The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-08-18
CAROLINE ISLANDERS.
Forty Thousand People Who Lead
O Prooarioua Existence.

Forty thousand People Who Lead
q Preoarioua Existence.
peax Above T1da-Waese aaA A5o
swept BY tie Fury - the
Elemsahe.
Along the southeastern Atlantic
coast, from Savannah to Charleston,
and from Charleston north to George
town, the shore line Is very irregular,
perhaps more so than elsewhere on the
Atlantic seaboard. Savannah, Besu-
fort and Charleston, while seaport cit
les with their large shipping interests,
are, in . sense, inland towns. They
are reached through rivers, sounds and
bays, and the open ocean is seen only
by glimpses, II ut all. These rivers
and sounds cut the South Carolina
coast into points, peninsulas and is
lands varying in size, outline, and
sometimes in general character or for
nation. If one looks at the coast
chart, says Harper's Weekly, he will
wonder how the pilots ever learn the
channels, and how, having once mapped
them, It is possible to follow the
changes al the time in progress. The
mainland runs into the sea like the fln-
i gers 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, according to the ebb
or the how Of the tide, and the rivers
have two currents, one towards the
ocean and the other from It.
There are some ninety Of these IT,
lands, - they are recognized, but their
number il doubled by heavy rains.
These islands are wooded with pines
and oaks, and the sandy soil produces,
when fertilized and attentively culti-
waited, abundant crops Of cotton, rice,
corn, watermelons and . 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 busi-
ness gives employment to thousands,
as in the immediate vicinity of Beau
fort one hundred and sixty thousand
tons Of this rock are taken out and
washed preparatory to treatment every
year. The rice plantations 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 aud
Mississippi, but the more sought-for
Sea island cotton. During the season
of 1922 the crop of the islands was
eleven thousand five hundred and one
bales. The past season yielded but
about twenty-one hundred bales, show
ing the loss sustained in this one crop
on accout of the storm. These products
are mentioned to show that the Sea
islanders in fair times are able to sup
port 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-tive per cent. OF
these people are colored; the remain
ing fifteen per cent include the plant
ers and their agents, the storekeepers,
the owners of business plants and some
scattered CRACKERS" As whole, this
population of forty thousand is not
well-to-do. It .dwells in huts and cab
ins rather than in houses. It lives
contentedly on hominy and bacon, with
boiled rice for variety and sweet pota-
toes and chickens for luxuries. The
majority Of the blacks do not lose sleep
because their crops are often mort
gagged when they are planted.
The awful tidal wave Of August ~,
1893, could hardly have found In the
United States section whose topogra-
ply was more inviting to its fury.
The surface Of these islands is, for the
most part, scant i've feet above tide
water. Almost everything but the
tops of the pines was submerged by
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 commit
tees were organized, and contributions
came to them from the generous north,
though business depression then
shadowed the country. Much had
been done, there was vastly more to
do, when, on the 14th Of September,
Miss Clara Barton, president Of the
American National Red Gross, with ss-
sistants, arrived. Miss Barton came by
the united requests Of the governor Of
South Carolina and the two United
States senators Accompanied by
Gov. Tillman, Senator Butler, state
oAhcers and prominent citiseng,
an investigation was made. This
was thoroughly and conscientious
II done, even to the taking Of census
Of the destitute The island8 were
districted, distributing centers located,
trained nurses and physicians and ex-
perienced helpers were summoned.
Very soon the Red Gross had an orRani-
nation nearly perfect, and was familiar
with every part Of the islands. Dele
gations Of sufferers called at nrst to
present their needs, and later to state
Whist they could get along without.
The. inpreasion q the beginning was
that the Red Gross is . second edition
n the old Ffeedmen's buzean, . dis
tributing agency. It required aix weeks
TO explain the character Of the relief
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