MORE THAN $75,000,000 28 PER CENT. INCREASE IN EXPORTS. 95 PER CENT. INCREASE IN IMPORTS I Feet from the 4 City to the Sea, DIRECT STEAMSHIPS CLOSE TRAFFIC FOR EUROPE. f t WITH THE WEST. Compliments of SO. GA. LOAN AND TRUST GO. HE CHARLESTON, S. C. m CiSk w V im . c 3 s to is783'239 548'32J 1896 8'504'893 , 4?4'H3 1897 10,862,004 1,129,840 CHARLESTON'S WHOLESALE TRADE Lamentations and Evil Predictions of Croakers Discredited by the Facts as Re¬ ported by Leading Merchants. In our last year's annual report we said: "If one listened to the croakers only he could arrive-at but one conclusion, viz, that the year just closed has been a hor¬ ribly dull one in Charleston, and that the old city is drying up and going to the dogs at a yearly accelerated speed, and the croakers are so numerous that the man, who has not the interest or the time to> look into the facts is very apt to> adopt their gloomy opinion." Fortunately such is not the case this year. The croakers are not all dead, it is true, but they are not numerous and those that survive are not so self assertive as they once were, they begin to doubt their own wisdom' and are content to croak at home rather than on the street corners. The community gen¬ erally has taken on a hopeful tone and the future is regarded with confidence. With too much confidence by some, who, seeing good fortune which they did not work for. trust to other good fortune to come in the same way. In the main, how¬ ever, there is decided reawakening or en¬ terprise and spirit, and the people seeing what work and pluck has done, are inclined to adopt the same sensible and yet certain means of success. The increase in trade is not startling, but it is there, and shows the cessation of the ebb tide and the beginning of the flood. In the following reports of the various branches of the jobbing trade, gathered from lead¬ ing houses in each line, it will be seen that in but few lines has there been any failing off, and in these the decrease is due to peculiar circumstances: not af¬ fecting the general trade. The rule is advance and the indications of increasing prosperity. GROCERIES. It is very gratifying to know that in this branch of business Charleston is rapidly recovering the trade of the Pied¬ mont section of this State, which of late years had been almost entirely lost to her, owing possibly to some extent to political reasons and certainly to a great extent unfavorable railroad schedules and rates of freight, which difficulties have now been in a great measure overcome. In addition to regaining the Piedmont trade Charleston's wholesale grocers are extending their territory in Geor¬ gia, where a larger trade is being done every year, a trade that is sound and prof¬ itable, and that can be depended to stay with Charleston with any reasonable effort on the part of our merchants, which will certainly not be lacking. A® to the outlook, it is said by the largest houses in the city never to have been better. Crop prospects are good, the country merchants are doing well, and the increasing manu¬ facturing interests in this and neighbor¬ ing States furnish an improving demand for supplies for the large number of work people unemployed. Estimates by various houses vary considerable, but we think we are conservative when we put the in¬ crease of trade in this line at half a mil¬ lion. STATIONERY. There is a noticeable increase in this branch of the trade. Several young firms have entered the field and they are push¬ ing for business—not only in Charleston, but throughout the State. Some firms engaged in this trade send travellers through many of the Southern States, and they appear satisfied with the result of their endeavor. The jobbing trade has grown somewhat larger than the figures given last year, while the sales at retail are about the same: Wholesale, $350,000; retail, $125,000. PAINTS AND OILS. The preceding twelve months has been an exceedingly hard one in this line of business, and we regret to note a slight falling off in the total business of the pre¬ vious year. As we all know, the election agitation, and later that of the tariff, has unsettled almost every branch of trade; the farmers were affected by the former and the merchants by the latter. Now that it has been settled, however, defi¬ nitely, with the prospect of it not being changed for several years to come, the merchants know just where they are at \ 4 and can govern themselves accordingly. The crop prospect is a good one, and if prices remain firm, with the increased business that a large crop assures us all along the line, we are in hopes that the result of the next year's business will show a great improvement. The farmers appear to be in better condition than usu¬ al and, as they are the mainstay of every branch of trade, we hope that we shall all be benefited by their improved condition. We think that we can put down the busi¬ ness for the last year at almost the same as the previous one. WATCHES AND JEWELRY. The principal feature in this line of trade for the commercial year just closing is the steady progress made in building up a jobbing trade with the interior mer¬ chants of this State, and with those of many- thriving towns and villages in Geor¬ gia and Florida, with occasional sales in "Virginia, North Carolina and Alabama. This is comparatively a new departure for this line of trade in Charleston and the degree of success so far achieved is very gratifying. We have not been able to obtain separate statistics of the retail and wholesale trade of the houses con¬ cerned in this movement, but we under¬ stand that the increase reported in the aggregate sales is due for the most part, if not entirely, to. the enlargement of the territory included in the jobbing trade as above described. The prospects in this business, as in all others, are very bright, and we trust that in our report for 1898 we may be able to make separate re¬ turns for the retail and wholesale trade, and add at least 20 per cent to the total in each case. GRAIN AND HAY. There has been some decrease in this line of business due in part to. the smaller number of draft animals employed and in part to the fact that many parts of the interior which formerly were good cus¬ tomers now raise their own corn and hay, or substitute the latter with fodder and pea vines. Eastern hay, that is hay from the New England States, no: longer comes to this market, partly due to the lack of demand and partly to. the high prices ob¬ tainable in Boston. The amount of New vnrV pnd Western hay has likewise de¬ creased and there is a still greater falling off proportionately in the corn trade. HATS AND CAPS. In this branch of trade the flattering in¬ crease reported last year has all been held, and the new territory acquired re¬ mains faithful to Charleston, and with brighter business prospects now opening over the country at large, and will doubt¬ less add materially to. the volume of trade in this city for the commercial year just now beginning. As we remarked in our last annual report, the retail hat business ha® gradually ceased to be a distinct branch of business, that is, conducted by houses exclusively devoted to that line, hats and caps being sold by dealers in ready-made clothing, men's furnishing goods. The re¬ tail business in hats, however, is fully as laree as heretofore, although conducted in a different manner, and while it is, of course, almost impossible to. get accurate reports of their sales distinct from the other business of the houses engaged in this line, we feel fully justified in repeat¬ ing last year's estimate. ICE. There has been no change in the price of this commodity this season and Charles¬ ton still enjoys the distinction of being supplied with ice at lower rates than any other Southern city. The cool summer has considerably reduced the amount of sales coupled with, new machines being erected in interior cities. Wholesale sales $15,000 and retail sales $20,000, for twelve months. FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC FRUIT. In some lines the importations of foreign fruit fell below the previous: year, in others exceeded it. There was. a good de¬ mand, with quality up to. standard, and prices ruled in buyers' favor the whole year. There is increased, attention, given to growing and shipping the productions of foreign: countries and each season shows an improvement. A large and profitable business is looked for this season. The importations for the year have been: 36,521 buches of bananas, 1,910,750 oranges and 563,103 cocoanuts. The short crop of Florida oranges stimulated the importation of the foreign article. This condition will proba¬ bly obtain for several years to come, when the Florida trees will be in full bearing again. The value of the foreign business this year was about $100,000. In domestic fruit the trade was quite extensive. Prices never ruled so: low, and while in many instances the quality was below the average the result was fairly satisfactory. Value about $100,000. DRUGS AND MEDICINES. The business of the ye.ar, upon the whole, was satisfactory. The well known, corner of Meeting and Hasell streets has a live occupant, and the wholesale drug trade new is fully abreast with the other jobbing branches, in Charleston. The volume of sales during the year, ending-August 31, 1897, may be estimated! at about $547,000. The fall trade opens well and the drug¬ gists feel confident of a good trade;. DOORS, SASH AND BLINDS'. . The business of manufacturing doors, sash, etc, is not as large in volume as it was some years since, from the fact that competition is greater and many new fac¬ tories have been started, in interior towns. Still Charleston is the central point, and there is no reason why in the future she should not regain some of the lost busi¬ ness in this particular line. The entire sales for the last twelve months are esti¬ mated at $150,000. The three factories have probably given employment to 120 hands and distributed about $14,000 in wages. Goods have been shipped North, and Flor¬ ida, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama and Virginai have taken a great proportion of the output. The local demand has been small and, profits exceedingly close. Charleston's great trouble is excessive freight rates to points that should be reached and would be. if these rates were equalized1 with cost of goods. o CLOTHING. This has been a particularly satisfactory year in all lines of merchandise sold by the jobbers of our city, but particularly so in clothing-, which has had a steady growth all year, sales netting- all of 20 per cent over those of last year. The pre¬ diction of a year ago as to increased values in clothing has been fully verified. Under the Dingley bill material has been ad¬ vanced from 10 to 20 per cent in different kinds of cotton and woollen fabrics used in the manufacture of clothing, (especially so in black, clay and other worsteds of similar goods, where the advance has been particularly marked, having been in¬ creased in price from 32 to 40 per cent over what they were quoted at four months ago,) and with the advance in wage® ob¬ tained by tailors in the June strike, cloth¬ ing will be at least 20 per cent higher the coming spring season. The retail trade has been about the same in volume as last year. DRY GOODS. The reports from this branch of our jobbing trade are particularly encourag¬ ing. New territory ha® been acquired by the hustling salesmen of our enterprising merchants and the trade in oid territory increased. Charleston's long established reputation as a market in which goods especially suited to the interior trade of the South can be readily obtained, the stocks being specially selected: for such trade, and as a market. where capital is reasonably abundant and good customers can always obtain credit, has been well maintained. Twenty-five per cent advance on the volume of trade of the previous years ie rather within than above the aver¬ age estimate® made by firm® in this line. The prospect- for the coming year is even brighter, and if there is as fin© a crop of cotton and provision® made in this and neighboring States as now expected, there is every reason to believe that the success of this year will be repeated and increased for the commercial year 1897-98. CROCKERY. While money ha® been somewhat difficult of collection the great reputation Charles¬ ton has as a crockery emporium has not suffered during the past year and the vol¬ ume of business has been fully equal to that of tihe last preceding year. The pros¬ pect's for the season about to begin, or which in fact may be said to have already begun, are most encouraging and orders are coming in at a rapid rate for a period so early in the season. There is consid¬ erable competition in this line of trade and country merchants find that they can do as well as in New York, and save freight, and much better than in Atlanta or any other market in the Southeastern States. TOBACCO AND CIGARS, The tobacco trade is a great improve¬ ment over last year. The increase of sales i® fully 15 per cent over last year, and the prospects for the fall trade have never been better, and all look forward to a pros¬ perous business all along the line. The leaf in North Carolina and Virginia has advanced fully 20 to 25 per cent in the last few months, and the demand is good on all grades. This advance will no doubt help the tobacco planter® of our State. Reports from the tobacco raising section of this State are most favorable, and The News and Courier crop, as it is justly called, thanks to the foresight of the late Capt F. W. Da wson, is proving a source of wealth to the farmers that