The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-06-27
THEIR QUEER HOME
Forty Thousand People Who Lead
e. PrecariOus Existence.
Domiciled Upon Lands That Scarcely APP
pear Above Tide-Water and Are
Swept by the Fury of the
Elements.

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 eabOard Savannah, Beau
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, if at 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 all the time in progress. The
mainland runs into the sea like the fin
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 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 is
lands, as they are recognized, but their
number is doubled by heavy rains
These islands are wooded with pines
and oaks, and the sandy soil produces,
when fortified and attentively cult
waited, 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 bust
ness gives employment to thousands,
rs 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 and
Mississippi, but the more sought-fOr
Sea island cotton. During the season
of 1912 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 account 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. Eightyfye per cent, of
these people are co1ored; the remain
ing fifteen per cent include the plant
ers and their agents, the stOrelIecpers,
the owners of business plants and some
scattered crackers" As a whole, this
population of forty thousand is not
well-to-do. 1t dwens ii huts and cab
ms rather than in houses. 1t lives
contentedly on hOmiuy 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 Of,
1893, could hardly have found in the
United States a section whose topogra-
ply 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 4
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
Swallowed 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 Cross, with as
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 |
officers and prominent citizeng. |
an investigation was made. This |
was thoroughly and conscientious |
" done, even to the taking of a census |
IF the destitute. The islands were 4
1istricted, distributing centers located, /
trained nurses and physicians and ex- &!
oerienced helpers were summoned. i
Very soon the Red Gross had an organi- !
:ation nearly perfect, and was familiar |
With every part of the islands Dele 1
yations of sufferers called at first to |
present their needs. and later to state
what they could get along without.
The impression at the beginning was
hat the Red Cross Is = second edition
IF the old Freedmen's bureau. dis
-rihuting agency. It required six weeks
10 explain the character Of the relief
% be given, TO impress 1t upon the SUI
ierers-