The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, September 08, 1886, Image 1
VOL. II. M~~AANNIN(G. (I"ARENDON (CONTY. S. C.., WED)NESDAY, SEPTEMBER~~ 18) O 9
A TERRIB.E EART ULIAQ
DREADFUL DESTRUCT(o oF'uom01 wir
AND II U3AN LIFE.
Charleston VisIted by a Calamit y .rie:n
ed in All Its History-Particub.Tr% oth
Dreadful Occurrence.
The earthquage shock experienced in
different parts of the State on the ilght
of Tuesday the 31st ult., was felt with
dreadful effects in the city of Charlston.
The loss of property was dreadful, one
estimate putting it as high as five mil
lions of dollars-actual and inidenta.
One report states that there are only oze
hundred houses left altogether uninjur
ed. This is perhaps an exaggcration,
but it is safe to say that the mnber of
buildings injured will include the larger
portion of the structures in the city.
Twenty buildings, in diferent parts of
the city, were destroyed by fire caused
by the overturning of lamps. Below
will be found an interesting account of
the disaster, taken from the telegraph
reports to the daily press:
Canissrox, S. C., September 1.
The compositors of the News and Couri
er decline to work to-night, expecting
fresh shocks of earthquake, and the
paper cannot issue to-morrow. The fol
lowing article was prepared for publica
tion in the News and Courier, and is
telegraphed almost in the writer's own
words, necessarily the only description
.that can be given of the disaster which
has befallen our city. It consists in the
marration of experiences and observa
tions of individuals, and the subject be
ing the same and the experiences of all
being nearly alike, the story told by one
careful observer may well stand for an
hundred others, with slight variations.
Probably the best idea that can be had
of the character of the disturbance,
therefore, may be obtained from a nar
ration of the events and scenes of Tues
day night as they were presented to a
single person while engaged in his usual
duties in the second story room of the
News and Courier office. At the time of
the first shock the writer's attention was
vaguely attracted by a sound which
seemed to come from~ the office below,
and which was supposed for a moment
to be caused by the rapid rolling of a
lwavy body, as an iron safe or heavily
iAde.' truck, ovei the floor. Accompa
mying the sound there was a perceptible
.tremor o the building, not more mark
-ed, however, than would be caused by
the passage of a street car or dray along
the street. For perhaps two or three
seconds the occurrence excited no sur
prise or comment. Then. by swift de
grees, or, perhaps, all at once, it is
'icut to say which., the sound deep
ened in volume, the tremor became more
decided, the ear caught the rattle of
window sashes, gas fixtures, and other
loose objects. The men in the office,
with perhaps a simultaneous flash of the
recollections of the isturbance of the
Friday before, glanced hurriedly at each
other, and sprang to their ieet with
.startled questions and answers, !'What
is that?" "Earthquake!" And then all
W bewilderment and confusion.
The long roll deepened and spread
into an swful roar, that seemed to per
wade at onee the troubled earth and still
air above sud around. The tremor was
now a rude, rapid quiver, that agitated
the whoe lofty strong-walled building as
though it were being shaken by the hand
of an immeasurable power, with the in
tent to tear its joints asunder and scatter
its stone and bricks abroad as a tree
.casts its ripened fruit before the breath
of the gale.
There was no intermission in thre
vibration of the mighty subterranean1
engine. From first to last it was a con
tinuous jar, only adding force at every
moment; and as it approached an'd
reached the climax of its manifestation,
it seemed for a few ?errible seconds that
no work of human hands could possibly
survive. Floors were under foot, the
surrounding walls and partitions vribly
swayed to and fro, the crash of fallig
masses of stone and brick and mortar
was overhead and without; a terrible
rcar filled the ears and seeme 1 to fill tie
mirrid and heart, dazing perception, be
-wik&2ing thought, and for a few pant
mng breaths, or while vou held. your
ibreath in dreadful anticipation of imme
diate and amel death, you felt that life
was already past, and waited for the end
as the 'victim with bis head on the block
awaits the fall of the np lifted axe.
It is not given to many inen to look in
th face of the Destroyer anid yet live,
bnt itis little to say that the gang of
strong men who shared the experience
above faintly described will carry with
them recollections of that supreme mo
ment to their dying day. No one ex
pected to escape.
A sudden rush was simultaneously
made to endeavor to attain the open air
and flee to a place of safety, "ut before
the door was reached al? r. gi together
to the totteing wall andeolpped, feeling
that hope was vain; tha'it was only a
question of death in the building or
without, to be buried by th~e sinking
roof or crushed by toppling walls.
The uproar slowrly died away in the
seemring distanec. The earth was still,
ad oh! the blessed relief of that still
ness! But how rudely the silence was
broken. As we dashe'd down the stair
way and out into the street, already, on
every side, arose shrieks, cries of pain
and fear, prayers and wailings of terrified
women and children, commingled with
.the hoarser shouts of excited men. Out
irL the street the air was tilled to the
height of a house with a whiteish cloud
-of dry, stifling dust, from the lime and
mortar asnd sliattered masonry, which,
falling *'on the pavement and stone
roadway, nd been reduced to powder.