must eventual¬ ly be of great advantage to the trade of Charleston. FISH AND OYSTERS. Much enterprise and good management are manifested in the conduct of the fish business in Charleston, and in consequence it is successful and profitable. Two large houses are engaged in the business of shipping fish,oysters and terrapins from Charleston to the interior and the North, but neither seems inclined to furnish any information as to it® business. From other sources, however, it is learned that the business is being pushed for all it is worth,, and that the trade of last year has been fully sustained. HARDWARE. Prospects for a large and reasonably profitable business were seldom better than at the opening of the commercial year just ended. Goods In every line were as low as a reasonable consumer could expect, and, under ordinary conditions, the demand in relation to supply should have caused moderate advances in many of the articles most needed. Prices re¬ mained unchanged during the early por¬ tion of the year, but Eastern manufac¬ turers having large stocks and the West¬ ern demand far below expectation, conces¬ sions were made by a few, and in a short time by all, and a marked decline in val¬ ue® was noticed. While this feature was disappointing, business was not seriously affected and replenishing, when necessary, made at new prices. No trade has been lost during the year, but numbers of new customers added to the list of patrons, new territory has been canvassed and that which offered a rea¬ sonable return of time engaged and ex¬ pense incurred has not been neglected or overlooked. The certainty of tariff change® an¬ nounced by the change of Administration cause no little anxiety and prevented or¬ ders for foreign goods being placed or ac¬ cepted, and those given were based upon such change® as may be made in the near future. Now that they are known and the South having no recognized rights that are re¬ garded or respected, we find the in¬ creased duty on all foreign manufactures far beyond what was deemed even prob¬ able or possible. The promptness of Ameiv ican manufacturers adapting the new schedules to articles of their own make shows very clearly in whose interest the present tariff schedule was adopted, and no day now passes without a notice of all quotations being withdrawn and ad¬ vances made. Prices of the past can with reason be advanced without injury, but such should be made with extreme cau¬ tion and a reasonable certainty of being sustained. The fruit and truck crops yielded so small a surplus over cost of 6 production that none were benefited. Charleston has maintained her reputation for being a desirable market and the dis¬ position to patronize her is growing daily. Merchants whose interests have been pro¬ tected in the past feel confident in the present and unless unusual inducements are offered prefer giving their orders to her representatives. The present season opens favorably. Merchants are buying in moderation and the amount of business so far has been satisfactory. Crops are fully up to the average and the hope of obtaining fair prices a reasonable one. Should any ma¬ terial advance be obtained the farming community will be greatly benefited ana the merchants necessarily share any in¬ creased prosperity. The year's business will approximate: Wholesale, $125,000; retail, $275,000. BOOTS AND SHOES. This branch of business has held its own for the past year, and shows a steady in¬ crease. More business has come to Charles¬ ton, and larger merchants are finding they can secure equal prices and cheaper freight rates than from Northern mar¬ kets, and are placing their orders here. The wholesale trade is closely worked, and travelling men are constantly on the road to solicit orders. A shoe factory has recently been established, which is plac¬ ing good, medium priced shoes in nearly every section, and meeting with success. The retail trade has fully held its own, and will show an increase over last year. FURNITURE. The furniture trade during the past year has been a decided improvement, and the prospects for the fall trade are very bright. An increase is expected of at least 25 per cent over the year just closed. The demand for better goods is greater than for the past four years. One of the lead¬ ing establishments in this line reports that it has made a special effort to keep the trade at home and that more fine goods are handled than heretofore. The same house has added a complete assortment of wood mantels, tiles and grates to' its former stock. The indications are that good times have returned to remain. Total Sales 1896-97. The following table shows the wholesale and retail trade of Charleston for the year ending August 31, 1897: / Wholesale. ..$14,000,000 200,000 .. 3,750,000 .. 1,250,000 80,000 800,000 Groceries.. Grain, hay.. Dry goods .. .. Boots, shoes .. Hats, caps.. .. Tobacco Drugs and med¬ icines 547,000 Hardware .. .. 1,250,000 Crockery./ .. .. 200,000 Paints and oils 325,000 Saddlery 80,000 Stationery .. .. 350,000 Furniture .. .. 200,000 Retail. $3,000,000 300,000 1,700,000 350,000 140,000 100,000 300,000 275,000 50,000 125,000 40,000 125,000 500,000 Total. $17,000,000 500,000 5,450,000 1,600,000 220,000 900,000 847,000 1,525,000 250,000 450,000 120,000 475,000 700,000 Doors, sash and blinds Clothing.. .. Fruit Ice Fish, oysters Jewelry 250,000 700,000 200,000 15,000 35,000 150,000 300,000 20,000 30,000 100,000 250,000 1,000,000 200,000 35,000 65,000 250,000 Totals $24,382,000 $7,455,000 $31,837,000 Comparative Sales. The following table shows at a glance the comparative sales in the different branches of trade for the past three years: 1896-97. 1895-96. 1894-95. Groceries .. . .$17,000,000 $16,500,000 $16,000,000 Grain, hay.. .. 500,000 Dry goods.. .. 5,450,000 Boots, shoes .. 1,600,000 Hats, caps.. .. 220,000 Tobacco' 900,000 Drugs and med¬ icines 847,000 Hardware .. .. 1,525,000 Crockery 250,000 Paints and oils 450,000 Saddlery, etc.. 120,000 Stationery .... 475,000 Furniture .. .. 700,000 Doors, sash and blinds 250,000 Clothing 1,000,000 Fruit 200,000 Ice 35,000 Fish, oysters .. 65,000 JeWelry 250,000 850,000 4,700,000 1,500,000 220,000 800,000 750,000 1,840,000 250,000 480,000 120,000 425,000 750,000 300,000 880,000 150,000 45,000 65,000 . 230,000 950,000 4,120,000 1,500,000 220,000 700,000 750,000 1,480,000 250,000 530,000 120,000 425,000 650,000 325,000 710,000 100,000 37,000 62,000 230,000 Totals $31,837,000 $29,855,000 $29,159,000 CHARLESTON'S MANUFACTURES. The Industries are all Upou a Solid Basis and Have had a Good Year. During the business year just closed the manufacturing industries of Charleston have about held their own despite the fact that for the best part of the year, at least, they were still battling against the universal depression, which has hung over the country since 1892. Now that the long heralded revival in business seems actually in sight they will without doubt reap their full share of the returning pros¬ perity during the current year. THE FERTILIZER FACTORIES. Charleston's chief manufacturing indus¬ try, the fertilizer business, has been ex¬ cellent during the year. T'he total output of all the mills, manufactured and sold, reached the magnificent total of 350,000 tons. "THE CHARLESTON MILLS." Perhaps the most important event in manufacturing circles during the year was the reorganization and rehabilitation of the old Cotton Mill under the new name of "The Charleston Mills." For nearly a year the mill was idle, but during the ! past few months the company has been 7 reorganized with an authorized capital of $350,000. In a circular issued by the presi¬ dent the following facts connected with the mill and its operation under its new management wiil be of interest: The plant is most advantageously situ¬ ated within the City of Charleston, on the western bank of the Cooper River, and in close proximity to the Northeastern Rail¬ road, the Charleston and Savannah Rail¬ way and the South Carolina and Georgia Railroad, so that the mill has the oppor¬ tunity of procuring its raw material from any part of the great cotton belt of the Atlantic States, raising upwards of 2,000,- 000 bales per annum, and for which cotton Charleston is the natural outlet, as its geographical position will show. It is from this circumstance that the mill will be enabled to select such cotton as is most advantageous to the spinner, having a long staple and little waste. The capacity of the mill is 28,000 spindles, constructed principally for the manufac¬ ture of coarse goods. The mill proper is an imposing building erected of brick, and is in excellent pre¬ servation. The machinery and equipments of the mill have been thoroughly examined and are found to compare favorably wilb most of the up-country mills, and that there will be no necessity of expending more than $15,000 to make all judicious improvements. The money for this pur¬ pose is already in bank. And it may as well be stated here that the mill will be absolutely free of any debt and without any lien on it and the operation of the mill commence at once under the man¬ agement o'f a board of directors, consist¬ ing of: C. O. Witte, president. Charles Litschgi, (president of Germania Savings Bank.) F. Q. O'Neill, (president Hibernian Sav¬ ings Bank.) Waring P. Carringlon, (vice president Carolina Savings Bank.) Elarle Sloan1, (proprietor Etiwan Phos¬ phate Works.) For secretary and treasurer, Mr E. H. Sparkman has been elected, who, like the president, will serve the first year without any remuneration. Mr J. N. Nathans is the "solicitor. The great difficulty of the former cot¬ ton mill was to secure steady labor, it never having been able to obtain a suffi¬ cient number of Charlestonians, and has been obliged to import its labor at heavy expense. In order to avoid this difficulty the board considers it its duty to engage- colored labor as well1 as white. Charleston has a colored population of 35,000 and the directors feel convinced that the mill will not only have a sufficient number of op¬ eratives from among them, but that they will obtain a steady labor at moderate prices, and that thereby they will not only be able to secure a good! dividend to the stockholder, but likewise confer a benefit upon our community that will be of per¬ manent advantage to the City of Charles¬ ton. There can be no question that this mill « will be operated in an economical man¬ ner, surpassing that of any other mill In the State of South Carolina, and if we con¬ sider the low basis of capitalization can there be any doubt that we will make great profits? We have been explicit in placing the foregoing details before the public, so that everybody may judge for himself and invest in such shares of the company as may be unsold, and which^ if taken, will give the company as great a commercial capital as can be used to advantage. Charles O. Witte, President. The experiment of utilizing colored la¬ bor in cotton manufacture will be watched with interest by textile workers all over the country. SHOES AND STOCKINGS. The two latest additions to Charleston's manufactures, the Shoe Factory and the Knitting Mill, have both been remarkably successful, and are in fine shape to take advantage of the tide of prosperity which has just begun to> roll in upon us. The Bagging Factory lost some little more time than usual in cleaning up, mak¬ ing repairs and building an addition to the mill. The price received for the manu¬ factured goods was about a half cent high¬ er than last year, so that the difference in the total value of the annual product was but slight. There has been little or no change in the well established manufacturing inter¬ ests of the city. All have done fairly well and are in excellent condition to benefit by the appro aching trade revival. The following table gives in detail the hands employed, the capital invested and the value of the annual product, of all the manufacturing industries of Charles¬ ton,: Class. No. Hands. Capital Annual ^ empl'd invs'd. prod'ct. Cotton facto¬ ries 1 400 $ 350,000 $ 360,000 Bagging facto¬ ries 1 325 300,000 400,000 Bag factories... 1 55 150,000 475,000 Breweries .... 1 100 167,000 300,000 Ice factories.... 2 25 75,000 150,000 Gas companies 1 105 698,000 150,000 Electric Light and Power .. 1 18 100,000 75,000 Basket facto¬ ries 2 13 10,000 30,000 Envelope and box factories. 1 63 30,000 75,000 F e r t i 1 i zer works 12 1,350 5,300,000 3,978,000 Rice mills .... 2 110 300,000 800,000 Saw and lumber mills 8 250 300,000 850,000 Ship and boat yards 3 70 75,000 160,000 Candy facto¬ ries 10 60 100,000 300,000 Founderies and Iron works .. 3 200 250,000 400,000 Job printing and binding... 8 180 325,000 450,000 Carriage and wagon works .6 100 50,000 100,000 Flour and grist mills 8 275 150,000 700,000 Bakeries 36 300 160,000 725,000 Plumbing and Tinning 35 100 195,000 250,000 * 8 Cigar factories. 11 100 60,000 270,000 Saddleries .. .. 8 32 60,000 175,000 Underwear fac¬ tories 3 150 100,000 175,000 Marble and granite works 5 60 50,000 80,000 Soda water, etc.. .... .. .. 23 150 75,000 700,000 Ice cream fac¬ tories 11 33 30,000 150,000 Contractors and Builders 70 600 400,000 3,000,000 Men's clothing 11 100 100,000 275,000 Lock smiths, Gunsmiths and Bicycles .. .. 14 80 100,000 200,000 Watches and Clocks 19 50 40,000 70,000 Barrel factories 1 125 - 250,000 175,000 Cabinet Makers and Upholster¬ < i ers 27 140 100,000 150,000 Dyers and Cleaners .. 8 20 8,000 40,000 Proprietary es¬ tablishments 35 170 75,000 150,000 Mattress facto- ries•• •• • • 1 35 20,000 75,000 Cotton ties, etc 3 20 10,000 25,000 Soap and can¬ dle factories.. 1 15 25,000 60,000 Water works... 