Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-05-15

dered, is point OF rare interest.
Those who first laid out the city OF
Charleston were niggardly as to pub
lie lands. and consequently most OF
the streets are very narrow. There
are several broad avenues, however,
along which are many beautiful homes.
There are a number of pretty little
parks here and there. The show
place of the town is the Battery and
Battery Park. Here there is a wide
promenade on top Of the wall that
holds back the waters of the bay, and
facing the sea are lovely homes, the
houses of an architecture that mani
tests the characteristic individuality
of the community. A lovely park of
live oaks, magnolias and palms is a
charming spot such as few cities can
boast, The view across the harbor be-
ing strikingly beautiful.
Everybody who visits Charleston
has to go the Isle of Palms, else the
visit is incomplete. 1t is delightful
ride, partly by steamer and partly by
trolly car, and is well worth the time
and the modest price. The beach is
superb, and the waves roll in from
clear across the Atlantic upon sandy
shore that we can readily believe is
the finest beach on the continent. Go
back little way from the beach, and
you are in the tropics, with palms and
other tropical vegetation in profusion
that scarcely seems possible so close to
Civilizations real jungle, snakes and
all. At the beach there are plenty Of
things to amuse, including a Ferris
wheel and similar devices.
The Magnolia Cemetery is pecu-
liar burying place. 1t is along the
Cooper river, and large lake is one
of its features. The foliage is very
beautiful, and many flowers grow in
richness and profusion. Handsome
magnolia trees, splendid live oaks that
are green all the year around, and
from which hang the peculiar gray
moss of the region, shade the walks
and adorn the grounds. The soil is
of sand alone, and there is very little
grass in the cemetery. Most of the
graves are perfectly fiat and bare.
No matter how handsome the monu-
ments, however, or how artistically
the lots may be arranged, the absence
of grass makes it seem forlorn place.
But it is a Charleston institution and
therefore suits the living as well as the
dead, so we offer no further criticism.
1t would be slight to omit refer
ence to the great earthquake that
shook up, or shook down, Charleston
on the 3lst of August, 1886. No 9TH
er place in the United States has had
an earthquake to equal Charleston's,
and the people have right to be
proud of it. 1t was a sure-enough
earthquake, and 1000 public and pri-
vate buildings were tumbled over
right and left or injured in some way.
Many marks OF the catastrophe are to
be seen, but with very few exceptions
the buildings that were damaged have
been entirely restored. We had a sort
Of SLY hope that there might be little
shake while we were in the city, but
the heavy weights attending the Luth-
eran Synod held old mother earth
firmly in place.
The United States government has
been good to Charleston. Two great
stone walls, or jetties, each two or
three miles long, have been built out
into the ocean to deepen the channel
and improve the harbor. Nobody
would say what they cost, but it was
certainly away up in the millions. A
splendid granite custom-house, COM
menced before the war and fms he'd in
1870, cost a million or two more.
Uncle Sam again came to the rescue
after the earthquake, and appropriated
a large sum to build splendid post
office and courthouse in the heart Of
the city. Fort Sumter and Fort Moul-
trie have been kept up by the govern
ment for century or more, and big
improvements are being made at the
latter for an enlarged garrison. A
great naval station is soon to be estab-
lished at Charleston in addition to
what she already has in the way of
government patronage.
The Exposition that has been such
a prominent feature at Charleston the
past spring and winter is most wor-
thy show, and is a credit to the enter
prise of the people. Of course, expo
sitions are all pretty much alike, but
we doubt if any have excelled Charles
tons in beauty and good taste, though
they may have in size. The buildings
are lovely in design and imposing in
appearance, and are grouped with
harmonious and tasteful effect. The
grounds are very pretty, indeed, and
at night the place is like fairyland.
The illumination by the thousands of
electric lights is lovely beyond de-
scription. The exhibits in the various
departments are very good, and alto
gether the exposition is most credit
able affair. As is usual with EXPOSE
lions it will be financial funk, but
that is to be expected.
We suppose the farmer readers Of
the REGISTER would like to know
something of the South from an agri-
cultural point of view. 1t is not pos
sible to gain much knowledge Of the
country while going through it at
thirty miles an hour, yet impressions