Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-07-20
CAR0LINA'S SEA ISLANDS,
A PECULIAR SECTION OF THE
SOUTH ATLANTIC COAST.
Numerous Little Islands on which
ManyPeople Work In Various IE-
dustries-Last Years Storm.

lantlc, from DaVannan TO
~ Charleston, and from Char
lesion north to Georgetown,
the shore-line is very irregular, per-
haps more SO than elsewhere on the
Atlantic seaboard. Savannah, Beau
fort, and Charleston, while seaport
cities with their large shipping inter-
ests, are, in sense, inland towns.
They are reached through rivers,
sounds, and bays, and the open ocean
is seen only by glimpses if at all.
These rivers and sounds cut the South
Carolina coast into points, peninsulas,
and islands varying in size, outline,
and sometimes in general character or
formation. If one looks at the coast
chart he will wonder how the pilots
ever learn the channels, and how, hav-
ing once mapped them, ii is possible
to follow the changes all the time IN
progress. The mainland runs into the
sea like the fingers on ones hand, and
the sea in its turn crosses the fingers
and penetrates them like the veins.
The water is often fresh or salt accord
ing to the ebb or the flow of the tide,
and the rivers have two currents, one
towards the ocean and the other
from it.
There are some ninety of these ISL
ands, as they are recognized, but their
number is doubled by heavy rains.
These islands are ,oded with pines
and oaks, and the sa.- ly soil produces,
when fertilized and attentively culti-
vated, abundant crops of cotton, rice,
corn, watermelons, and a variety of
vegetables. An industry which has
become profitable during the past few
years is taking from the rich beds,
both on the land and in the rivers,
their stores of phosphate rock. This
business gives employment to thou
sands, as in the immediate vicinity OF
Beaufort 160, 900 tons of this rock are
taken ont and washed preparatory to
treatment every year. The rice plan
tations claim much of the tillable soil,
and their product may be called one
of the two leading staples. The other
is cotton; not the common upland
kind of Georgia and Mississippi, but
! the more sought-for Sea Island cotton.
During the season OF 1912 the crop
of the islands was Il 501 bales. The
past season yielded but about POO
bales, showing the loss sustained in
this one crop on account of the storm.
These products are mentionedto show
that the Sea Islanders in fair times are
able to support themselves.
The population of these islands Is
| forty thousand or more, depending
somewhat ON the season and the vigor
with which the phosphate mines are
operated. Eighty-fve per cent of
these people are colored; the remain
ing fifteen per cent. include the plan
ters and their agents, the storekeep-
ers, the owners of business plants, and
some scattered Crackers. As n
whole, this population of forty thou
sand is not well-to-do. 1t dwells IN
huts and cabins rather than in houses.
1t lives contentedly on hominy and
bacon, with boiled rice for variety,
and sweet potatoes and chickens for
luxuries. The majority of the blacks
do not lose sleep because their crops
are often mortgaged when they are
planted.
The awful tidal wave of August 2,
1898, could hardly have found In the
United States section whose topog-
raphy was more inviting to its fury.
The surface of these islands is, for the
most part, scant five feet above
! tide-water. Almost everything but
the tops of the pines was submerged
by IA wave which at its highest is said
to have reached fifteen feet. Cabins,
fences, bridges, boats and everything
not securely anchored were carried
out to sea the growing crops almost
ready for the harvest were washed out
of the ground or killed by the salt
water; desolation spread over the
islands.
Prompt measures were adopted for
relief, but the extent of the disaster
increased as the truth became known.
At Charleston and at Beaufort com
mittees were organized, and contri-
buttons came to them from the
generous North, though business de
preston then shadowed the country.
Much had been done, there was vastly
more to do, when on the lfth of Sep
tember, Miss Clara Barton, President
of the American National Red Gross.
with assistants, arrived. Miss Barton
came by the united requests of the
Governor of South Carolina and the
two United States Senators. Accom-
panied by Governor Tillman, Senator
Butler. State officers aud prominent
citizens, an investigation was made.
This was thoroughly and con.
cientiously done, even To the taking
of census of the destitute The
islands were distrieted. distributing
centres located, trained nurses and
physicians AMI experienced helpers
were summoned. Very soon the Red
Cross had an organization nearly per
feet. aud was familiar with every part
~ the islands Delegations ot snl
ferers called st first g. present their
needs, aud later tp state what they
could got along without. Tho im
preston at the beginning was that the
Rod Gross Is a see0ad edition ~ taa
old Feedmsns Bnruaa. a Distributing
agency II required slN weeks b. eK.
plain the character at the rehe. tl hs
given. a. lmpFessi a unan the saR srars
Haru.rt. W4aEfV