1 10 700,000 75,000 Cider and vine- S'S'i* •• ••• •• •• 3 15 20,000 40,000 Lead factories.. 1 10 40,000 120,000 Oil refineries.... 1 5 20,000 400,000 Sail and awning factories 2 25 40,000 75,000 Sash and blind factories 5 350 400,000 900,000 Cotton and wool pickeries 1 15 10,000 50,000 Basket and ve¬ neer works.... 1 250 75,000 100,000 Knitting facto- riss.• ••• •• •• 1 90 24,000 40,000 Broom facto¬ ries. . .. .. .. 1 10 2,040 6,000 Shoe factories 1 45 25,000 100,000 Total 411 6,804 $11,944,040 $15,404,000 AS THE EXPERTS SEE IT. What the Commercial Agencies Think of the New Year's Prospects. Mr W. A. Merchant, manager of the Charleston branch of the mercantile agency of R. G. Dun & Co, is very hope¬ ful of Charleston's future and thinks the prospects are for a splendid business year. Mr Merchant prepared the follow¬ ing statement for the Annual Review: The tide has turned and appearances in¬ dicate that the improvement of 1897, which has been greater than for some years past, is but the forerunner of still better times. Since 1892 the retail business of the city has steadily declined (as it has in other commercial centres) and our merchants had begun to despair of ever seeing the good times of former years. While local trade is probably not equal to what it was prior to 1893, there is no longer a complaint of decreasing business, and it is believed the increase in retail lines will amount to from 10 per cent to 15 per cent as compared with 1896. The agitation in The News and Courier of the question of buying at home has been productive of good results, and it should be kept up. Some of our manu¬ facturing concerns are not receiving the local support they should, and our King street merchants could, in many cases, advantageously get their wants supplied on Meeting and Hayne streets, especially in staple goods. Two of the most pros¬ perous dealers in dry goods and notions on King street buy more than half of their goods in the city, and their policy could well be followed by others. Jobbers did well last year, the volume of trade being large and collections in the fall and winter very satisfactory. Spring trade this year was probably no larger than in 1896, but fall sales show great improvement and the working forces are taxed to their utmost to fill or¬ ders. The only unfavorable feature of the jobbing trade has been the slowness of collections during the past two or three months, but this complaint is gener¬ al in the South and speedy relief is at hand. Through the purchase of the Augusta Southern by the South Carolina and Georgia Railroad, territory tributary to Charleston has been added to our field, and our "ambassadors of trade" have been actively canvassing that line with satisfactory results. For the first time in several years all of our fertilizer companies sold their en¬ tire product, and they begin the new sea¬ son under favorable auspices. Contracts already made for future delivery are said to be large. Our truck farmers had a more favora¬ ble season than for several years past and all made money. The rice crop promises to bo large and there are no indications of lower prices. These two industries are of great importance to Charleston, as the greater portion of those engaged in them spend their money in the city. The tobacco crop of the State is comr paratively large and of good quality. Sales thus far reported have realized satisfac¬ tory prices. The corn crop is fair, and the yield of cotton promises to be largely in excess of last year, notwithstanding ex¬ cessive rains during the past three or four weeks. In the opinion of conservative au¬ thorities the price for middling will re¬ main above 6^ cents. The crop has been cheaply made, and farmers should be in excellent financial condition this winter. The outlook for fall and winter trade is exceptionally bright. With our increased facilities for exporting cotton it is con¬ fidently expected that a larger amount of the fleecy staple will come to Charleston than ever before. The advent of the Electric Street Rail¬ way has undoubtedly infused new life into the community. Not only has the appear¬ ance of the city been changed, but the 9 people seem to have caught some of the impetus of the trolley. Our people, some of whom seemed to have lost faith in the good old city, have awakened to the fact that she is not dead, and are beginning to realize that it was but a case of partially suspended anima¬ tion; let us hope that their appreciation of this fact will be manifested by invest¬ ing their money at home, instead of seek¬ ing unknown and frequently unprofitable fields. Charleston offers an excellent opening for the establishment of a furniture fac¬ tory. This industry was started on a small scale in Atlanta some years ago, and proved such a success that a number of factories were erected and are now in successful operation. A large part of their product is sold in New York and other Northern cities. Should not Charleston, with its water route to the Atlantic sea¬ board cities be able to successfully com¬ pete with Atlanta? Failures in the city have been remark¬ ably light, and in the State fewer and of less importance than for some years past. Our banking institutions are in excellent condition, and well prepared to supply funds for moving the crop and legitimate business purposes. Braristreet's Report. Mr J. EX C. Pedder, superintendent of Bradstreet's Commercial Agency, has pre¬ pared the following statement in regard to Charleston's business during the past year; Looking back retrospectively over last year's gains and losses, I think we may well congratulate ourselves on the un¬ doubted marked advance of our city and State during the past year. Our most perceptible local gain has been, first, in rapid transit, and in this connection^ I think the city may be well proud of her new acquisition, for her elec¬ tric system is undoubtedly second to none in the South. The next improvement is1 in the great advance: we are making in the style and architecture of our business premises, numerous handsome blocks having been erected and others going up and being projected. Then again, another important and de¬ cided improvement is in our streets and roads. The cement gravel is proving so far a fine roadway, and, if the gravel were substituted for the balance of the old cob¬ blestones on the principal streets and drives it would be a further improvement. Other cities are waking up to the fact that good roads mean, a great deal to a town, and as we can offer magnificent cli¬ mate, a superb trolley system., new busi¬ ness enterprises and a grand old town, the good roads are all' we need to complete our catalogue of inducements to capi¬ talists, residents and visitors to erect fac¬ tories, to invest money, build homes and settle with and amongst us. I read a short, snappy paragraph the other day, speaking of a city as follows: "You say the climate is superb, scenery magnificent, table unsurpassed, but no visitors. Why?" Answer: "Roads bad." Ponder on this, you City Fathers! Have the roads fixed. Our wholesale trade the past year has shown an increase in every line of busi¬ ness, but more especially in dry goods, boots and shoes, and hardware. Collec¬ tions last fail were more than unusually good, and the farmers started in the new year comparatively free of debt. The country trade generally is in good shape, retailers are now getting in their stocks and all indications point to increased busi¬ ness and sales. Fertilizers the past year were active and in m.ost instances the fac¬ tories cleaned their floors, and, although the price was low, all the companies report doing a good, business and collected up closely for the previous year. The coming season bids fair to be a good one. The factories are improving their plants, and, in some case's, putting in additional mod¬ ern machinery, which will materially in¬ crease their output. Wholesalers, manu¬ facturers and jobbers are all in readiness for the fall trade, have large stocks on hand, and can and will sell as cheap or cheaper than the Eastern houses, freights being considered. It is also encouraging to see that this city is making a bid for the up-country trade, in the matter of cheap excursions, and let me say a word in that connection. Keep it up and don't let interest slacken an inch. All the larger Eastern cities are doing it and deriving incalculable benefit from it, and if you don't do it Some other city in the imme¬ diate vicinity will, and will not only get the trade that belongs rightly to. our city, but will keep it, too. Rice is on the up grade and prospects were never better for a good crop. Cot¬ ton is in a very fair shape, and with the increasing acreage will doubtless be a money maker. Factories are doing well and the knitting mills are deserving of par¬ ticular mention., as they have seen, their first errors (that of making a low grade article,) and now turn out goods second to none brought here, and can be sold even cheaper than goods of the same quality brought from, a distance. Prominent amongst the new enterprises in this section in, the manufacturing lines are collar, piano, broomi, spoke, and handle and clothing factories', and, although some of them are very small beginnings, they tend to show that our young men, are branching out into, new lines of enterprise, and it is very gratifying to be able to 'state that their businesses generally are doing well. The old "saw" of The News and Courier of "patronizing home indus¬ try" is now being followed more than ever before and with good results. Our retailers are now carrying larger and more varied stocks for their customers, who patronize them in preference to buying di¬ rect from the North and E;ast. Prospects generally throughout the country are very flattering, and although this State may not be a "Klondyke" in reality, it may be made so in fact, if we will put our should¬ ers to the wheel and1 get it started, then it will roll. United effort is what we need and will and must have to make our State and city successful in every sense of the word. Business failures, I might say, for the 10 past year have been almost unknown In this section, and what have occurred have been of little moment and are generally caused by adverse, precipitate action on the part of creditors. The colored labor in the mills is giving entire satisfaction, which is a source of great gratification, for, if it continues as successful in the future, as in the imme¬ diate past, it solves the cheap labor prob¬ lem for the South. « THE PORT A ND HARBOR. Steamer Lines — Pilotage — Towing and Freights at Charleston. The tri-weekly service between Charles¬ ton and New York, and' Charleston and Jacksonville continues to be performed by the spacious and splendid steamers of the Clyde Line, which were built especially for the routes on which they run. They have superior passenger accommodations and ample freight capacity. There are five steamers on the line. The Messrs Clyde also have a weekly line of steamers between this port and Boston. During the busy season extra steamers are sent here. There are five steamers on the New York Line: The Comanche, Capt L. W. Pennington; Algonquin, Capt S. C. Piatt; Iroquois, Capt E. Kemble; Seminole, Capt H. A. Bearse; Cherokee, Capt I. K. Chi¬ chester. On the Boston Line: The G. W. Clyde, Capt Judiah Robinson; Delaware, Capt Ingram;. The officers are capable, courteous and attentive. Messrs W. P. Clyde & Co, the distinguished owners of the line; Mr Theo G. Eger, the energetic and pushing traffic manager, and his affa¬ ble and efficient assistant, Mr M. H. Clyde, are deeply interested in the commercial prosperity of Charleston. Mr James E. Edgerton is the experienced and excellent superintendent here. The South Carolina Steamboat Com¬ pany, of which Mr G. W. Egan is the pro¬ gressive president, andi Mr W. P. Holmes the admirable agent, owns four fine steam¬ ers: The Planter, Capt J. T. Hubbard; Eutaw, Capt L. H. Adair; Merchant, Capt Cushman; John M. Cole, Capt Bennett. The Planter makes semi-weekly trips to Georgetown and has comfortable cabin ac¬ commodations. The other steamers ply regularly between this port and George¬ town and points on the Pee-Dee, Wateree, the North and South San tee rivers. The steamer Pilot Boy, Capt F. D. Phil¬ lips, runs regularly to> EdistO' and Wadma- law Islands, and to Beaufort and carries passengers, for which she is well provid¬ ed. The steamers Sappho, Capt Ferdinand Cherry, and Pocosin;, C'apt Daniel Jervey, run between the city and Sullivan's Isl¬ and and Mount Pleasant. The captains are competent and polite. Mr A. F. Witte, is the active superintendent of the line and Capt George, H. Diefenbach and Messrs T. H. J. Williams and! George B. Rich- wood are his faithful and agreeable as¬ sistants. The steamer Sbsie Magwood, Capt Mag- wood, carries freight up the Ashley and Cooper rivers. The passenger steamer Elizabeth, Capt Nelson, runs daily to Cainhoy. The steamer Clarence, Capt Buiwinkle, runs to Kiawah and other points. The passenger steamer Spray, Capt Henry Morrison, runs to> McClellanville. The steamer Sadie, Capt Buiwinkle, runs up Cooper River. The tugs engaged in the bar and har¬ bor towage are well adapted to the busi¬ ness, and are in charge of experienced and competent officers. There are thirty skilled and trained full branch pilots, with three fine pilot boats. Boats are, constantly cruising to furnish vessels with pilots. TONNAGE. The total number of vessels arriving at this port during the past year was 742, against 755 during the previous year. Of this number 103 were foreign and 639 were American. The total net registered ton¬ nage amounted