Thbrough this elonal, dense as fog, the
aslights flicheredl dimly,~ shedding but
little light, so that you stumibled at every
step over piles of brick, or beesne en
tangled in the lines of telegraph wires
that depended in every dlieetion from
their broken supports.
On every side were hnurrying forms~ of
men and women, barehe::ded, partially
.dressed, some almost nude, and many of
whom were crazed with fear or excite
inent Here a woman is supported, half
iainting, in the arms of husband, who
main toil tosoth hr, while he car
her :no tbe ope a space t the street
e';rner,. where pres;ent safety seems
a" ed. There a womani lies on the
paveml ent, with notu-rned face and out
,:ethed limls. and the crowd passes
he, by for the time, not pausing to sC
whetlier she be alive or dead.
A sden light ilames through a win
dow\ o'verlooking the street; it becomes
momcntariiv briglhter. and the cry of
from the multitude. A rush
Is -.x'de towards the spot. A man is
se dol.ed up and helpless, against a
Wil but at this Ioment, somewhere
outs overhedA, deep in the ground,
l 0. again the low. ominous roll,
-11el .iready too well known to be
iaken. It rovs louder and nearer,
like the growls of a wild beast swiftly
approaching his prey, and all is forgot
tea again in the frenzied rush for open
space. where alone there is hope of
cci urity, faint though it be.
The tali buildings on either hand blot
out the skies and stars, and seem to
overhang every foot of ground between
them; the shattered cornicesand copings,
the tops of their frowning walls, seemed
piled from both sides to the centre of
the street. It seems that a touch would
now send the shattered masses left stand
ing down upon the people below, who
look up to them and shrink together as
the tremor of the earthquake again
passed under them, and the mysterious
reverberations swell and roll along like
some infernal drum-beat summoning
them to die. And it passed away, and
again is experienced the blessed feeling
of deliverance from the impending
calamity, which, it may well be believed,
evokes a mute but earnest offering of
mingled prayer and thanksgiving from
every heart in the throng.
Again. far along the street, and up
from alleys that lead into it from either
side, is heard that chorus of wailing and
lamentation, which, though it bad not
closed, was scarcely noticed a moment
before. It is a dreadful sound-the
sound of helpless, horror-stricken human
ity, old and young, strong and feeble
alike, when all are so feeble, calling for
helo from their fellow creatures and
raising their anguished voices in petition
to Heaven for mercy, where no human
aid could avail.
It is not a scene to be described by
any mortal tongue or pen. It is not a
scene to be forgotten when it has been
witnessed, and when the witness has
shared all its danger and felt all its
agony.
The first shock occurred at seven
minutes of 10, as was indicated this
morning by the public clock's hands, all
of whici had stopped at that fateful
hour, as though to make an end of the
time for so many who heard the preced
ing hour pealed forth by St. Michael's
chimes without thought but of long and
happy life.
The second shock, which was but a
faint and crisp echo of the first, was felt
-eight minutes later, As it passed away
the writer started homeward, to find the
scenes enacted on Broad street around
the News and Courier office repeated at
every step of the way. St. Michael's
steeple towered high and white above
the gloom, seemingly uninjured. The
station house, a. massive brick building
across the street, had apparently lost its
roof, which had fallen around it. A
little further on, the roof of the portico
of Hibernian Hall, a handsome building
in the Grecian style, had crashed to the
ground, carrying down part of the mas
sive r'ranite pillars with it. All the way
u street, (which, in respect of
its genera direction and importance,
may be called the Broadw- of Charles
ton,) the roadway was pilf with debris
from tops ofwls
In passing the Charleston Hotel,
which, to carry out the comparison above
indicated, occupies ti~e position of
Stewart's up town store in New York,
the ird shock was felt, about ten
minutes aftesr the second, and of course
caused the greatest alarm in that neigh
borhood, as elsewhere.
At Marion Square, correspondmng ex
actly with Union Square, New York, a
great crowd had collected, as even the
edges of the wide sipaces cmbraced in it
could not be reached by the narest
building in the event of their fall. From
this crowd, composed of men, women
and children of both races, arose meces
sant calls and cries and lamentations,
wiis over the motley, half-dressed
throng was shed the lurid light of a con
flagration which flad broken out just be
vod the square immediatety dier the
frst shock, and had now wholly bnjel
oped several building's in flames.
Ini three qatrs~of the town at the
sme time milar large fires were b
served under ill headway; and the
awful significanee of the earthquake may
be most fully appreciated, perhaps, when
it is said that, with these tremendous
fires blazing up all at once around them
and threatening the city with total de
station, the people whom you met on
the streets .or saw gathered together in
groups in openi places eymczently did not
give them a thought. No one Watce
the ruddy flame or pillar of cloud rising
ht into the still night air. AU were
too intent on listening with strained
sense for the dreaded recurrence of that
horrible growl or groan of the power un
der the seas an~d uinder the lanu tto ove
thought to the new tero, thaough it'ha
threatened his own home and many
homes in the doomed city.
