The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-30

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Hov tho Markets Of Charleston Arc Eept
Cloan.
Charleston mas the most primitive
and peculiar scavengers in the
world. Hundreds-it seems thou
sands-of carrion crows or buzzards
in the very early morning swoop
down upon the historical old city
from the tall palm, or palmetto, for
ests which skirt the western sub
urbs.
In the waking hours any passen-
ger entering Charleston on the Co.
lumbia express can e huge black
Jumps fall from the trees about.
They never hit the ground. Out in
the open these black Jumps gather
in q struggling flock and flop their
way over toward the custom house.
They are buzzards. While the twi-
light is yet gray these vulgar birds
go to the CITY market and infeat if
for an hour or two. The passenger
who was startled by their dull flop
from their palmetto perches and
saw greet black clouds Of them move
across the low rice flats can, il he
goes to the market place, gee the
same birds, disgustingly tame, run
ming about the stall flows of the
meat mart, fighting with the hunger
Of dogs Of the city for the bones
and waste which fall from tho
butchers meat block.
A stranger who did not appreciate
the health value Of these buzzards
is liable to kill one of them. Then
he is liable to be fined $40, for this
city does not allow it's curious q
enger hizds to be destroyed with i'm
punity.
The Charleston market ia q noted
place in the south. It runs from
Market street to the waters edge
and is the main thoroughfare for the
crowd Of pedestrians who come and
60 from the harbor boats. It is q
novel sight to see the hurrying feet Of
workmen threading their way Z
fully among these wild birds gsth-
cred there by the hundreds. Like
domestic chickens, they stand about
and. like domestic dogs, they watch
for every piece Of waste as it is drop
ped from a meat block. One would
hardly think. as he pushes tie big
birds out of the way, that these
same feathered things roost in the
forest and are tame nowhere else.
In the markets they never attempt
to steal meat from the counter.
Going through the three or four
hlccks GO T. 55;s mark. uuo MORN
ing, the writer counted over 800 of
these buzxerds walking about as
nonchalantly as though :. was their
own poultry yard. They will not
get out Of your way. They fight ey-
cry dog or cat that attempts to RUN
in opposition and will scramble with
aman or a child who completes with
them for a fallen scrap Of meat. But
they keep the Charleston markets
clean-perfeotly clean. AS a result
OF their thorough soavenger work
this is the cleanest and healthiest
meat market in the world.
In consideration Of their assistance
in keeping the city clean the NUM-
cipal council has made it an offense
to iniuro OF kill ore Of them. An
offender not only has to pay a $40
fine. but usually gets a free lecture
on tho laws Of health and the value
Of the huzzards as assistant men,
bers Of the local board of health.
By an hour after sunrise the birds
have all left the city. It is for this
reascn that the visitor to the city,
who usually gets up after that hour
and strolls out later, never sees this
extraordinary sight Of wild birds
acting as market scavengera.-
Washington Star.
Fate Way.