to 924,560, against 818,902 tons last year. The vessels have been classified as follows: Foreign. American. Steamships 84 339 Barks 15 16 Brigs 3 1 Schooners 1 283 Total 103 639 FREIGHTS. Coastwise—During the past six months rates have been the lowest in the history of sailing vessels. For the preceding two weeks freights have improved, orders be¬ ing more numerous and rates strength¬ ening. The improvement established has not been sufficient to materially increase the offering of tonnage. The low rates of freight have brought about several shipments of Carolina rock, lately, in competition with Florida rock. During the past month several cargoes of fertilizers arrived here. Large shipments of crossties and lum¬ ber were made during the year at the pre¬ vailing low rates. The rates are: Dry ties to New York 14 cents for 44 feet; 11 cents for 36 feet; Boston 15 cents. Lumber to New York $4 to $4 25. Phosphate rock, city to New York $1 60; Baltimore $1 40; Philadelphia $1 40. Up the river 25 cents per ton addi¬ tional. DEEP WATER ON THE BAR. A Comprehensive Statement by Capt Frederic V. Abbot of the Government Work in Charleston Harbor—Work which is Now About Completed and which has Achieved the Most Satisfac¬ tory Results. At the request of the Editor of The News and Courier Capt Frederic V. Ab¬ bot kindly consented to write for publica¬ tion in The Annual Review a comprehen¬ sive history of the work which has been 11 done in Charleston harbor by the Govern¬ ment. The statement which he makes is most interesting, and is as follows: United States Engineer Office, Charleston, S. C., August 31, 1897. In accordance with your request of a few days ago I have prepared the follow¬ ing statement regarding theJetties, which have been so successful in deepening the entrance to your harbor. As I am about to leave South Carolina for a distant station I feel that this, my last public statement to your readers, is somewhat of a leave taking, and as such I wish to make it as full and complete an account as possible of all that has been done during the twelve years I have been among the peo¬ ple of your good city. This will, I fear, make the paper of unreasonable length, and will involve my repeating much of what has been said in previous annual statements. When a work of this magni¬ tude has been finished it may be well to give a brief glance at the men who have been connected with it as responsible representatives of the Government which has done the work. Previous to 1878 there was no compre¬ hensive plan for deepening the entrance to the harbor, but much work was done by Gen Gillmore in' the way of removing wrecks and other obstructions which had been the result of the long siege of Charleston under his command. He has often spoken to me of the pleasure he felt in thus being allowed to, in part at least, restore what he had been so conscientious and active in destroying. He took the most intense interest in everything that tended to the growth of both Charleston and Sa¬ vannah, and their increase in wealth and importance as a result of his patient labors was the dream of his later years. He died in harness, working to the last day of his life for these two cities. He was placed in charge in 1870, and died in 1888. His military assistants were as follows: 1870 to 1872, Capt William Ludlow; 1872 to 1873, Capt D. P. Heap; 1873 to 1874, Lieut F. A. Mahan; 1874, Capt J. W. Cuyler; 1874 to 1881, Capt J. C. Post; 1881 to 1883, Capt B. D. Greene; 1883 to 1885, Lieut T. N. Bailey; 1885 to 1888, Lieut F. V. Abbot. Since that time Capt Abbot has been in charge, assisted in 1895 by. Lieut E. H. Schulz, and in 1896 and 1897 by Lieut E. R. Stuart. Since 1882 Mr James P. Allen has been the principal civil assistant engineer. It is now nineteen years since the Jetty project was adopted, and during twelve of those years I have been connected with the actual construction of the Jetties. At first the general belief was that they would ac¬ complish nothing. It has been my good for¬ tune to see this feeling diminish gradually, and in its place has come the certainty of their complete and lasting success. In spite of their incredulity, at first, it is due my many warm friends in this city to say that nowhere in the country could an offi¬ cer have received more universal courtesy and kindness than have been extended to me from the day I reported here for duty till the present day, when I am leaving, probably never again to return, officially, at any rate. The plan of improvement provided for a depth at mean low water of twenty-one feet. This plan of 1878 was slightly modi¬ fied after Gen Gillmore's death in 1888, and the estimated cost was then put at $4,380,500. The work has been completed for $300,000 less than the estimate, and has been maintained for two years in addition. GENERAL ENGINEERING FEA¬ TURES. The entrance to the enclosed basin at Charleston, S. C., is about one mile wide, and lies between Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie. The former is situated on an artificial island practically connected with James Island by a flat sand shoal, bare at low water. Fort Moultrie is on Sulli¬ van's Island, which is separated from the northern mainland only by an insignifi¬ cant creek. The harbor basin proper is about three miles long from east to west, and two miles wide from north to south, and branches out into the two tidal basins known as Ashley and Cooper rivers. These streams have no appreciable fresh water discharge, and hence the volume of each ebb tide is dependent on that of the pre¬ ceding flood. In 1878, when work began, the mean range of tide was 5.1 feet. It is now 4.9 feet. A range of 11 feet may occur dur¬ ing storms. This corresponds with a dis¬ charge of 12,000,000,000 cubic feet in six or eight hours' time, at a rate of over 550,000 cubic feet per second for a great part of the tide. The discharge of average tides is 4,000,000,000 cubic feet in six hours, or over 180,000 cubic feet per second for a great part of each tide. In the unimproved condition of the en¬ trance a channel 80 feet deep in the deepest parts and 3,200 feet wide between 21-foot contours was maintained by the ebb tide flowing out between Sullivan's Island and Fort Sumter, where the shore lines are 4,500 feet apart. This was a plain indication that a channel of 21 feet depth and of a width sufficient for safe navigation could be formed and maintained by forcing a portion of the ebb discharge to pass out over a limited and artificially defined part of the Bar, leaving the greater part of the ebb and as much of the flood as possible to flow as formerly. This would preserve the general balance between the effects of the flood, of the ebb, and of waves to such a degree that the general regimen and locus of the Bar SOUTH JETTY, CHARLESTON HARBOR, LOOKING SEAWARD FROM A POINT 10,000 FEET FROH SHORE. 13 ■would remain as formerly, while a purely i local deepening sufficient for the needs of I commerce would be obtained across that particular part of the Bar selected for the new channel. In the original design made by Col Q. A. Gillmore, and in all subsequent modi¬ fications which have been prompted by experience gained as the work advanced, this main essential idea has been most carefully preserved intact, and more care and more thought have been devoted to avoiding excessive interference with the original natural conditions than to the more evident and less difficult study of how to create increased scour in the new channel. Surveys and current measurements show, for the material composing the bot¬ tom of the outer harbor, that wherever the ebb at its strength attains habitually a velocity of 4 feet a second, and the flood at the same position does not have at its strength a velocity of over 2 1-2 to 3 feet per second, depths of 21 feet at low tide or more are found. The problem to be solved is thus reduced to securing an in¬ crease in the velocity of ebb flow over some part of the Bar to about 4 feet per second without any marked increase in the flood velocity, which is here generally about 2 1-2 feet per second. Knowing the total discharges above stated, the method of increasing the ebb velocity was plain and simple, but the fact that the flood cur¬ rents must not be equally intensified in¬ volved a very careful examination of the regimen of the entrance of the flood tide into the harbor basin. Another vital point to be considered was the local peculiarity of sand movement on the Bar itself. As at most entrances on the South Atlantic coast, there is, at Charleston, a prevailing movement from the northeast to the southwest, which affects the sand composing the Bar. If the portion of the Bar selected for improve¬ ment be taken near the southwest end, it is plain that the sand drifting down the Bar is likely to be deposited in or in front of the improved channel. By selecting a point well to the northeastward, Col Gil- more avoided a conflict with a most un¬ controllable force; even now, after the North Jetty has been raised to high water for six years, there is no indication of any piling up of drifting material against it on the north and east side, or of any ad¬ vance of the foreshore, which has been fatal to so many attractive projects. The selection of the northeastern end of Charleston Bar is made imperative by both of the last two features considered. The funnel shape formed by the shore lines of Sullivan's and Morris Islands causes a very local piling up near their shores of the flood tide, which finds its way in over the whole length of the Bar with quite a uni¬ form flow. As a result the velocity of the flood is greatest close along their shores, and more water will enter the har¬ bor in a given time through an opening near the shore end of a jetty springing from either of these islands than would be the case if an opening of equal cross- section were made farther out from the land. The necessity of allowing the flood tide to enter with as little increase of ve¬ locity as possible, then, demands low in¬ ner ends for both Jetties. If the inner ends must be kept low, it is plain that the direction of the new channel must be selected so that the inertia of the water when flowing ebb shall carry enough of it out beyond these openings before it can turn to either side and thus escape. Other¬ wise no increase in ebb velocity, as com¬ pared with flood velocity, will occur in the new channel. In brief, this new channel must be in the direct prolongation of the line of natural flow of the ebb tide as it issues from the inclosing basin. The Jetty channel, as actually located, is far enough north to avoid the struggle with sand moving down the Bar, and is in such a direction that the living force of the ebb discharge carries the water out past the openings and gives a dynamic head equivalent to a static head of some seven or eight inches. This is proved by the fact that during ebb tide about 1,000 feet seaward of the point where the Jetties first rise from their low level to high water the water between them is higher by that amount than the general ocean level outside of them at the same distance from shore. This head of seven inches has caused the ebb velocity in the new channel to increase from about 2 1-2 feet per second to a little over 4 feet per second, as was desired. The flood velocities have been hardly appreciably affected anywhere ex¬ cept extremely locally, where the entering water pours over the low inner ends. The general theory of the improvement has now been explained; but one point de¬ serves attention before passing to more detailed consideration of the works now so successfully completed. By leaving the in¬ ner ends low and raising the outer ends first and gradually advancing this raising process toward the shore it is possible to divert just such a proportion of the ebb as actual surveys show to be needed, and thus to avoid costly mistakes in judgment or in computations of probable velocities and discharges, doubtful at the best when such complicated conditions of flow are in¬ volved. It also permits a subsequent in¬ crease in the depth of the new entrance if the commerce developed is sufficient to justify the expense of further extending the Jetties. At Charleston the importance of avoid¬ ing excessive scour even in the new chan¬ nel itself is unusually great, because the u depth for a long distance in front of the entrance is but slightly in excess of that required by the project, and the more material is pushed out from between the Jetties the greater is the danger of its lodging directly in front, and thus simply moving the Bar out to sea without any increase in, available depth. The surveys show that this danger has been success¬ fully avoided. The above general considerations re¬ sulted in the present location of the Jet¬ ties. They spring respectively from the shores of Sullivan's and Morris islands, with their inner ends normal to the shore lines, and raised only a few feet above the bottom for the first 6,000 feet. They are then curved (convex toward the new channel) so that at a distance of about 9,000 feet from Sullivan's Island and 14,000 feet from Morris Island they become par¬ allel and 2,900 feet apart between centre lines. The direction of their parallel por¬ tions is south 58 degrees east, which makes the enclosed channel point directy to¬ ward the City of Charleston, with Fort Sumter just a little to the southwest of the centre line, making the defence of the new channel exceptionally effective. There is no room for an enemy's fleet to deploy and concentrate their fire on the fort. As the vessels approach the fort exactly head on the guns in Fort Sumter