Crowds poured in from every direction
to +he square just described, as though
it had be.en, indeed, a charmed circle,
ad life deyended on passing within its
grassy bounds. Street ca~rs, carriages
ad other vehicles were ranged in lires
on thec streets surrounding the square,
while horses stood stock still with turned
Iheads, as though sniffing the ground in
arous inquiry.
The colored people everywhere were
loud and incessant in their 'declamations
of alarm, in the singing of hymns and
in ervent appeals for God's mercy, in
whic apea' God knows, many a
proud heart who heard th'em arising in
Ithe night and in the hour of His won
drousnmight, devoutly and humbly and
sincerely joined. Danger brings all of
us to the level of the lowliest. There
were no distinctions of place, or
powr, or pride, or caste in the assem
baga that were gathere together in
Charleston az Tuesday night. It was a
curious spectacle to iock back upon. It
in 2good one to remember, for it
and biasch alike. There were instances
of unselfish devotion, of kind and loving
Iregard between master~ and servant,
misress and maid, in the presence of
he common ill and of the threatened
ruin, that showed, as nothing else could
Ishow, Low strong is the tie that binds
our white people and our black people
togctlei; and this lesson of the dread
visitation we iay hope, too, will never
be forgot ten.
Arrived at his home, the writer found
the same scenes of destruction and wreck
which marked nearly every other home
in the eitv. All the houses in the neigh
borhood 'had suffered se -. .sly, and
streets, yards and gardens were filled
with fallen chimneys :and fragments of
walls, while the walls that were left
starding were rent asunder. in many
eases, from top to bottom, and were
badlv shattered in cvery instance.
WVomen and children, roused from
their sleep or interrupted in their eve
ning pursuits by the sound of ruin being
effectcd above and around them, rushed
out into the streets and huddled together
awaiting the end, whatever it might be.
Invalids were brought out on mattresses
and deposited on the roadway. No
thought was given to the treasures left
behind in the effort to save the peculiar
treasure of Iife itself, suddenly become
so precious in the eyes of all, the invalid
woman and robust man alike.
Until long after midnight the streets
were filled with fugitives in sight of their
homes. Through the long hours that
followed few were the eyes, even of
childhood, that were closed in sleep.
Charleston was full of those who
watched for morning, and never, in any
city, in any land, did the first gray
shades that mark the approach of day
appear so beautiful and so welcome to
the eye as they appeared to the thou
sands of people who hailed them this
morning from the midst of the countless
wrecked homes in our thrice-scourged
and still patient, still brave, still hopeful
and still beautiful City by the Sea.
CHLnEsToN, S. C., September 2.
The people are gradually taking account
of the details of the injury worked by
the earthquake, and the list of damages
to property is startling. A limited sec
tion in the south of the city is a sample
of the whole.
Standing at the postoffice, and looking
West, an almost impassable roadway of
debris meets the eye. Most of the build
ings on the street are more or less dam
aged, but the violence of the earthquake
is most perceptible at the historic inter
section of Broad and Meeting streets.
The police station is almost a complete
wreck. The upper edge of the wall has
been torn down and that of the north
wall has fallen on the roof of the porch,
carrying it away and leaving only the
large fluted pillart standing.
The City Hall apparently escaped seri
ous damage, but is badly cracked on the
east wall.
The Court House building is 'badly
damaged, the walls being cracked in
several places and portions of the roof
and gables being thrown down.
The Fire Proof building seems to
stand as a rock. The gables of the
north and south porches, however, made
of solid brownstone, have been thrown
to the pavement below. This appears to
be the only damage done to the build
ing.
The worst wreck in the locality, how
*ever, is St. Michael's Church, which
seems to be doomed to destruction. The
steeple, the repairs on which had just
been completed, seems to be intact, but
it is nearly out of plumb and is in mo
mentary danger of falling. The massive 1
porch has been wrecked from the body
of the church and the building has been
cracked in four places. One crack in the
north wall extends from the eaves to the
lower windows; two on the west face of
the church extend the entire height of
the building, and one on the south wall
also extends'from the eayes down almost
to the foundation. These cracks are all
immediately under the steeple, which it
sems almost impossible will stand for
any length of time. The hands on the
top of the clock pointed to five minutes
of 10 o'clock, which must have been the
hour of the first shock on Tuesday night.
What a scene of desolation the fash
ionable boulevard of Charleston presents!
Commencing at Broad street, one passes!
through a block of burned houses. The'
fire, starting at No. 118, the third build
ing from the corn~er of Broad street, on
the east side, consumed the entire :owI
of buildings as far north as Tully's old
stand, next to the Quaker graveyard.
The few houses left on that side of the
street are more or less shattered and'
gutted.
The few houses on the west side of the
street north of Broad street have not
escaped the general fate, .although the
damage is not as great as in other por
tions of the street. The immense vacaht
lt on the west side of the street is occu
pied by- finilies who lived in the berned
houses, and who are camped out on the
ward with the few household effects
saved from the flames.
