"Hy
from Mr. Hemphili. Editor Of "ihe charleston
News and Courier on behalf OF the sufferers l'on
~ cyclone and high tide the Sea Islands OF
South Carolina, and to urge that the heip heeueu
IL most pressing and immediate. We nave hau
nrivate advices from Beaufort. which is our nome
OF the sad and terrible condition of things all
around these islands Of the suffering ana s'arN"-
ton that are everywhere. PROVISIONS crops I'VE
stock and even fresh water for drinking nave oeen
swept away and destroyed by the extreme ms"
tide reaching from four TO six feet higher thai
ever before and covering everything on these level
islands which were swept by the heaviest gale tha'
was ever known in this country. teIesia'"
received from Colonel j. H. Averill receiver oi ''e
Port Royal and Augusta Railway. says: ANY SUD
scrptons of provisions. clothing or money Wo"u
be most acceptable TO sufferers at Beaufort Ih're
are 1000 people without provisions, and ohe-hd'i
of the houses on the islands either enureF
DESTROYED or badly damaged" Such Is the state
ment from only section in the immediate sur
roundngs of Beaufort but there are several larse
islands that have not been heard from ye'' y"
these the loss of life and suffering must also be
very great for the gale struck with terrlhc Jury
all of the Sea Island from Georgetown = -
- Savannah. Ga, sweeping over numerous VI
islands, large and small, many OF them oehse!
populated with colored people.
We lived these sea lSlanHs ioi o'0i
quarter of n century. One of us is engaged In Inc
cotton business the other in the phosphate III
dustry and we know the colored people and their
surroundings very we'll We would make speclai
plea to the readers of The Tribune in theii oe'i'
for nowhere in entire country nave 'he eaPaN-
fly and practical fitness Of the coloreo man io'
freedom been more practically worked out or so
clearly demonstrated than OH the Sea lsiahos Vi
South Carolina In Beaufort County there are
1900 inhabitants. 10000 of those are coioreu'
and Beaufort County Is more free from odpi'a'
crimes than any other county in the state IL
PAYS into the State treasury annually more IMAM
anv other county except Charleston county 81
Helena Island one of the largest, near Beaufort,
has a nopulation of over 5000 negroes and less
than so whites. IT is quiet and orderly ana seiuoi'
any of these island people are brought up III the
courts The island is mostly owned by the coiorea
neone and is divided into small farms OF ten'
twenty and forty acres, and there are some good,
thrifty farmers in a small way. raising sea-island
COTTON matches Of rice, corn and sweet potatoes,
while many of the younger men lind work Ill the
phosphate mines, in the water or on the iand'
which form the chief industry of the Sea ISLANDS
On st. Helena Island there are seven public schoois
and one private graded school, with five depart
ments which was started during the war, In 49,
by Miss Laura Town and Miss Ellen Murray, and
is superntended and presided over by these ladies'
to-day. They have seen the great change ana al
vancement which have been made by these people
during the last thirty years, ana ey ther al" /"
public library has been established with 1000 vol
umes in a good substantial building near the
centre of the island. Most of the houses were
good and comfortable neatly whitewashed, WIN
blinds and windows And perhaps -FOUR or I'VE
hundred sewing machines could be FOUND, together
with many small paror organs. and often "A car
pet on the floor and bit of lace curtain on the
window These people are always Kindly 10 the
whites and friendly among themselves ana. In iaci,
the best evidences of progress and advancement
among the colored people are FOUND on THESE sea
isbnds. o.. .,o rooders Of
The Tribune. who have done much Tor the col
lost: that the people whom they have helped nave
progressed and most of them industrious ana
Competent and work we'll They are steady, Ell
fcient and reliable. We therefore appeal most
earnestly to their old friends TO sustain ana hep
them In this, the greatest trial that can pelan
people with all their savings of years swept away;
and nothing left them but wreck ana rum an
around Already something has been done ana me
Savannah steamer sailing yesterday had on poaru
q good stock Of provisions. through the nberaity
OF Individual members of the Produce Exchange
and others the steamer being detained one hour 10
get all the supplies possible on board ,,,
Clothing or provisions or kegs OF nails sui,apie
for building would be appreciated. as well az
money to purchase lumber Anything, shipped on
the Savannah steamers from Ganal.stI Nort North
OF S Guckenhemer, Savannah, Ga, TO be Tor
warded to George Holmes, Mayor OF Beaufort
and j. l. Dale & Co, st. Helena Island
Of Beaufort. 5. c.
Nau.york Citv September g.