can be aimed without any large changes due to the vessel's motion, the latter affecting only the range. With the flat trajectories of modern high-power rifles this would be a matter requiring but little adjustment of the elevation. This position of Fort Sumter also allows a most sensitive range for use at night or during the daytime in time of peace. The best water in the new channel is exactly on the range of Sum¬ ter light and a light in the belfry of St Philip's Church, in Charleston, some 3 1-2 miles in rear, so that the change in apparent position of the two range lights can be seen as one walks across the deck of a steamer crossing the Bar. An incidental advantage of the low in¬ ner ends is the preservation of the old main ship channel, for a time at least, for the use of vessels drawing not over 12 or 13 feet. This is a decided advantage for such craft when going southward, and is with certain winds a convenience to sail¬ ing vessels entering without the aid of a tug boat. Up to the present time there has been but little shoaling on the old South Bar itself, but the gradual narrow¬ ing of the old main ship channel a little south of the South Jetty looks as though this channel might not survive many years longer. It was formed originally by the drift of sand from the northeast forcing the natural outlet, which is coincident with the present Jetty channel, to the south, and now that this is stopped by the Jetties the old channel may reasonably be expected to deteriorate greatly with time, although it will undoubtedly be maintained with a diminished depth by the large volume of ebb that is still al¬ lowed to flow as formerly, passing over the top of the submerged portion of the South Jetty. PROGRESS OF CONSTRUCTION. The first appropriation was made on June 18, 1878, and work was started on the North Jetty very near the end of that year. To avoid undue scour around the end of the work the foundations of both jetties were built out to the crest of the Bar before any portions were raised sufficiently to greatly affect the flow. These foundations consisted throughout of log mattresses loaded with small stone. At the mattress camp the logs were floated close together in the water and made up into compact rafts with stout poles as cross binders, about eight feet apart, spiked to every log. The latter were so placed that when the mattress was sunk in the jetty the logs were perpendicular to its axis. The mattresses were generally about 50 feet' long in the direction of the jetty, and of a width equal to the width of the jetty base at the point at which they were to lie. In this "way the width of a mattress as specified in the reports was generally greater than its length. The width varied from 40 feet near the shore to 118 feet near the outer ends, and where the width was greater than the length of single logs the latter were so arranged as to break joints. For instance, where the jetty is 100 feet wide the outer log in a mattress might be composed of two 50's with two' 40's and a 20 next to it, and a 60 and 40 next to them, etc. The longer logs were on the outside, and no log was so short as to be spiked to less than two binders. On top of the mattresses, and be¬ tween the binders, hard wood brush was distributed so as to* form a cushion, and prevent the stone from jarring the logs loose while the mattress was being placed. The brush was held by light binders lashed to the main binders. The brush also served the useful purpose of preventing the stone ballast from sliding when one side of a mattress sank sooner than the other. These mattresses were floated like any other raft from the camp to their moor¬ ings in rear of Sullivan's Island. There they were securely fastened between two stone scows, which were towed into posi¬ tion, the mattress was loaded with from 30 to' 60 tons of one-man stone, the sup¬ porting lines were slacked off, and the mattress settled into position. To enable the position of the mattress to be determined after setting, light poles, called floating markers, were fastened by 15 one end near the ends of the mattresses at known positions. When the mattress sank the free ends of the markers floated, and they became practically small spar buoys. The inspector's crew pushed the marker up till it was vertical, and the inspector noted the position with respect to the range and to the markers on the next pre¬ ceding mattress. Occasionally a floating marker was guyed up vertical by cords and was instrumentally located by the assist¬ ant engineer as a check on the accuracy of the inspectors. At first the mattresses were sunk so as to touch or overlap slightly, but later it was found to be bet¬ ter to allow small spaces between consecu¬ tive mattresses, as the subsequent loading broke off the binders where laps occurred, and numbers of logs were thus lost. The spaces being narrow and filled with small stone, no scour or settlement has occurred from this cause. Where the mattress foundation is over 118 feet wide the width is composed of more than one row of mat¬ tresses. Before the foundations were entirely completed some mattresses were placed in a second course on top of the first or foun¬ dation course, and at one place a third course was used. Very shortly after I was placed in local charge, I discontinued the use of mattresses, except in the founda¬ tion courses, as the upper courses were very unsatisfactory. The ballasting on the lower tier, having been deposited through a considerable depth of water, was, of necessity, anything but perfectly even and flat, and the second tier was thus supported only at a few points, and its subsequent heavy loading caused very complete shattering of the second-course mattress, with the loss of many logs. The log mattress has proved to be an admirable foundation on the bottom found here, very fine and easily moved sand, but it is al¬ together too rigid and, at the same time, fragile for use as a hearting. In 1886 work on the foundations was about completed, and a narrow ridge of one-man stone was piled along the axis of the Jetty near the outer ends. In 18S9 the raising of the Jetties with much larg¬ er stone was begun, and a. considerable dis¬ tance on each Jetty was brought up to low-water level. This was almost entirely on the outer portions. The cost of doing the work had been generally decreasing from the start, when both contractors and engineers were inexperienced in the best way of handling work of this kind. W O W o 3 CD M crq p a to O 3 S3 W * o o FN d ■ ; 1 o Q W 3 P 3 3 crq CI- to p 3 & d O P 3 to to 'd £ O* rt> << g dg"1 < t* c ^ X W SO P arc? U1 P P Cu K O U2 ui u o oo GO CO oo oo CO 00 00 CO oo o 4^ oo oo 00 OO OO OO 4*^ to O to to M CO MOl H CD O -I tO -1 H CD CO ►fc*- co cs cn CD O H -O CD tO Q1 M M OO 00 OO oo oo -a o o oo o to oo ^ oo o CO o o id dddd dddddddd ddd CD CD CD CD CDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDMiCDCDCD 3 3 3 3 '-S'-S'-S'-i'-i'-S'-S'-SCI'-s'-S'-S c°°o cr 3 3 3 o to to to ^ o P 3 OQ iq o CD I ® '"I y. M" d r-t- o CD 3 to M. .. to o 6 t-" 3 S® « P p 3 o pi p 3 3 3 •—. fD P. 3 g ® © 3 •3 3 r-t- o CD — a> «: 3 p to M- d CD 3 3 OO CO Ml o 3 3 O 3 Mi 3^ B 3 CD 3 CD O to 3 P cr 3 p 3 V! ® P << 3 m Pi 3 Pi to l3 M to CD d o o 3 3 2! 3! o o '< V- p p 3 3 Pi p. Pi to to CD p 3 CD P p 3 3 CD •C c P c 3 r Pi- CD Pi crq CD Pi cr CD rr* 3 CD CD 3 c-r CD CP to 3 O P 3 r-r CD M" • 3 CD to to 3 » 3 3! P CD r+ O 3 5 Cp O to p to p. • ... O 3 to o O o o 3 •3 o P r-b CD Pi P cr w M- 3 P O 33 3* CD p: "333 3 fl> 3! g d P o § 3 O ° O* "■ Pi O 3 P 3 3 m- (D & o"*' S- P § O ^ 3 P d P CJT 3- 13 60 I—1 Pi CD ,_i CD Mi £ M- o 00 2 99^ Mi Qj O o £ M> 3 . p 3 3 3 I • (T> Pi oo oo to O •-s 3 0 p 1 ro rt> o CQ O P (D UNITED STATES QUARRY NEAR EDGEFIELD, S. C. 17 In 1891 the slow progress of both dredg- f ing and stone work under contract made j it advisable to construct a Government ! plant and do some of the work by hired labor. This plant was completed and used I in 1891 and the early part of 1892. Up to { this time all stone had been rolled off the lighters by hand, and as this necessitated putting the stone scows close to the work, or even over the top of it, the contrac¬ tor's plant had suffered greatly in the pro¬ cess of raising the work to low-water in 1890. The Government plant consisted of 8 good 200-ton stone scows, with flush decks, a good tug boat, 2 steam hoisting scows, a good quarry plant, capable of loading fif¬ teen 25-ton railroad cars a day, a set of 3 convenient derricks on one of the railroad wharves in Charleston, and a first-class pump dredge, capable of raising 2,000 yards of material a day. The dredge cost $65,000 complete, the stone scows $1,000 each, the tug $15,000, the hoisting scows $5,000 and $7,000, respectively, and the quarry plant some $5,000, including the stripping and work necessary to secure a face. The granite ledge was level with the surface of the earth and was flat on top, and would not have been selected had any other suitable quarry site been available within a suitable freight radius of Charles¬ ton. In 1891 the Government plant, operated by hired labor and Mr Friday's plant, operated under his contract, worked to¬ gether, the former on the south, the latter on the North Jetty. It was found that the cost that year by hired labor was $1 70 per ton, including office expenses and superin¬ tendence, as compared with $2 20 per ton for exactly the same work by contract, in¬ cluding inspection. Both the Friday plant and the Govern¬ ment plant used steam for handling the rock, but Mr Friday loaded his hoisting scows with stone, and thus their working days were only the time required to put off the 400 tons each carried; the Govern¬ ment plant unloaded scows moored along¬ side of the steam-hoisting flat, and thus put off over 800 tons on some days with one machine and one crew. The Govern¬ ment hoisting scow lay between the Jetty and the deeply loaded lighters, and, as she was of much less draft than Mr Friday's, loaded hoisters, she could get much nearer the work without danger of injury, and had less trouble in depositing the stone where it was needed; that is, exactly on the centre line of the Jetty. By building up the work as she went along to a height well above high water, a lee was provided which made it not difficult or dangerous to*work in any weather that was not too rough to safely tow the loaded stone light¬ ers. The stone handled this year was not less than one ton nor more than seven j 2 tons in weight for work near the outer ends, smaller stone mixed with the seven- ton rock was permitted nearer shore. No attempt was made to make the pile of stone wide enough to stand permanently, as immediate concentration of the current was desired, and a better structure could be secured by allowing the waves to dis¬ tribute the rock, and subsequently to raise the pile again with additional large stone. A much more stable and less porous Jetty results. The Act of July 13, 1892, placed this im¬ provement under the continuing contract system, and necessitated the discontinu¬ ance of work by hired labor. The contract was let in October of that year to G. W. Egan and Jacob Friday at the following prices: Stone, $2 25 to $2 35 per ton, de¬ pending on the distance from shore, and $3 20 per ton for heavy stone placed well above high water line on the Morris Island end of the South Jetty; mattresses set at the extreme outer end of the jetties, where the water was exceedingly rough, $1 25 per square yard; dredging, 28 cents per cubic yard. In this contract the specifications pro¬ vided that the contractor should rent and use the Government plant at a rental specified for each item in the specifications themselves. This worked admirably. The prices, while somewhat higher than be¬ fore, were so because of the passage of the "eight-hour law" in 1892, just as this con¬ tract was advertised, the increase being less than 20 per cent (the difference be¬ tween an eight-hour and a ten-hour day's work) above the previous one, which shows that the rent received by the United States was practically all gain. In this way the United States received back in rent during this contract, which was completed July 31, 1895, the sum of $108,946 50, leaving a plant worth $105,000. in its hands in good order at an aggregate outstanding outlay of only $27,236 40, which includes original cost and all repairs and betterments. The stone plant is at present fully oc¬ cupied in constructing the harbor de¬ fences, and the dredge is working between the jetties at a cost, for the past eleven months, of less than 10 cents per cubic yard dredged, all repairs included. It is not improbable that the possession of this plant, the experience gained by its use, and the knowledge on the part of bidders for the continuing contract that we had this definite knowledge has saved the United States fully $200,000 up to the pres¬ ent time, and has saved an expenditure of fully $40,000 for a plant that would have been needed for construction of defences. CHANGES IN CURRENTS. At the present time the water, as it flowrs out from between Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie, spreads out slightly toward the 18 openings in the North and South Jetties, and is then forced together again between them. Previous to the building of the Jetties the great bulk of the ebb impinged against the shore of Sullivan's Island, and then curved sharply off to the southward, and followed a generally straight course parallel to the shore of Morris Island, with the centre of flow about one mile off shore. Considerable ebb also passed out along the Sullivan's Island shore. The point at which the water