There is a rather more cheerful feeling
to-night, but no sense of security will
repair the shattered houses and renew
the ruined homes. Offers of assistance
.re .goming from different quarters, and
it is expeeted that the City Council will
oganri~e a relief comimittee to-morrow.
)espite the loss by the earthquake,
Charlestoin is in as good position as ever
for the transaction of the usual autumn
'-Ga There is ample warehouse and'
wafroom, ine compresses are lii "
and 14ejhants and factors are ready to
deal expeditiously wnh all bhasess that
offers. This statement is made to correct
an existing erroneous impression that
the commercial facilities of the port are
impaired.
L'st ni; ut the old scenes of fright and
Ifear wvere 'enaoted in the public squares
and parks. Frail women, zomc of tbnm
almost dead and infants in arms, were
driven to the necessity of spending the
night on the square with only such cov
ering as could be improvised by the use
of blankets, shawls and sheets. In many
f the squares, notably at Washington
Park, the fright and annoyance to these
people were increased by the exciuciat
ing religious performances of the colored
people who crowded the parks. In
Washington Park these were led by two
negro men~ with stentorious voices. w-ho
shouted and yelled and shirieked antil
long after 1 o'clock in the morning.
They were asked to desist, or at least to
conuct their servics in a less boister
ous manner, but refused to do so.
Remonstrances on the part of some gen
tiemn produced very insolent relplies on
the part of a numbe~r of negro roughs
w ho shared in the conduct of' the meet
ing, and who loudly and boisterously
protested that they would make as much
noise as they pleased, and that no inter
ruption would be allowed.
The night wore on slcwly and painful
ly. At 11.50 P. i. a heavy earthquake
passed through the city. Its comeog
was presaged by quite a number of ex
plosions, dim and distant, which com
menced to be heard fully five minutes
before the vibration was felt. The wave
was somewhat more pronounced than
the two which had preceded-one at 8.25
a. n. and the other at 5.15 p. m.-and
as it passed Lv to the northwest there
followed sounds which indicated falling
walls or buildings. This was the last
vibration last night.
Soon after it had passed a man ap
peared and advised the people to go to
their houses, stating that he was the only
scientific man in the city and that he
was authority for the statement that there
would be no more shocks. This advice
was unheeded, very few people leaving
the ground.
At daybreak there was a movement,
and as the sn rose and as there had
been no additional vibrations, many of
the people pulled up their tents and de
parted to their shattered homes, in the
earnest hope that they had participated
in their last picnic in the park.
During the progress of the fire in
King near Broad street, on Wednesday
morning, a woman who occupied the
second floor of one of the burning build
ings, tied her infant child in a feather
bed and threw it from a window to the
ground. The child was unhurt.
No damage of consequence is reported
on the sea islands.
The following is the official list of
those who were killed by the earthquake
or have since died from their injuries:
WrmE.-Peter Powers, Mrs. C. B.
Barker, Ainsley H. Robson, Robt. Alex
ander, Chas. Albrecht, B. P. Meynardie,
Patrick Lynch, Annie Torck, Mrs.
Rachael Ahrens and Goldie Ahrens, a
hild of Mrs. Barnwell.
COLORED.-ThoS. Wilson, Wm. Deak,
Anna Glover, Z. Sawyer, Wim. Grant,
Alex Miller, Jos. Rodoff, Hannah
Smalls, Marie Barnwell, Maria Barnwell,
Jas. Brown, Angelie Davids, Eugenia
oberts, Robert Redoff, Grace Fleming,
Rosa Murray, Oliver McKelbey, John
Cook, Clarissa Simmonds, Hannah Har
ris, Sarah Middleton, Rebecca Ward,
Tohn Cook, Sera B. Sawyer, a colored
baby.
Mrs. David of 68 Nassau street died in
three-quarters of an hour from nervous
hock.
A special report from Mount Pleasant
ays that a sink near the German Church 1
which on Tuesday was perfectly dry I
sand, is now full of fresh water. Near 1
hell street there is a cabin occupied by i
t colored man that is surrounded by
awning chasms, extending through the1
arth's surface for ten feet and over. All.
tround this there are sinks of fresh
water and masses of mud with queer
ooking soft substances that have never
been seen before. It is contended by
many that the mud and other substances
ound around the village are volcanic t
natter.
Just after the first great shock on
I'uesday night there was a decided and
listinct smell of escaping sulphuric acid
ps over the entire village. The smell
asted throughout the night.
Not far from Charleston, on the road
:o Summerville, extensive mounds of
,1ay were thrown up, and hillocks ofl
and, in most cases in the shape of in
rerted cones, the hollow part of which
lad evidently been formed by the action
)f water returning into the depths from
hich it had been raised.
The evidences of a great convulsion,
ire not sporadic. They extend far and
2ear, in every direction, from the city<
umits of Charleston to Sunmmerville, and:t
it die latter place it was found fromi
:rustworthy information that cracks and
ssures are everywhere visible for miles t
md miles around. Strangely enough
some of these were in active operation,
md the constant shocks that were felt
it Summerville sent the water out of
:hese fissures in jets to a height of from.
ifteen to twenty feet.
