Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-24

OF the editors ana tne laules Vi TIC
party, and others went in still oftener.
Every minute of the afternoon and
evening was delightfully."- occupied by
everybody. There were few dancing
editors and they participated In the
hop; others looked on; others passed
the time swapping experiences and
amusing themselves as they saw prop
er. There was only one way out OF
the whirl of enjoyment and that was
by taking refuge In room In the no
tel There were few, however, who
could think of resorting to anything
like this, unless, as In some cases Ii so
happened there was still some unfin-
ished writing to do.
There was no business Wednesday.
The members and ladies Of the associa-
ton were entirely in the hands OF the
Charleston committee, led by Major
Hemphill, Mr.. Gadsden, Mayor Rhett
Thomas r. Waring and w. w. Ball
Col. Grenough, commander or the Is
land post, had invited the party the
night before to visit Battery Capron
and Fort Moultrie, and these fortifica-
tions being on the route to the point
where the Wistaria was waiting, the
invitation, of course, was eagerly ac-
cepted. 1t Is a rare privilege to get in
to Battery Capron; but Col. Grenough
saw to 1t that the party was allowed
still more than an opportunity to get In.
The mortar battery, looking from the
outside like a great sod covered mound
Is constructed of cement, banked with
sand. Following the guide Of the COL
onel and a part Of his staff, the party
entered from the rear, and following
underground passages, found them
selves In the great mortar pits. There
are four of these, each mounting
four 12-inch mortars. A gun crew or
about a dozen men went through the
drill showing the loading Of a mortar
with a 1000 pound shell, a big charge
Of powder the aiming and the firing.
The officers explained how they were
able to command the outside harbor
for a radius of about seven miles In
every direction and with absolute pre-
cision drop their shells on the deck OF
vessels that would be entirely out OF
sight of the gunners. The subterra-
mean passages through the battery are
lined on either side with big shells
and the visitors were instructed to keep
we'll to the centre to avoid stumbling.
The only restriction that Col. Grenough
put on the party was that nobody
should take any photographs.
From Battery Capron the party
went on to Fort Moultrie and were,
In a like manner, shown the operation
Of the 10-inch disappearing guns
which have a range of fifteen or
twenty miles. They were also allowed
to go down In the magazine and see
the thousands Of projectiles and pow
der charges stored there for an emer-
gency. The whole thing was novel
and interesting to all the visitors, and
everybody voted Colonel Grenough &c
be a fine old gentleman.
Taking the cars again at Fort Moul-
trie the party hurried toward the dock
to board the Wistaria; but before the
dock was reached word came that be-
cause of the falling of the tide, the
Wistaria had moved over into deeper
water and II was necessary 10 transfer
the visitors in naptha launches. This
also was a pleasant and novel expert
ence to the greater portion or the
party. On reaching the Wistaria there
was a new pleasure in store. Quite
a number Of the prominent people had
come out on the tender and were walt
ling. Among these were Governor
Heyward, Mayor Rhett, Judge Mem.
minger and Mrs. Memminger, Col. r
w. Hunt, Gen. Stopplebein and nu'
merous other gentlemen and ladies
all out to entertain the editors and
see that they had a good time.
AS the Wistaria started out toward
the jetties, Mr.. Gadsden and severa
others began serving refreshments
and for the next hour everybody wa
eating, drinking, smoking and enjoy
ing pleasant social intercourse. All o.
the editors, of course were chumm!
with Governor Hayward, and the!
found him unusually delightful
Mayor Rhett was as pleasant and a.
social as a man could be; but there
was a very sweet and beautiful lad!
aboard who, 1t Is understood Is sooI
to be Mrs. Rhett, and he very natur
| ally gave most Of his attention II
that direction. The Wist2ria plowet
her way up the harbor, past Sulli
vans Island, out through the jettie
on to the open sea- UP to this time
the boat had glided along as smoothl!
| as a batteau on a mill pond; but pres
emily she began to rise and fall will
long swinging motion, her nose go
| ing down and her heels going III
until many found 1t quite an effor
| to keep their feet. After little som'
Of the children began to succumb Il
NAL de mer, and later ladies sough
staterooms. One popular Charleston
| ian, rather pale about the face
| himself, wanted to know, what TIT
devil that committee meant by bring
| ing all these children out here" ant
several committeeman requested TIT
captain to turn round; but II develop
| ed that Mr.. Gadsden was In charge
that he was determined to give TIT
visitors at least one experience on TIT
open sea, and would not consent to q
back until there had been at least
slight taste Of what a sea voyage wa
like. There were many with TIT
| turn back" committeeman at frs
but after 1t was all over everybody fei
grateful to Mr.. Gadsden.
1t was the original intention Of th'
committee to take the excursionists t.
Fort Sumter; but the water was TOT
low to risk a landing, and the bes
| that could be done was a slowing
down during the passage Of that his
toric .fortification. The trip back wa
very much like the trip out, excep
that the excursionists as they passed
over the Cooper were treated to
magnificent view Of the city OF Char
| lesion, the water front and the ship
ping moored along the shores. Aftel
| this was passed there was little tina
was of conspicuous interest eXcep
| the broad channel of the river anC
the wide stretches Of marsh seem
ingly extending away off into infinity
Finally the Wistaria drew up at the
navy yard dock, sailor threw a lin'
from the shore, and soon the boa
was made fast and a gang plank low
cred.
Here the crowd was held up for 6
photograph. There had been severa
photographs before; but the photog
rapher was particularly anxious t
get the party as 1t was leaving the
boat and everybody undertook to lool
pleasant The photographer stood or
top of the cabin of a neighboring nap.
tha launch and made shot. To be GER
tain of a good picture, he asked the
crowd to remain quiet while he sho
again. The crowd did so. The party
then moved on toward the navy yard
the photographer handed his plate!
to a sailor and jumped down. The
sailor Jumped after him and as he
struck the wharf there was a crash
Many people looked and they learned
that all of the photographers work
and the patience of the party had
gone to nothing. The plates had beer
smashed into a thousand pieces, and
the otherwise immortal records OF that
memorable event had gone to OBJ
livion.
1t was dreadfully hot out at the
navy yard: but nevertheless the
members of the party tramped al
over the extensive grounds to take In
tho tremendOuS OperatiOnS i'm pro-