flowing south now divides from that flowing out between the Jetties is so located as to indicate that more than one-half of the ebb still passes over the submerged parts of the Jetties, and the way the filaments are first drawn apart toward the submerged parts, then bend back and approach each other, with a final direction parallel to each other and to the outer part of both Jetties, is inter¬ esting and instructive. Their ultimate divergence beyond the Jetty ends is also marked. It is, however, gradual enough to show that the effect of the concentration lasts with but slight loss fully a half-mile beyond their outer extremities. Current meter observations were taken at intervals, as work progressed, and were of great assistance in determining the point at which the inward extension of the high portions should be stopped. The direction of flow was also observed care¬ fully by eye as work advanced, and the raising of one Jetty or the other was relatively hastened whenever a tendency to throw the bulk of ebb flow over toward that side of the new channel developed. As a result, the scour has been kept well away from either Jetty and the new chan¬ nel is straight. Carelessness in this regard might easily have resulted in throwing the flow heavily against one or the other Jetty. It would then have been reflected across to the other and back, and thus a sinuous line of scour would have been pro¬ duced, and a channel hard to light and hard to follow would have been formed. This tendency of the ebb to shift sud¬ denly from side to side, as work advances, is a very substantial reason for not at¬ tempting this character of work without ample funds in hand to control any sud¬ den change as soon as it develops. It is hard to conceive of a more hopeless feel¬ ing than that of an engineer who sees a disastrous change in progress and knows that he must quietly wait for a year or more before he can raise a finger to stop it. A few hundred dollars spent at the right time would do more than many thou¬ sands a year later. It was this very uncertainty with regard to funds that made progress, as far as in¬ crease in depth is concerned, so slow for the first thirteen years. Each new ap¬ propriation had to be spent in such a way as to do work that would be necessary some tlm», but could not safely be so ap¬ plied as to produce any considerable effect on the flow of the currents. The penalty of rashness, or overconfidence in the con¬ tinuance of Congressional aid. might well have been the responsibility of making the harbor entrance much worse than it was in its natural condition. Those who have not been forced to contend with a power so vast, so changeable, and so constantly acting as that of the tidal currents here, can have but slight conception of the anx¬ iety of the engineer who tries to convert their force into useful and definite work, with an intermittent and utterly irregular supply of funds. Work has been suspend¬ ed for as long as nineteen months at a time. PROGRESSIVE CHANGES IN THE CHANNEL. By 1884 the Jetties had reached such a stage that their effect on the channel be¬ gan to be apparent. The annual survey of this year was very extensive and thor¬ ough, and the data for tidal reductions had by that time been so well determined that this survey has uniformly been selected in recent annual reports as the one with which to compare the improved channel. In 1884 there was a large shoal connecting with the North Jetty about at the point where the latter becomes parallel with the South Jetty. As defined by the 12-foot curve, this shoal extended across the space between the Jetties, to within 700 feet of the South Jetty. A very large part of it had less than 9 feet on it at mean low tide, and the least depth found anywhere on it was about 6 feet. This sand reef was then known as the Jim Evans Shoal. Con¬ necting with the South Jetty, at a point about opposite the outer junction of the 12-foot curve of Jim Evans Shoal and the North Jetty, was another reef, then called the Swash Reef. This shoal, as defined by the 12-foot curve, was about equal in area to Jim Evans; it extended to within 100 feet of the North Jetty; had less than 9 feet depth over a large proportion of its area, and its least sounding was less than 6 feet. Between the two was a diagonal channel 1,000 feet wide, with depths be¬ tween 11 1-2 and 13 1-2 feet. Between the parallel parts of the Jetties there was no sounding as deep as 15 feet, and the dis¬ tance from 18 feet depths inside to 18 feet depths outside, was about 8.000 feet. Be¬ tween 21 feet inside and 21 feet outside, the distance was at that time about 15,000 feet. Such was the barrier to be removed. By 1889. five years later, Jim Evans had been pushed down along the North Jetty some 700 feet, and the area less than 9 feet was greatly reduced. Swash Reef 'had been pushed out fully 1,000 feet, with a similar great reduction in area less than 9 feet deep. Its 12-foot curve had, however, i 19 connected with the North Jetty, and the 12-foot curve of Jim Evans was within 400 feet of the South Jetty. So far as com¬ merce was concerned the result was a de¬ cided loss of available depth; but little or no traffic used this channel, and the re¬ sults from an engineering point of view were. encouraging, as much material had been moved by the Jetties when only a few feet above the bottom, and the tendency was to level off the tops of the shoals. By June, 1891, considerable portions of the Jetties had been raised to or above low water, and the effect was very plain. Hardly any area less than 9 feet was found on Jim Evans, and the 9-foot lump on Swash Reef had been pushed out be¬ yond the Jetty and off to the southward. Both shoals had, as before, moved rapidly outward, and a straight 12-foot channel had nearly broken through just where the shoalest water on Swash Reef had former¬ ly been found. In the map for June, 1892, the effect of dredging is seen in the appearance of a narrow, straight, 15-foot cut from the deeper water inside down to the point where the Jetties become parallel. This year's map also, for the first time, shows areas of over 15 feet deep between the parallel parts of the Jetties. They were of considerable size and nearly connecting. A narrow 12-foot channel had broken through. A survey made in September, 1893, im¬ mediately after the most severe hurricane known here for a century, showed the jetties to be in good condition, with even better water between them than in June of that year. A broad and straight 15-foot channel was shown all the way through. The last traces of Swash Reef had van¬ ished, and Jim Evans was well out beyond the outer end of the North Jetty. By this time the value of the pump dredge was well proved. The jetties were amply able to take care of matters at all points ex¬ cept at the extreme outer end. Here Jim Evans Shoal was trying to move off to the southwest, as Swash Reef had done. ' To do so it had to cross our channel, and at this point the dredge was just able to keep up with the supply of material beaten into the channel. In the meantime a strong tendency for a deep channel to open to the north between Jim EVans and the outer part of the North Jetty had shown itself. In June, 1894, an 18-foot channel all the way through this outer shoal was found, but about opposite the point where the jetties first become parallel there was still less than this depth. Here the bottom was hard shell, and did not give way to either the scour or the pump dredge. Since that time the successive surveys have generally showed progressive im- . provement. The hard inner shoal has been removed by a clam-shell dredge. On this year's map (June, 1896.) is shown a straight and safe 18-foot channel all the way through, with a centre depth of 18 1-2 feet at low water. The general depth is much greater than this, and 21 feet at low water, the projected depth, is all the way through except for a distance of 700 feet on the shortest line between the 21-foot curves inside and outside of this narrow ridge at the entrance. On the line of the present deepest water this distance is 900 feet. The channel passing out to the north of Jipa Evans, or what is now left of that shoal, is now over 500 feet wide between 15-foot curves, and another but narrow channel 17 feet deep has broken out some distance beyond the outer end of the South Jetty. There is hardly any water to be found on Jim Evans less than 12 feet deep, and this whole shoal is rapidly and certainly be¬ coming dispersed and carried off. How much of this increased depth is due to the jetties and how much to dredging? The dredge has been closely confined to the range shown on the chart, which is that of St Philip's Church steeple light and Fort Sumter light, while the deepen¬ ing is general over almost the entire area between the jetties. The total dredging has aggregated 2,205,544 cubic yards. The total deepening since 1884 corresponds with a disappearance of 4,094,247 cubic yards. The difference is the effect, pure and simple, of the jetties. As they act the first effect is to push material out straight to the front. It is there exposed to the tendency of all material on the Bar to be driven off to the southwest, which is at right angles with the new channel. The total 4,094,247 cubic yards above given shows only the quantity that this tendency and dredging has been able to remove. The area under consideration is that part of the Bar se¬ lected for improvement, which lies between depths of 21 feet inside and 21 feet outside, and is included between parallel lines de¬ fined by the jetty axes prolonged both in¬ ward and seaward. The inner 12,440 feet of this area shows cut amounting to 4,984,768 cubic yards. The dredging has been 2,205,544; the balance, 2,779,224 cubic yards, shows the total jetty scour. The difference, amounting to 890,521 cubic yards, between the total scour on the inner 12,440 feet and the entire amount of material above given as having absolutely disap¬ peared shows the quantity that the jetties have moved out. but which has not yet been finally disposed of by either dredg¬ ing or drifting off out of the way to the southwest. It follows from this that the jetty currents are by fully that amount more active than the drifting and dredg¬ ing combined. This is another strong illus¬ tration of the necessity of not overdoing the contraction. If the scour had been in¬ creased by more violently concentrating the ebb the effect would have been simply to UNITED STATES STONE HANDLING PLANT, UNION WHARF, CHARLESTON, S. C. 21 supply material to form a new outer shoal more rapidly than it could have been dis¬ sipated by the natural causes beyond the jetty ends, which we cannot control, and by our dredging-. In place of more rapid progress the improvement in channel depth which is now afforded commerce would have been secured later or at a greatly increased cost for dredging. But little more remains to be accom¬ plished. The surveys show that there is no new material coming down the Bar from the north to reinforce the present outer shoal, which is composed exclusively of sand we have pushed out ourselves from between the jetties. During the past year the Government dredge has been kept at work, and about 12,000 tons of large stone have been put on the shore end of the North Jetty, to stop the erosion of the beach, and to reinforce the shore connection. No other repairs of any kind have been needed since work stopped in July, 1895. It was not urgent even now, but advantage was taken of a good opportunity to buy some stone cheap¬ ly from the contractors for the new bat¬ tery on Sullivan's Island. During the year two surveys have been made, each showing better water than any preceding chart. At the time of the regu¬ lar annual survey, June 9, 1897, the en¬ trance channel, on the range of St Philip's Church spire and Sumter light, had at low water, a centre depth of nineteen and a quarter feet, with a width between 18-foot curves of 175 feet. This gives a high water clear depth of twenty-four and a quarter feet. As soon as the extreme outer shoal is passed this range carries vessels through water not less than twenty-seven feet deep at high tide, till they reach the very deep water of the main inner harbor. In March, April and May the dredge had been able to do only the equivalent of about one month's work on the outer shoal, which shows that the depth of twenty-four feet at high water is self-maintaining, at any rate, for that length of time. That advantage has been taken of this improvement is shown by the fact that a steamer drawing 22 feet 4 inches, crossed the Bar in September, 1896, one drawing 21 feet 4 inches, crossed the Bar in Decem¬ ber, 1896, and one drawing 22 feet 3 inches, crossed the Bar in February, 1897, all without touching bottom. The greatest draft crossing the Bar before the Jetties were completed was 19 feet, and this ves¬ sel came in through the old Main Ship Channel. She was bumped across on a very high spring tide. Vessels were then loaded to 17 feet as a maximum, and all commerce entered through the southern channels, about three miles further south than the Jetty channel. The most prominent change that has oc¬ curred during the year just passed is the appearance, for the first time, of a clear channel, 19 feet deep at low tide, leading from the deepest part of the Jetty channel, out past the outer end of the North Jetty. This new opening, although it carries 24 feet at mean high water, is too narrow and too crooked as yet, as an entrance for deep-draft vessels. It has formed without any aid from dredging, and with time, will deepen and widen, as has been predicted