The horror of the situation in Sum
merville on Wednesday was much inten
sifid by certain manifestations that were
aot observed in Charleston to any great
extent. All during the day there was a
yostant series of detonations, now east,t
aow west, and from all possible direc
dons. It resembled the discharge of(
Leavy guns at intervals of about tenc
minutes, and was like the sounds of a
ombardment at a great distance. AllI
f the explosions were not accompanied
by tremors of the earth, as it was only
-casionally that the earth would <tuake
rom subterranean discharges.
A remarkable fact was noted in Sum
terville in respect to the bulging of the1
water from the interior of the earth.
early of the wdlls had been at low
water. There was a sudden rise in all
these wells, and the additional water was
pure.3
In St. Andrew's Parish, for ten milesi
on the other side of the Ashley River<
bridge, the country is cut up by small1
issures and mud holes of frora~ an inr
o two feet in diameter. People living
in the parish say that the mud and water
boiled up from five to ten feet in height,
nd 'they all seem to be in a most de
moralized condition. .
One old negro woman said that the
view of the ecity was most appalling;!
that after the shocks were felt Cries from
the city could be distinctly heard, and
nat aldzod immediately the light from
the fires lit up the heavens overthe city.i
The colored residents of the parish
thought that judgment day had_ come,(
and commenced crying and praying fors
mercy.
In Sumimerville, the peo0ple rushed
aigIk~a into the ink~y 3Aach darhapes,
and the general gloom and despair, the
wailing of women, the shrieks of chil
dren and the frightened voices of men
made up scenes and sounds that weret
equally'distressing and appalling. As
in Clharleston, all through the night, 1
there was nothing but sickness: and sor
row, and suffering, and a constant dread
of final dissolution and utter annilhila
tion.
When morning dawned the ruin and<
devstation WeiC iound to be complete.
There was not a home that had not been]
made desolate, in greater or less degree.<
All the chimneys had disappeared, walls<
were rent in twain, cilings fell, and in
numerous ca-ses houses that rested on
wooden blocks or masonry were leveled
to the ground. Other houses were split
from top to bottom and left with yawn
ig chasms in the buildings. Anmong
foundations were those of General John
C. Minott, Mrs. B. F. Tieghe, L. DeTre
vile, E. J. Limehouse, Perey Guerard,
Ben. Perry, the Nettles House, and that
of Mr. Ed. Fishburne.
The scene at the Citadel Green was pi,
turesque in the extreme. Most of the tes.
in all manner of colors. hal 1e-n (re'-:id
on the south side of the squ:l. -
Calhoun street line. There wer, however.
numbers of them on all iesexcept t t
bounded by the Citadel. The t:
made out ~of sheets, bla"e c .
clothing and whatever ele- 'oal e ;t1.
pressed into the service t) ke-I o' tI 1.
of the sun by day and the d -w at :nrht.
There were some pelopie wil) moved to the
Green from a distance. al they brought
with them their cooking utensils and
camped as if to remain umil the last ves
tige of the danger had disappeared.
Many of the poorer people rolled barrels
to the square and used them in lieu of tents.
The vard without a tent, where there was
a large family, was the exception to the.
rule. Wiole families cr-uld at anv tnoe
and at any place be sec-n ,osilv ensconced be
neath soine awning or teni under which
refuge had been taken from the chances of
mother shock of a severe character.
Echoes from the Earthquake.
There was considerable damage to the
College buildings in this city by the earth
:uake last Tuesday night. 3arshal 3or
rison had just had :300 rooms scourcd out,
md now nearly all will have to be re
;coured. The walls were cracked in seve
ral places and plastering fell in large quan
Mty. The houses of Professors Joynes,
Sloan and Alexander were damaged also.
In Columbia all is again serene.
It is reported here that two slight shocks
were felt in Charleston to-day and several
n Summerville, but nothing authentic has
been received.
The fissures in the ground at Summer
rille were from two to three inches in
,idth, and all efforts to touch bottom were
.ruitless.
The Citadel is reported as unsafe for oc
nipancy until it has been made secure, as
freat damage has been (lone the walls.
The train from Charleston at 12 3. to
lay brought nothing new. The Yet and
Couric' came up and is overlowing with
ull and graphic accounts of the disaster.
rhere were no new occurrences. No
assengers from that city for this.
Th3 train which arrived from Charleston
it 1' o'clock last night brought a few pas
engers, who confirmed all the reported
;uffering and anguish of the two lays and
ights of horror in that city.
One gentleman estimated the loss in prop
rty, including the buildings which will
iave to be torn down, at -5,00)0 . He
old of an elderly lady whom he found in
ier house looking for her bonds and valua
ile papers before she would leave the build
ni.
Instances were given of the escape from
)artially fallen buildings by means of ropes
rom second storv building-s.
Another gemh-man gave interming de
criptions of the dssures which were made
n the earth and the spouting of mud.
vater and sand to great heights from bot
omless placeS.
