The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-06-27
The Old Cities Of the South
oreams-New Ones Wide
H Awake. 5E
Several Towns Have Gained From One
to Two.Thirds In Population In. 4
the Last Decade.

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nent, II has been my good fortune to 4
have visited more or less frequently
every city ofnny magnitude In the
United States and Canadian provinces
except Boston and Quebec. From
Montreal to New Orleans and from
New York to California | have seen
the Yankee In his strenuous PAGES, for
city life shows him when he Is the
most aggressive and restless Leaving
the Canadian cities until after the
populous centers Of our own country
have been visited, the American who,
would want TO make a tour TO include
for the least outlay the most that
would command his attention should
start II possible with New York, In
clude in passing Philadelphia take a
glance at Washington, which is al:
ways worth the cost of a visit, and
then run down to Charleston and, IL
It can be included to New Orleans.
San Franclsco-unique and delightful
lis pretty far away. The others are
within reach OF each other. &
Charleston is a dream Of the day
when the Colonies were ruled by the
representatives Of the lord proprle.
tors. The, visitor will wonder about
the first thing when lie sees the fine
old town II there Is, a carpenter or a
bricklayer or painter left In the
city, and II so why q new house is
not put up. II for nothing else than
Just to look at He drifts around the
town, ind somebody points out 10 him
an old wall that has been battered by
cannon shots, S i3ls "a
Done. in the Civil War;" will per-
haps Re asked. Ill
mo, sab! Tho British ships In the
Revolution shielded the city,sa and that
Is the mark Of their cannon
!, Charleston was then a century old.
Quite two hundred years ago Charles
ton was assaulted by q combined fleet
of Spanish and French ships but the
embryo Yankees successfully defend.
ed themselves. So Spain learned that
long ago that the American is a hard
fellow to scare. # n
Charleston shows that It Is no spo.
radio growth Of a night You go to
church and you are told that the
bricks of the old building were brought
from England in&.he' days Of the Sec.
ond George. You do not doubt It. You
wonder where Is a house built OF any.
tlsing made since that tine. People
meet you on the sereet and greet you
as cordially as neighbors do in n coun.
TRY village. The street car conductor
is a cyclopedia aud q guide, anxious
TO tell YOU anything you carelto knew
| Broad streets, shaded by enormous
A trees, flank great gardens for the cit
liens Of Charleston despises to have
| his house front on the public road. His
garden is,walled In bysa high fence
covered with roses or other flowers
that spread and tangle like u contln,
nous load OF hay: and in the garden
radiant with flowers, stands the house
1t Is likely to be mansion, and to rep
resent a mint of money, for Charles
ton before the war was rich out Of
proportion to Its size. Marble and
granite are the building materials
and IL the paint be lacking here and
there 1t is becaase the prevailing type
nf construction did not require paint
To drop down into Charleston Ii
:, like going abroad. 1t is equivalent tc
turning tire pages Of history over unit
we mix with Calhoun and Marion
and possibly some old chaps In pow
dered wigs and buff clothes, and W.
almost expect TO meet a Sedan chat
Z, or run against The wapentake No ont
I is ever in hurry, even the coloret
! fat nanny who patrols the street!
with a tray on her head, from which
she sells "Crawbs! crawbs! crawbs!'
7 having plenty Of time TO set down he
1 load and go out OF her way to. SHOW
you the Armory used by the Englisl
when they owned the city, or any 9th
er interesting thing. Charleston
4 strictly an American town-but 9
i, age. In that respect 1t differs from
!. that other southern city II SO mucl
i resembles-Ne New Orleans. Orleans sha
been French and Spanish In Its day
!, and II; never fully covered I No on
! who I knows the town would want q
!; to. It Is almost d foreign city q
& American territory ~ lis d cosmopo
Titan place, for 1t is q p ort5 of export
q and q rece Giving port for all III ii
{, laiississippi Walls You are lllSel
slto meet q coal man from q ttsburg q