in successive annual reports. A broad and safe twenty and a half-foot channel at high water now exists on a line leading due east from black spar buoy, No 3. A careful study of the curves and mean soundings, shows more conclusively than in previous years, the tendency of material on the outer Bar to drift off to the south¬ west, where it is entirely out of the way. The formation of the new 24-feet, high water channel to the north of all the outer shoals, and in a place where no dredging has been done indicates clearly that the time is approaching when the need for fur¬ ther dredging will cease. The straight channel on the dredge range through the inner shoals, has now a centre depth of 27 feet at high tide, and is 200 feet wide between 23-foot curves at high tide. During the year about 500,000 cubic yards of material have passed out from the area, bounded by the 26-foot, high water curves, outside of the Bar and outside of the deep water in the main harbor, and the axes of the Jetties prolonged till they intersect these curves. Of these 500,000 cubic yards of material, about 100,000 cubic yards have been removed by scour unaided by dredg¬ ing from the northern third of this area. From the middle third, about 400,000 cubic yards have been removed by scour and dredging combined. In the southern third, cut and fill about balance. About 60 per cent of the total scour has come from the outer shoal, somewhat over half of this is attributed to dredging. The last three years have shown an in¬ crease of depth of about a foot a year, and only one and three-quarters feet remains to be gained before all that was promised in the project has been attained. The maps and photographs which you have so carefully prepared to accompany this paper, are all correct reproductions of official papers in this office. With best wishes for the future for your¬ self, for your paper, for your city and for your State, I am very respectfully, your obedient servant. Frederic V. Abbot, Captain of Engineers, U. S. Army. 22 PHOSPHATES AND FE UTILIZERS. The Year's Business at the Mines and Among the Manufacturers. The following- report of the trade in phos¬ phate rock and fertilizers was prepared by- Major E. Willis, of this city: The fertilizer business more particularly than any other, except, perhaps, that of the sea island cotton business, is largely confined to Charleston, Charleston being the largest fertilizer manufacturing centre in the United States. The money with which the manipulation of the goods is conducted is supplied by Charleston, the product is stored here from the beginning to the end of the season and the consumers in this and other SouthernStates are large¬ ly supplied from this point—the active busi¬ ness here running from October 1 to May 1. The entire Southern country during the last commercial year has suffered from the general business depression, and the man¬ ufacturers of fertilizers have not been en¬ tirely unaffected by the conditions which have obtained in every line or department of commercial endeavor. The fertilizer business is subject to many risks—the im¬ mense sums of money required for the manipulation of the goods having to be put out at a venture, the returns of the manu¬ facturers depending upon the extent and value of the crops. The shipments of fer¬ tilizers during the year just closed have been 374,494 tons, as compared with 257,715 tons shipped in 1895-96, a gain of nearly 50 per cent. The total output of the mills has probably been 400,000 tons. The labor expended on the manufacture of fer¬ tilizers, the materials employed in its man¬ ufacture, consisting of chemicals, sulphur, kainit, blood, tankage, cotton seed meal, potash and phosphate rock, are all cash articles. As there are companies here which manufacture from 25,000 to 80,000 tons a year, it will be clear tO' even those who are not familiar with the business that a large amount of capital is required to keep the companies going during the year. The business during the past season has been large, and the companies are all well sat¬ isfied with the results of the year's opera¬ tions. They are at work now overhauling and putting their buildings, works, ma¬ chinery, chambers and wharves in order for the next season's business, which they confidently expect to< largely exceed that of any former year. They will all be equipped for the work, -whatever extent it may reach. The State of Georgia will use this year over 400,000 tons of commercial fertilizers, more than the quantity used by any other two States. North Carolina's consumption has closely approximated 200,000 tons, and South Carolina has made over 400,000 tons, nearly all of which has been sold. Fertilizer Companies. The following is a list of the manufac¬ turing companies and their representa¬ tives in South Carolina: IN CHARLESTON. Ashepoo Company, Robertson & Taylor, Charleston. Ashley Company, Edwards Buist Sim¬ ons, Charleston. Atlantic Company, George A. Wagener, general manager, Charleston. Berkeley Company, W. B. Chisolm, Charleston. Chicora Company, George A. Wagener, general manager, Charleston. Edisto Company, J. B. E. Sloan, Charleston. Etiwan Company, Earle Sloan, Charles¬ ton. Imperial Company, G. W. Mclver, Charleston. Stono Company, E. H. Frost & Co, Charleston. Wrando Company, C. Richardson, Charleston. Wappoo Mills, C. C. Pinckney, Jr, Wilcox, Gibbs & Co, W. C. Macmurphy, Charleston. Read Company, Read & Co, Charles¬ ton. Pacific Guano Company, shut down. Cotton States Fertilizer Company, H. M. Tucker, secretary. Standard Fertilizer Company, T. M. Waring. INTERIOR COMPANIES. Anderson Cotton Seed Oil Company, Anderson. Columbia Fertilizer Company, Columbia. Darlington Fertilizer Company, Dar¬ lington. Globe Fertilizer Company, Columbia. Greenville Fertilizer Company, Green¬ ville. Georgia Chemical Works, Pon-Pon. Port Royal Fertilizer Company, Port Royal. , Spartanburg Fertilizer Company, Spar¬ tanburg. Sumter Cotton Oil and Fertilizer Com¬ pany. Union Oil and Fertilizer Company, Union. Winnsboro Fertilizer Company, Winns- boro. FERTILIZERS SHIPPED FROM CHARLESTON. S.C. N.E, C.&S. 1892-93. R'd. R. R. R'y. Strs. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. September 2,992 2,372 868 104 October 3,674 2,348 186 13 November 2,102 690 821 41 December 8,286 1,277 4,111 55 January 40,353 15,395 18,962 869 February 52,558 25,057 36,701 1,956 March 38,475 18,767 18,940 2,364 April 5,564 3,397 1,851 131 May 1,371 951 344 118 June 1,746 850 278 134 July 980 45 2,340 /I Auigust 2,500 2,000 500 150 Grand total 325,658 23 S.C. N.E. C.&S. 1893-94. R.R. R.R. R'y Strs. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. September 2,275 1,157 795 128 October .. 2,503 1,379 990 08 November 5,566 727 3,897 79 December 4,919 703 6,138 63 January .. 33,479 12,146 26,012 675 February 49,486 23,748 39,117 1,783 March 31,116 20,882 16,381 2,096 April 6,108 3,927 4,620 217 May 1,332 1,309 854 34 June 2,508 181 1,207 132 July 580 200 2,000 94 August, assumed.. 2,500 175 250 55 Total 142,372 66,534 102,261 5,444 Grand total 316,611 S.C. N.E. C.&S. 1894-95. R.R. R.R. R'y Strs. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. September 2,333 1,179 371 48 October 2,890 963 758 59 November .. •« • ■ 2,566 777 2,085 48 December 4,179 310 2,218 16 January 8,625 1,445 4,029 184 February 13,423 3,565 11,631 474 March 33,500 15,135 13,166 1,140 April 8,839 6,637- 3,882 681 May 1,316 417 1,219 30 June 663 325 600 .... July 1,571 715 2,964 .... August 442 809 1,300 Total 80,347 32,277 44,223 2,679 Grand! total 159,526 S.C. N.E. C.&S. 1895-96. R.R. R.R. R'y Strs, Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. September .. .. .. 4,055 425 114 43 October 2,904 523 1,339 67 November 3,198 238 2,203 111 December 951 5,659 134 January 28,892 7,993 18,465 670 February 38,823 23,587 36,174 1,742 March 24,239 14,425 16,087 1,871 April 4,000 2,413 4,148 367 May 652 435 231 39 June 254 . 386 110 12 July 1,442 93 51 .... August 1,500 250 600 Total 110,259 51,719 85,181 5,056 Sail vessels 5,500 10,556 Grand total 257,715 SHIPMENTS AND SALES. The following figures will show the last four years' shipments and sales of fer¬ tilizers: Tons. 1894. 1895. 1896. 1897. Port Royal.. .. 28,000 19,000 35,000 35,000 Savannah .. ..116,000 77,000 90,000 120,000 Charleston .. ..316,611 159,526 257,715 374,494 Tons 460,611 255,526 382,715 529,494 S.C. N.E. C&S. Strs. R. R. R. R. R'y. 1896-97. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. September 2,891 901 447 97 October 3,122 1,765 3,818 55 November 5,954 588 4,960 71 December 10,975 1,119 7,491 47 January, 1897 53,605 13,559 35,221 3,192 February 53,231 26,863 36,786 1,371 March 33,332 25,650 18,003 2,456 April 5,947 3,623 2,663 488 May 900 391 2,139 87 June 450 120 543 57 July... 1,600 64 3,122 August 2,100 130 642 Total 174,107 74,773 115,835 9,779 Grand total 374,494 COMMERCIAL MANURES. The following table shows how gen¬ erally throughout the entire country is disseminated commercial manures and but little made except from South Caro¬ lina or Florida and Tennessee rock as the basis, and that consumed by Southern State®, mainly used on cotton, but in other sections used all the year round on all character of crops, even on grass, roses, flowers and lawns: FERTILIZERS MANUFACTURED AND CONSUMED IN THE U. S. M anu f ac tu red: Tons. 1885 1,020,000 1886 1,099,500 1887 975,000 1888 990,000 1889 1,230,000 1890 1,250,000 1891 1,360,000 1892 1,365,000 1893 1,350,000 1894 1,600,000 1895 1,325,000 1896 1,500,000 1897 1,700,000 Consumed: Tons 1885 1,007,000 1886 1,016,631 1887 950,000 1888 975,500 1889 1,200,000 1890 1,195,000 1891 1,340,000 1892 1,070,000 1893 1,225,000 1894 1,575,000 1895 , 1,128,000 1896 1,355,000 1897 1,675,000 ESTIMATED CONSUMTION OF FERTI¬ LIZERS IN THE UNITED STATES. 1892. 1893. 1894. Tons. Tons. Tons. Alabama 40,000 45,000 80,000 Florida 20,000 35,000 50,000 Georgia 175,000 280,000 290,000 South Carolina .. 110,000 115,000 150,000 North Carolina. . 90,000 90,000 125,000 Tennessee 30.000 35,000 40,000 Kentucky 15,000 20,000 25,000 Mississippi 10.000 15,000 25.000 Arkansas 10.000 15,000 20,000 Louisiana 10.000 25,000 25,000 Texas 5.000 10,000 15,000 Virginia 55.000 50,000 90,000 West Virginia... . 25.000 25,000 30,000 N. E. States 100,000 105,000 120,000 W. States 75.000 80,000 125,000 N. States 305,000 285,000 365,000 Total 1,070,000 1,205.000 1,575,000 24 1895. 189G. 1897. Tons. Tons. Tons. Alabama 60,000 75,000 80,000 Florida 40,000 50,000 70,000 Georgia 200,000 310,000 410,000 South Carolina .. 100,000 140,000 160,000 North Carolina .. 90,000 100,000 130,000 Tennesso 30,000 35,000 45,000 Kentucky .. 20,000 25,000 30,000 Mississippi 20,000 25,000 40,000 Arkansas 15,000 20,000 30,000 Louisiana 18,000 25,000 40,000 Texas 10,000 20,000 30,000 Virginia 50,000 50,000 70,000 West Virginia . .. 20,000 35,000 40,000 N. E. States .. .. 100,000 100,000 110,000 W. State® 100,000 125,000 140,000 N. States 255,000 220,000 250,000 1,128,000 1,355,000 1,675,000 ACREAGE OF THE UNITED STATES PLANTED IN COTTON. Year. Acres. 1888 19,781,000 1889 20,173,000 1890 20,910,000 1891 20,838,000 1892 18,362,000 1893 19,701,000 1894 20,107,247 1895 17,558,000 1896 20,150,000 1897 23,300,000 The United States Government reports on acreage of cotton planted and the con¬ dition of the growing crop would exert more influence than they do if different methods were used in their distribution and if they were delivered in all sections of the cotton belt at the same time. Chemicals. Chemicals for Charleston from 1st Sep- t« mber, 1895, to 1st September, 1896: Tons. Value. Kainit 21,563 $139,696 Sulpha.r 7,980 96,116 M. potash 2,527 92,148 Pyrites 12,272 27,935 Fertilizers .... Manure salt 51 1,101 Nitrate soda 790 24,406 Phosphates - .... Guano .... Sulphate potash 47 1,996 Sulphur ore 13,700 50,002 58,939 $433,400 Imported from 1st September, 1896, to 1st September, 1897: Tons. Value. Kainit ' 42,349 $273,608 Brimstone 8,900 149,221 M. potash 5,289 198,167 Pyrites 20,570 31,571 Fertilizers — Nitrate soda 1,095 40,405 Manure salt....' 718 9,062 Phosphates .... Guano .... Sulphate potash 121 ■ 4,839 Sulphur ore 28,786 104,066 Total 107,828 $810,941 1896-97. Tons. Port Royal 35,000 Savannah 120,000 Charleston 374,494 Total .» 529,494 Phosphates and Fertilizers in 1897. PHOSPHATE ROCK. As we have said, the commercial year closing August 31, 1897, has been a hard business year. Aside from the general depression which has prevailed in all branches of trade and in all the commer¬ cial countries of the world, the fertilizer manufacturers and miners in this State have done a® well as those of any other country or section. It is estimated that the present mining capacity of this coun¬ try is 1,000,000 tons of rock a year. The variety of rock in this country being so varied and the mining equipment so ex¬ tensive and capable of unlimited improve¬ ment and development, it is reasonable to- say that with the necessary demand the mining and manufacturing capacity of the United States could be increased to supply any'demand that might occur. LAND MINING. There are two classes of mining opera¬ tions conducted in this State. What is known as land rock is taken from the land mines, where the deposits of rock occur from six to fifteen feet below the surface of the ground. The river rock is dredged from the rivers. The land rock is generally used in the local manufacture of fertilizers, and the river rock is shipped for the most part to foreign countries. Carolina rock is regarded by manu¬ facturers as the most uniform in analysis, and varies less in quality than that of any other competing product. The results obtained from it are always satisfactory, and it can be manipulated by the manu¬ facturers without any large expenditure for skilled labor. RIVER MINING. The depression in the phosphate trade during the year was not confined to Flor¬ ida, but extended also to other sections of the mining regions. In this State the river mining operations have been greatly interfered with by politicians who have obtained control.and have used their best endeavors to crush an industry which has paid millions of dollars into the State treasury. Until the legislation and Ad- minstration became so systematically an¬ tagonistic to the phosphate mining in¬ dustry in this State South Carolina held the supremacy in phosphate mining. The following statement shows the amount of money paid into the State treasury annually for the royalty on phosphate rock mined in the State: 1886 $191,174 00 1887 *. 