The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-04-16
The Old and Ihe New.

II was King, and the city in conse.
qucnce is one of the Oldest in the
United States. 1t has not not been
greatly disturbed by the march of pro.
gress, and it stands to-day in quaint
and pleasing contrast with the beaut-
full aud very modern Exposition, "Thc
Ivory City, that has been erected in
its suburbs.
In no city Of America, probably, is
there such striking juxtapositon Of
the old aud the new as in Charleston.
Historic St. Michacl's is in the imme.
date vicinity Of three very ornamen-
tai public buildings of recent construc.
tion and entirely modern architecture.
But the old prcdominates The con.
scrvatism and aedateness of antiquity
pcrvadc the city's atmosphere There
is marked desire on the part of some
of its more cntcrprising citizens to
place the old town in the procession Of
American cities that lock to the future
rather than the past-thc Exposition
is manifestation Of this spirit-but
although the Exposition is in itself
all and even moro than could be ex-
pectcd, the efforts at progress seem to
set oddly on people whose habits
and train of thought have long been
in opposite direction. The most that
is being done for the Exposition is by
the railroads that lead to Charleston.
The people either do not understand
the art Of boosting their show, which
q more Western or more modern com.
munity would under like circumstan-
ces practice with an enthusiastic zest,
or else they scorn an innovation that
would 80 disturb their accustomed
quiet and traditional reserve.
In an ancient building near the
docks in Charleston there is hole in
the wall made by Sir Henry Clinton 8
cannon in 1850. This hole is proudly
pointed out to visitors, but it is not
easy to decide whether the chief source
of pride comes from the interest in
the historical incident of which it is
In manner monument or the fact
that it has never been repaired.
At the beginning of the century
Charleston was the fourth city of i'm
portance in the country. 1t ranked
next tu Boston, New York and Phila-
delphia being the only others that ex-
ceeded it. Its population in 1850 was
AZ. .985, and in 1890 it was 55,8O7, a
growth of less than 80 per cent in a
half century.
But with all this Charleston is in
many respects one Of the most favored
localities in America, and in the full
ness of time, when the untoward con-
ditions that have in the past beset it
have passed away, it should become
great city. 1t has had many misfor-
tunes. Besides the civil war and re-
construction, Charleston suffered from
Cyclone in 1885 and an earthquake
in 1886. But it is city beautiful for
situation; it has one of the finest har-
bors On the Atlantic coast, a climate
that is unsurpassed, and it is SO To-
Gated that it should command splen-
did trade. II suffers some from the
rivalry of it's more enterprising neigh
Dor, Savannah, but there should be
room for two grea, cities on the South
Atlantic coast. There are four large
ones no further apart in the North.
Charleston is to have large navy
yard, for which the Government has
already purchased land When this
is completed and when the construc-
ton Of an isthminn canal turns trans
atlantic trade South, Charleston
should and doubtless will take on
new growth.
No city is more interesting to visit
than Charleston. The Exposition is
beautiful aud all that could be ex-
pected OF such display, and the city
itself is rich in historic suggestions
from the early colonial period, through
nulliGcation aud secession to Ben
Tillman's liquor dispensaries. The
antique anu the new are most inter-
estingly blended in Charleston, and