Many of the heads of families have re
urned to Summerville to look after their
iouses and personal effects. Not a chim
ley in the town is intact and many of the
iouses and contents are jtotal wreeks.- Co
umbia )aily Record, Sept. 3.
Help for the ldpks-.
There is not a shadLow of dot, we
rieve to say, that the disaster of Tuesdav
ight will cause great misery to thousands
>i goed people in Charlest6n, unless rea
onable measures he adopted immediately
o meet their neels.
It is difficult to give any estimate of the
mount of damage. but. bearing in mind
he loss caused by the cyclone a year ago, It
s no exaggeration to say that the eartulkiie
if last Tuesday night dtestroyed property
o the aumunt of at least three million dot
ats.
A year ago a very considerable part of
he loss fell upon corporations and wealthy
irms who were well able to endure it.
[here is now a totally different condi~itiont
>f things. Every house in (Char'kstoa is
njured more or less, and eve-ry householder.
iowever humble his circumstances, mast
hind the means of repairig his home. or
nust dwell in an habitation which is unsafe:
>r gives no adequate protection from wiad:
.d storm.
We consider it necessary that arrange
r.ents 'for the relief of those w'ho are itn
ted shall be made at unoe, and we .suggest~
hat the City Council, at the meeting to
lay, take action upon the subject. The
jity Council, actinig in conjunctlin with at
:ommittee of citizens, can ::sc-ertain the
vants of the public and see that they are
romptly met.
The city, in our opinion, should mtake ani
ippropriation for the relief of the sufferers.1
n this way the burden of the charitable
ork will be thrown upon the citizens in
~eneral, 'in proportion to their maeans. We
myve a right also to cout upon aome .aid
roam sister cities for already generous
dirof that hielp which blesses thenm that
dve as well as them that take have been
stended to us.
There is one thing to guard against.
~very- able-bodied man in Charleston. whio
s willing to work, will be able t" !dad in
rative etmpl i ment. These shiould not ex
>ct asisaee, and (certily ought not to
eceive it. We want nio loafers, no drones.
[here is work for all who are able :.tnd
viling to work. Patti' astsistance shd
,e contined to tlhose wthose cir-custaace
>r conditioue are such that they camnnoit]
tow help themselves.-2dews andi (icr.
Thle Goiernniwnt to the Rescet.
WASLo-rox, September ~?.-Gan. it C.
)rum, the tnoting secretary of War, lit
ssued a special order directng~ that avil-I
ble tents be forwarded immediately to
:barleston :nd vicinity for the relief of
ufferers by the earthquake. Thle ac' -'
secretaryV of the Ti-easary has' i'- e e
mte cuitters at the dis;- 'cd of Li warde
iartmtfi to .-J!n.mte the transp'ortti on of
ets in the ev'em of irailroad coumtnunica-I
ion being cut oti. Reiecf funds Ihave b~en
trted in the Governmeniert Departmemit.
nd throughout the city generally. Conm:
roller Trenholm received sever-al mmoiwv
:otributions this nm-ring alit p:.nnpiiiy
elegraphod a S.;i 2ef-i tCharles-toin,
Qlueen Chlristina and tier Ulnby.
Queen Cln-istina. of Spain,lap ety
levoted to the baby King, and nmay be
ecn any day in thte palace gardens at
la Gramja pitting uder a tree with the
,hild in her lap, wile the little pr-in
esses play on the grass at her feet.
ligia Spanish etiquette is completely
aid aside white the court is inthe hills.
md the Queen e-njoy-s taking long walks
vith ht-erltildreni in the sur-roundiig
rountry without any attendants. She
levotes the afternsoon to state business
S+the evenn o nmusic.
TOLD A! A TRUE STORY.
Air 1n. .4 Snahe Found in a iIi"sing ('on
semiion - a !-ob--r. t prkzht Man.
Ti m a. Pa , Letter to Philadelphia Times.)
To the southwest of this town, perhaps
five miles or more, there lies a range of
hills as yet a stranger to the peaceful
niew. -etwcen them some of the
streams I have described play in the
changng sunlight, laughing as musical
IV as children laugh in tLe heyday of
their happy youth. 21y purpose when
I -;is ited them was to cast a fly where
the overhanging bushes would not pre
vent and where they would drop the old
fashioned hook beneath the logs where
the trout love to lie. I had been warned
that the stream I meant to follow was on
the sunny side of the hill, and that I
would most likely encounter a few rat
tlesnakes and copperheads, to say noth
ing of the black "runners" and "gar
ters" with which these uninhabited
places abound. But I laughed at these
warnings, and with a pair of high-topped
boots to guard against serpent fangs,
started out on my search for adventure
and trout. Three beauties had found
their way into my basket when my first
experience began. Just across from
where I stood the bushes grew in tangled
confusion close to the stream's very
edge, and a rustling noise ix these
caused me to remember the warning I
ha.1 received. At that moment I felt an
energetic tug at my line, however, and
immediately forgot all else in my desire
to land the fish that I knew was there.