202,757 00 1888 190,274 00 1889 212,101 00 1890 237,139 00 1891 169,292 60 1892.. 192,461 00 1893 249,338 00 2 J 1894 114,281 00 1895 174,400 00 1896 121,602 00 Frcm 1870 to 1876 the royalty paid into the State treasury by the river raining companies in this State amounted to $3,096,290; the rock mined during the same period amounted to 3,445,911 tons. The loss to the State has been immense, not only in the amount of royalty of which the State has been deprived by the unfortunate course pursued by the State Government, but the loss to the companies has also been very great. It is a fact that what was really the best organized and officered company was driven out of business. The Slate board of phosphate commis¬ sioners has finally agreed upon a royal¬ ty of 25 eents» a ton upon river rock, and it is probable that new people with ex¬ perience and means will go into the Coo- saw River to mine rock at this rate of royalty. The Empire Phosphate Company, it is understood, will mine in this river. PHOSPHATE COMPANIES. It may interest some to have a complete list of land and river phosphate mining companies in South Carolina. The fol¬ lowing includes the names of all the river and land mining companies: LAND COMPANIES. Charleston Mining and Manufacturing Company, Charleston. Col W. M. Wallace. C. C. Pinekney, Jr, Charleston. Charles H. Drayton, Charleston. Rose Mining Company, Drayton's, S. C., M. E. Hertz. William L. Bradley, Charleston. St Andrew'si Mines, Charleston, F. G. Latham.. Bolton Mines, Charleston, S. C. Brown. Horseshoe Mines, Jacksonboro, C. C. Pinekney, Jr. Pon-Pon Mines, Jacksonboro, W. Catlet. Bear Swamp Mines, Charleston. Archdale Company, Charleston. St Helena Company, Coosaw, S. C., G. W. Roberts. RIVER COMPANIES. Coosaw Company, Beaufort, M. E. Lo¬ pez. Farmers' Company, C'. C. Pinekney, Jr. Beaufort Phosphate Company, Beaufort. W. Y. Fripp Company, Beaufort. James Reed Company, Beaufort. J. C. Nelson, Charleston. James O'Hear, Charleston. Empire Phosphate Company, Beaufort. CAROLINA ROCK occurs all along the margins of our nav¬ igable stfeams and in the river beds, is convenient to the main lines of railroads, and can be mined quickly and delivered cheaply alongside steam and sailing ves¬ sels for shipment abroad, and be quickly and cheaply loaded on cars for lotal con¬ sumption. PHOSPHATE ROCK. Shipment of South Carolina rock to for¬ eign and domestic ports: From Charleston— 1895. 1 Foreign. Domestic. September 8,000 October 2,150 16,100 November 11,670 December 13,905 January, 1896 11,826 February 90 6,432 March 14,023 April 9,457 May 9,362 June 9,969 July 8,025 August 8,010 Total 2,240 126,779 From Beaufort— 1895. Foreign. Domestic. September 8,360 October 10,974 November 9,076 327 December 2,200 January, 1896 3,760 1,185 February 7,351 1,174 March 5,127. 1,525 April 11,412 May 2,582 833 June 5,777 July 9,197 August 6,560 Total : 82,376 5,044 Shipments to domestic ports from Charleston: 1893-94. 1894-95. . 1895-96. September 5,521 5,083 8,000 October 11,028 10,521 15,100 November 12,035 5,897 11,670 December 12,479 13,264 12,905 December 12,479 13,264 12,905 February 11,095 8,015 6,432 March 10,076 10,863 12,023 April 14,152 9,851 8,457 May 11.616 13,541 8,362 June 12,454 10,393 8,951 July 8,001 9,834 7,025 August 9,562 9,000 8,010 Total 129,989 112,838 118,761 CRUDE ROCK, COASTWISE. 1895-96. Destination. Crtide. Gro'd Baltimore 26,014 Philadelphia 10,300 Boston 2,130 Elizabethport.. .. 8,075 Wilmington, Del 6,210 Barren Island 614 New York 8,267 2,000 Mantua Creek 1,560 Weymouth 8,550 Richmond, Va 16,688 6,018 Seaford, Del 1,177 New Town Creek Wilmington, N. C Other ports 29,176 Total 118,761 8,018 26 CRUDE AND GROUND, CONSOLI¬ DATED. 1894-95. 1895-96. Baltimore 29,127 26,014 Philadelphia 11,575 10,300 Boston 1,075 2,130 Elizabethport 8,075 Wilmington, Del 2,200 6,210 Barren Island 614 New York 8,176 10,267 Mantua Creek 1,730 1,560 Weymouth 15,312 8,550 Richmond 9,721 22,706 Seaford 626 1,177 New Town Creek 2,430 .... Wilmington, N. C 1,880 Welsh s Point .... .... Orient Other ports 30,986 29,176 Total 114,838 126,779 DOMESTIC PORTS. The following table shows the shipments of phosphate rock from Charleston to coastwise ports, and, to the West, by rail, for the year ending August 31, 1895-96: Crude and Ground. 1894-95. 1895-96. September 5,883 8,000 October 11,236 16,100 November 5,897 11,670 December 13,264 13,905 January 6,576 11,826 February 8,015 6,432 Marcb 11,561 14,023 April 9,941 9,457 May 13,541 9,362 June 10,557 9,969 July 10,138 8,025 August 8,201 8,010 Over railroads 34,000 71,808 Totals 148,810 198,587 Foreign Ports. The following table shows the shipment of phosphate rock from Charleston to for¬ eign ports for the years ending August 31, 1895-96: 1894-95. 1895-96. September October 2,150 November November. D e cember January Feb r uar y 1,980 90 March 375 April 90 May 2,195 June 3,300 July August Total 7,940 2,240 Foreign Shipments from Beaufort. The total shipments of river rock from Beaufort, by months, for the past three years will be found in the following table: 1894-95. 1895-96. September 3,843 8,630 October 10,630 10,974 November 9,808 9,076 December 9,625 2,200 January 14,115 3,760 February 12,630 7,351 March 10,023 5,127 April 2,128 11,412 May 10,270 2,582 June 9,996 5,777 July 13,989 9,197 August 10,388 6,560 Total 117.445 1896-97. 5,832 3.491 2.435 9,035 5,585 7,273 8,683 7,717 12,344 5,300 7,414 82,376 75,108 Beaufort—1894-95. Foreign. Domestic. December Tons. Tons. 3,843 1,920 10,630 1,317 9,808 2,282 9,625 1,445 14,115 2,411 12,630 1,783 10,023 2,128 , 10,270 908 9,996 1,769 13,989 1,667 10,388 1,650 117,445 17,152 RECAPITU ION—1894-95. Charleston. Beaufort. Tons. Tons. Foreign 17,940 117,445 Coastwise 114,838 17,152 Interior 34,000 9,000 Consumed 120,000 11,000 276,778 154,597 Grand total Tons. .431,375 R EC 1APITUL ATTON—:1895-96. Charleston. Beaufort. Tons. Tons. Foreign 2,240 82,376 Coastwise 126,779 ' 5,044 Interior 71,808 11,800 Consumed 130,000 15,000 Total 330,827 114,220 Grand total Tons. .445,004 CRUDE ROCK, COASTWISE, 1896-97. From Charleston— Foreign. Domestic. September, 1896 1,300 7,689 October 7,691 November 11,477 December 9,102 January, 1897 6,775 February 8,353 March 8,867 April ' 6,837 May 9,172 June 7,239 July .. 5,720 August 100 7,500 Total tons 1,300 96,422 27 SHIPMENTS FROM FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC PORTS, 1896-97. From Beaufort— Foreign. Domestic. September, 1896 5,832 743 October 3,491 740 November 2,435 1,620 December..: 9,035 January, 1897 5,585 272 February March 7,273 462 April 8,682 416 May 7,717 245 June 2,344 .... July 5,300 240 August 7,414 Total tons 75,108 4,738 Coosaw nothing; Pinckney 1,635 tons. SHIPMENTS TO DOMESTIC PORTS, 1896-97. From Charleston— Tons. September, 1896 7,689 October. 7,691 November 11,477 December 9,102 January, 1897 6,775 February 8,353 March 8,867 April 6,837 May 9,172 June 7,239 July 5,720 August (assumed) 7,500 Total tons 96,422 CRUDE ROCK, COASTWISE, 1896-97. Crude. Baltimore 24,038 Philadelphia 11,664 Boston 730 Elizabethport 6,800 Wilmington, Del Barren Island 610 New York 4,762 Mantua Creek 1,805 Weymouth 13,394 Richmond, Va 16,147 Seaford, Del 600 Newtown Creek 1,872 Wilmington, N. C 1,577 Other ports 423 Ground 550 Total tons 96,422 550 CRUDE AND GROUND, CONSOLI¬ DATED, 1896-97. Baltimore 24,038 Philadelphia 11,664 Boston 730 Elizabethport 6,800 Wilmington, Del Barren Island 610 New York 4,762 Mantua Creek 1,805 Weymouth 13,394 Richmond. Va 16,697 Seaford, Del 600 Newtown Creek 1,872 Wilmington, N. C 1,577 Other ports 12,423 Total tons 96,972 RECAPITULATION, 1896-97. Charleston- Foreign 1,300 Coastwise 96,972 Interior 79,000 Consumed 145,000 Total tons 322,272 Beaufort— Foreign 75,108 Coastwise 4,738 Interior 15,000 Consumed 17,000 Total tons 111,846 Grand total 434,118 Amount and Value Phosphate Rock Mined in United States from 1890 to 1896. From United States Geological Survey, August 1, 1896. Col David T. Day, chief of division: 1890. 1891. 1892 Torus—rock .. .. 510,499 587,988 981,571 Value $3,213,795 $3,651,150 $3,296,227 1893. 1894. 1895. Tons—rock .. .. 941,368 996,949 1,038,551 Value $4,136,070 $3,479,&47 $3,606,094 The phosphate mines of this country are the largest in the world, and more rock is mined and exported, and more fertili¬ zers made here than in, any other country. The fertilizers are used mainly in mak¬ ing the cotton crop, but are also used on all other crops planted, and is fast taking the place of labor and machinery. Millions of dollars are invested in phosphate and fertilizers, and employment is given to thousands. Good dividends are paid to shareholders. The world looks to us for its main, supply of phosphate. Grand totals of phosphate rock: Tennessee 25,900 North Carolina 7,000 South Carolina 445,047 Florida 516,460 Total Tons. .993,507 Total valuation $3,600,000 Florida. The most important and da.ngc-ious rival that South Carolina has in the phosphate business is Florida, where a varied and valuable deposit of pho'sphate rock has been discovered. This deposit consists of hard rock, soft rock, land pebble, river pebble and river rock, and each is the best of its kind. The cost of mining most of those deposits is small in comparison with the cost of mining elsewhere, and in order to meet competition and lessen the cost of mining the State of Florida no longer requires a royalty on that mined in the State's domain. The development of the mining industry in Florida has been retarded by the fact that a larger part of Florida rock is found at remote dis¬ tances from railroad lines and navigable rivers or water ways, and the difficulty and cost oi transportation has operated against the larger output of these mines. The Florida mines, however, enjoy the ad- V 28 vantage of several outlets by water for shipments to Jacksonville, Fernandina, Brunswick, Savannah, Tampa, Punta Gor- da and Key West, and the extension of railroad facilities is relieving the miners of the somewhat unfavorable conditions under which, they have hitherto prose¬ cuted their work. Most of the Florida rock is shipped to foreign countries. It is to be expected,'however, that the cheapness and quality of this rock will result in the establishment of many fertilizer companies at home, and that Florida will become a competitor in the business of manufac¬ tured fertilizers. The following statement shows how rapid are the business changes in Florida, and that the companies in that State have not been as Successful in. their operations as the first promises indicated that they would be. The following are the names and post- office addresses of Polk County phosphate companies: Bartow, Bartow, Fla. Bone Valley, Bartow, Fla. Bone Hill, Bartow, Fla, Clear Springs, Bartow, Fla. Excelsior, Bartow, Fla. Fort Meade, Fort Meade, Fla. Florida, (limited,) Phosphoria, Fla. Florida Eng Company, Kingsford, Fia. Homeland, Bartow, Fla. Lake Hancock, Bartow, Fla. Land Pebble, Pebble, Fla. Massachusetts, Acme, Fla. Moore & Tatum, Bartow, Fla. National Peace River, Bowling Green, Fla. Palmetto, Bartow, Fla. Fharr, Bartow, Fla. Terraceia, Bartow, Fla. United States, Acme, Fla. Virginia-Florida, Fort Meade, Fia. Whitaker, Homeland, Fla. Foote Commercial, Bartow, Fla. Belle, Fort Meade, Fla. Of the number of mines named in this showing only the Land Pebble Phosphate Company, the Palmetto Phosphate Com¬ pany, the Bone Valley Phosphate Company and the Florida Engineering Phosphate Company are now engaged in the business of mining. The river pebble rock was formerly mined by a number of companies, and the changes in this particular class of mining have been greater than in the land pebble mining. The Peace River Company is the only company now min¬ ing, its output not being less than 100,000 tons a year. A great part of this rock is employed by Georgia manufacturing com¬ panies. The Florida hard rock appears to- command the trade of Germany, Bel¬ gium, Prussia and Holland, and ship¬ ments to these countries are increased every year. The shipments, however, are not confined to these countries, but good shipments have been made to* Italy, in fact there is a great demand for this rock in all the markets. In the soft rock mining business the same causes that have retarded the mar¬ keting of the higher grades have had a depressing effect on this class of fertili¬ zing material; its sale largely depending on its local use. The following is a list of the phosphate companies mining hard rock on July 1, in Florida, with names of managers and lo¬ cation of mines: Buttgenbach, 1, J. Buttgenbach, Fitz¬ gerald, Fla. Netherlands, 1, J. T. Jones, Ocala, Fitz¬ gerald, Fla. W. L. Bradley, 1, Fitzgerald, Fla. G. M. Wells, 1, G. M. Wells, Ocala, Ista- chatta, Fla. Hartshorn, 1, E. Holder, Hartshorn, Fla. G. M. Hubbard, 1, