Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-22
UNCLE SAM IN THE CARIBBEAN--VI.
ny FREDERIC j. HAsKIN

CHARLOTTE AMALIlS. ST. THOMAS.
-. w L.. March l2.-Paintcd pale blue
and green and pink. bright and Hat
I'm the tropical sunlight, Charlotte
Amnlie hangs gracefully upon three
hills. like n gay, but faded and droop-
ing. tapestry. Behind il is Il noun
tain. stripped almost bare by hurri-
canes. At It's fcct lies n round hnr-
Dor Of deep Caribbean blue. tapping
gently at the roots of s~tornl-battcrcd
palm groves.
Everywhere arc relics OF tho towns
long and storied past. The hilltops
are by ruined forts and
towers. some Of them three centuries
pa forgotten OF history. but rich In
legend. The water front is Uttered
with the old brass and iron cannon
mat have been used TO fortify the Is
laiid In times long gone. or salvagcd
from the warships OF another age.
There Is nothing really now about tic
place, II indeed it's appearance in
said to have scarcel- changed In a
hundred years. save that ships no
longer throhS the hurbor and men
the streets as they did in tho oldcn
times. For Charlotte Amnlic. like -
fair Magdalcnc. has had rich lovers
and known splendid days. but, now
they are all gone and her children are
hungry.
This has probably been tho riches,
town and the gayest OF it's size i'm the
world. Dutch planters have made
their fortunes here out of the tot, of
slaves; here pirates have come TO bury
their spoil and court their creole
swecthearts: here merchants I'm tho
old wind TANNER days made millions
in a few years. and carried them away.
as every one has carried wealth away
from Charlotte Amalie.
The plantations have long been
overrun by jungle; tho wind-jammer.
are q rare spectacle; and even the
Few hundred steamships a year that
used to keep the town alive come no
more since the great war began. The
last blow was struck In October by "A
hurricane that destroyed ships and
houses and coconut trees. The pcoplc
OF Charlotte Amalie. who have helped
TO make so many fortunes. arc poor.
and even hungry.
The story of this island bryins with
thc story of tho new world. FOR Column.
bus touched here on his second VOYAGE.
Although Dutch. English and spanish
MI held tho Island at times. IL was
Danish almost continuously from the
carly seventeenth century. a, first.
like 81. CroiH. it was "A sugar island.
and always II was the home OF pirates
ana smuEclcrs II is said that the
pirates never molcstcd the little island.
but came there TO be good and cct
narTicu, ana that the planters sun
Piled them with beef and sugar and
fruit.
Changed with sIn,cry'- End.
The ericultural career OF St. Thomas
came to a sudden and complete end
with tho abolition of slavery in iS4S.
foT Charlotte ArEalir had been made
n free port and had become a port OF
call for the whole Caribbean world.
Tho harbor offered work al high wages
TO all comcrs; the planters could got
no labor; everyone became n merchant,
q; or in some other way got
a share OF the money tina came TO 81.
Thomas from all over tho world.
Those were the great days OF Char
lotto .Atnaiie. Often the little round
harbor was so filled with ships that
u man could walk across it upon their
decks. The streets literally ran with
gold. for u was customary to wheel
II about in barrows. and being in tho
coinage or all tho nations OF the world.
/; was loaned and paid by tn" calabnsl,
!Ull TO save the labor Of counting.
Charlotte Amalic, not only offered a
safe anchorage and all necessary sup
plies at duty-;rco prices. bur she Of
fcrcd royal entertainment. Al the no.
tells and the government house there
was ono bail after another. aud they
mopolitan social affairs that ever were
said 10 have rivnllcd Roman %banQuets
choice wines and foods OF all the world
came TO Charlotte Amnlic.
Although no longe rich. the little