In a moment or two this was accom
plished, and I had time to think of the
bushes again. Glancing in that direc
tion I saw a sight that gave me a series
of cold chills, and caused me to wonder
for a moment whether it wouldn't have
been money in my pocket, as Artemas
Ward says, if I had never been born.
What I saw appeared to be a conven
tion of snakes wrangling over the tem
perance plank prior to its insertion in
the State platform. To the left of the
blackberry bushes was a clear space of
sand and pebbles, and that was evident
ly the convention hall. There was not
an regular order of business apparently.
When a snake felt like making a motion
he simply made it, and if there were any
other motions in the way the strongest
one was recognized. There were rattle
snakes, black snakes, striped snakes and
copperheads, and to this day I can't help
fancyim that there were boa constrictors,
too. Uhichever way I turned my head
I saw them assembling, as though in
answer to a roll call, hissing, wriggling,
rattling and crawling in holes and out,
tuader each other and over, until the
whole place seemed actually alive with
snakes. And I hadn't had a drink for
months, either. How long they would
Lave sat there I cannot tell, but an im
pulse on my part to get away caused me
to break a twig under my foot, and then
there was a partial stampede. Have you
ever seen a rattlesnake in the attitude he
assumes when listening or getting ready
to strike at something that has disturbed
his peace? If you haven't, you've got a
sight to witness that will make your
blood run cold. Of those that did run
at the noise I made one was an enorm
ous rattler, from four to five feet in
length. I could not count the rattles on
Lis tail. but am prepared to swear that
they numbered twenty at least. When
the twig snapped I watched him, for he
av where every movement could be
een. Quick as lightning he raised his
ead at least six inches from the ground,
wayed it from side to side, while the
ower portion of his body seemed to burl
tself unconsciously rou-nd and round
vithin itself without disturbing the head
xtr~il he lay in striking attitude, his head
ently swaying and his rattles making
hae gentle sound which the snake m.kzes
Uefore he is certain the intre;der is an
nemy. The big. flat head, the thin
eck, the small but glittering eyes and
ho noiseless swaying of the agile lbody
> a rattlesnake present the mnoet odious
~eatures of the snake tribe in their most
dious form.
I didn't stay at that spot long, because
t wasn't comfortable. A fellow doesn't
aed to be in a perpetual cold perspira
ion in order to thoroughly enjoy fish
ng, but somehow he can't help feeling
hat way with a score of snakes near
im, although a ten-foot stream doeg
low between. As I moved down the
~treami, the big fellow rattled and push
d out his tongue, buit he never moved
n inch. The only perceptible motion
ras one of the head, which enabled him
o see me better f a 1 nioved away, and
his he kept up until I passed out of
ight. There was no regret, I may add,
n either sidle as we bade each other
arewell.
Old 'woodsmen tell me that there is
ithng unusual in such an assemblgem
f snakes. Although they tgo at per
>tual war with man, they somehow
aaage to live en terms of general good
naosi themselves. It is alleged that
,sympathetic copperhead will carry
eaing hierbs to a wounded rattler, al
liough the se species sometimes meet in
hoc 1ereest and most deadly combat; but
>of this is not in the writer's mem
ry. do kow, however, that on fish
'g and hunting excursions I have re
eatedly encountered two, three and
en four dillerent kinds of snakes with,in.
is irany rods of each other. Whether
laey were unconscious of the company
hey were in I cannot tell. Frequtently,
men no weapon was available, I have
aot paused to inquire.
i'ro.gjeri:y u. 'Mennetic Ojrdern.
T:e Rtomau correspondent of the (.ar
1'~ d Ietn tav th.st in spite of the
ny supsie convents an~d monastic col
Is. eewl- m 2 hou e constructed at
he m\lPns of mnks an' d nulls from 184
a 1s:>: a cst iflbo(e l. 00.000f. The
e .u~ :.- u. difrent buikiings in
on:.. mong w ic the Htel Costantz.
r aire 000,00 (.:a to this one nust
.d n-ets thailt have bt''n building
ne. 9e e~iiw of :xsyer. A single
che. n~s . Ca 1imieri,'has undertaken
leclee.An Irish col
_.......... he(r:ero. V ia S. Vitale.
.1 Amriu 1 n1i1bin erected at th
r1t i .........i.ii ly the .Jes'its have
e~~ach- '- C 1n-nr Pak .e. tome houJscs
I isM .a'eg . n are in treaty fort
h ..6 riP. a I The molnastic collegei
n 1.D .bert ishun enargedt. andi be
,ad . i , is ri:-in' a new Francis
'n'oll m . th-.onvet. 'lTo'. t
,n :.:'smped Polipo with its beautifnl
ron.- iad h use. hasL also been pur
j / .m37-n ILm1.:liVem.
PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES,
Adopied by the State Wheel Convention.
We, the Agricultural Wheel of the
State of Arkansas in convention assem
bled, Dow recognizing the fact that, as
the State grows older, new issues are,
born of time and progress, and old issues
perish,
But that the fundamental principles of"
Democracy, as approved by the united.
voice of the people remain, and will ever
remain, as the best and only security for
the continuation and maintenance of a.
free government by, and for the people,
we demand, in general terms, that the,
rights and privileges of the laboring peo
ple shall no longer be trampled upon by
monopoly, but shall be respected by al
classes.
