The Republican journal., 1904-02-25
HISTORIC CHARLESTON.
NOTES OF A JOURNEY SOUTH SIGHT
SEEING IN THE PALMETTO CRY
Correspondence of The Journal

SGGAN0 AN liz EAAMEVIO CITY.
Correspondence of The Journal.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Feb. g. From frozen
Maine to this old southern city, where yio-
lets bloom in the gardens and hyacnths
give forth their sweet fragrance, is a won-
derful transition. To travel south and not
visit Charleston would be missing much of
interest, and have found my second visit
to this historic city most enjoyable.
Leaving Belfast January 9Th, clear cold
morning, we met on the Maine Central
train at Burnham Grand Master Littlefield
of North Berwick, Grand Secretary Russell
G. Dyer of Portland and Past Grand Master
Felker of Bowdoinham, returning to their
homes from a trip east in the interest of
Odd Fellowship. At Boston we met party
of young Belfast men and left there at D.
m. via the Fall River line for New York.
Mr.. A. M. Ames of the Stockton Springs
firm of J. NJ. Ames & Co., was the only
other Waldo county representative on hoard
and we had pleasant chat over the new
railroad project in that town, in which he
has been an important factor.
There was much floating ice in the "sound"
and in entering New York harbor, so that
the passage was slow and we were some
hours late in docking. After hearty break
fast we proceeded to "do' New York in the
little time allotted. AS in Boston on many
of the streets the snow and dirt were so
mixed together that it formed mealy SUBJ
stance four OF five inches deep in which
horses had little or no footing. We wander
ed up Broadway to Grace church, where the
funeral service over the remains of the late
Secretary of the Navy VIM. c. Whitney oc-
Cured at ten o'clock, but were able to see
only part of the casketa as it was taken into
the church under great banks of flowers.
The service was very solemn. The attend
ance was chiefly of his associates but was
very large Sidewalks and the streets were
all lined with crowds of people and traffic,
even with street cars, was abandoned. 1t
was a solid jam of people and the police
were able to move them only by main force.
Late in the afternoon we embarked on
board the Clyde steamship Arapahoe of a.
145 gross tonnage, under command of Capt.
AAi"OoiIS anu odl]Cu III VIC CdlJy evening
south bound. The ship has accommoda-
tions for 800 passengers and her equipment
is of the best, the service excellent and
the officers most obliging. This is
one of the best ships sailing from New
York to southern waters. We had on board
some go passengers, including two excur-
sion parties. One of the most prominent
persons on board was the Rev. DR.. Sylvan
us Stah, well known in New York and
Philadelphia, and widely known from his
authorship of books on Social Purity and
other subjects. There were three ministers
on vacation trips and bridal couple on
their wedding trip.
The voyage as far as Hatteras was an
ideal one, but when we had passed the
''cape" and had sighted the Diamond
Shoals lightship at 9.15 p. m. on Saturday,
the second night out, it grew rougher and
vacant seats at the table rapidly increased
until our arrival at Charleston, S. C.
Saturday evening an impromptu concert
was given, but on Sunday morning so many
We're suffering from sick ness, including the
ministers, that no services We're held and
so few rallied in the evening that the prais
service was SHINY attended Fog settled
down over the ocean Sunday afternoon,
delaying the passage and making the day
miserable by the hideous screech of the
ships syren whistle. Fortunately the fog
lifted i'll the evening and we anchored off
Charleston, all glad to be in sight of land
even though it was three miles away. Mon
day morning we passed in by Fort Sumter
at the entrance to the harbOr and were soon
alongside the dock. There was a general
hustle for papers, letters and kilograms
and then the party enjoyed the sport of
throwing pennies into the crowd of negroes
on the docks and watching them scramble
to get the money. The docks here swarm
with negroes and it is mystery how they
eXist-a question which must soon be con-
sidered by the government.
After breakfast we went on shore for
stroll in the city of Charleston. There are
few older cities in the United States. The
place is noted for its ancient buildings
There are very few of modern architecture,
and grass grows in many of the streets.
But although Charleston has passed
through two wars, a cyclone and an earth
quake, her buildings are yet in good repair
and with few exceptions her mansions re-
main intact. They are magnificent old
structures, built in southern style, with
wide porches, big brass knockers, and large,
high pillars on the front. Some of the
streets are paved with cobole stones, and
in the residential section they are maca-
damized.
The history of this city dates back to old
colonial times. At old Charleston on the
Ashley river few settlers appeared as
early as 1871, but nine years later gave up
the location and founded the city several
miles nearer the sea. The two CarOlinas
previously considered as a whole, but in
1870 divided) were named for Charles TX of
France for whom Charleston was also
named. The people at that time, and until
1885, were chiefly of French descent, but
during that year there came here a great
influx of French Huguenot refugees, the
descendants of whom yet remain.
We visited the old HuguenOt or French
Reformed church, which is probably the
first church erected in Charleston. 1t is
little, low affair, strongly guarded by iron
fences, and has a cemetery adjoining in
which lay many of Charleston's ancient