Second-We demand that nothing
shall be done in the name of labor that
will tend to destroy capital or interfere,
in any way with its legitimate use or in
crease.
First-In specific terms, we demand
that the pubhe lands, the heritage of the
people, be reserved for actual settlers,
not another acre to railroads or specula
tions, and that all lands now held for
speculative purposes be taxed at their
full value.
Second-The abrogation of all laws
that do not bear equally uon capital
and labor, and the remo of unjust
technicalities, delays and discriminations
in the administration of justice.
Third-That national banks be abol
ished.
Fourth-That the government issue
its own money.
Fifth-We demand that all money
isEued by the government shall be a lega
tender in payment of all debL-, both
public and pnvate.
Sixth-We demand that the national
debt shall be paid as fast as it falls due,
Seventh-We demand that the govern
ment shall issue legal tender paper
money in sufficient quantities to transact
the business of the country, on a cash
basis.
Eighth-We demand that the govern
ment issue no more interest bearing
bonds.
Ninth-We denounce the fnancial
policy.of the present national adminis
tration in hoarding and contracting the
enrrency of the country, . and demand
the free and unlimited coinage of silver
and gold of the present weights and fne
ness.
Tenth-We demand that the tariff
laws be so amended as to remove all im
port dues on articl s entering into our
manufactures and that the dues be levied
mainly upon articles of luxuries not
above the importing point.
Eleventh-We demand that aliens be
prohibited from owning lands in the
United States, and that after 1890 the
government shall by purchase and right
of eminent domain obtain possession of
all lands now held by aliens.
Twelfth-We demand a graduated in
come tax.
Thirteenth-We demand the enforce
ment of the constitution of our State in
regard to free passes on railroads and
unjust discriminations in freight and
passenger rates, the collection of back
taxes due by railroads; the enforcement
of the constitution in regard to fictitious.
bonds issued by corporations; also the
enactment of a law t will enforce by
adequate fines and penalties the payment
of money due for stock killed by rail
roads.
Fourteenth-We demand the consoli
dation of the State and national elec
tions.
Fifteenth-We demand such amend
ments to the road law as will divide the
burden equally between property and
abor.
Sixteenth-We favor the submission
to the people of this State, for their
ratification or rejection, an amendment
to the constitution prohibiting the sale
of intoxicating liquors as a beverage.
Seventeenth-We are unqualifiedly in
Eavor of the education of the masses by
a well regulated system of free schools,.
Eighteenth-We demand a usury lawr
that can be easily enforced and that will
reach all classes, so as to prevent the
usurious plundering of our people under
:leeds of trust and mortgages, or other
wise.
Nineteenth-We demand that the
revenue law be so amended as to require
schedules of all nersonal property, and
that debts over the amount of ten dol
lars not returned in the schedule be out
lawed; in case of merchandise, the total
of invoice to be taken not more than
thirty days before the time of assess
nient; corporations to be assessed at the
iost of constraction, including equip
ments or at the amount, the property
ybe bonded and stocked at per mile..
Twentieth-We favor a change in the.
mianner of assessing property so as to re
:iuire the assessments to be made by
township officers.
Twenty-first--We demand the repeal
>f the law by which the convict farms or
slave pens were created.
Twenty-second-That we oppose the
p~rsent system of working the convicts
f the State, and are opposed to the
bringingof convict labor into competi
ion wit the honest or legitimate labor
f the farm, shop and manufactory.
THOMAs M. Own,
Chairman-.
Committee-A. B. Iogard, Law-.
rence; J. T. Hambey, Cleburne; J. M,
Mfallett, Pope; G. W. Dauson, Prairie;
Xohn Russ, White; A. F. Watson, Jack
son; Thos. H. Carter, Pnlaki; R. B,.
Carl Lee, Prairie; Samuel Murph,
Boone; S. S. Langley, Pike; W. W,
Wil, Pope.
Yellow Fever at Bioxi.
N'dw ORLEAs. Sept. 2.-Dr. dalomoD,
Secretar- .. the Board of Heal,h. returned
:o-night hom Biloxi, on the (G ulf shore, and
mubmitted his report. There have .been
tine cases of sickness, and the diagnosis in
sach case justified the experts in pronounc
.ng it yellow fever. Two of the sick died
n Sunday and the other eight are conva
escent. A new case broke out to-day.
l'he wile of Engineer Elder, of the Can
:ling Company, has taken the disease. All
he sick were employed by the Canning
Thompanuy. As soon as the decision of the
physicians was declared there was a regu
Wzr exodus from the town. Hunde.
btoar'ded the train for this city, some not
stopping to pack their trunks, but abandon
ng everythting in their flight.
Good thoughts, like rose leaves, aiways
~mit a sweet and delightful fragrance, and
t lingers around the vase of memory like
he odor of some precious tlowers.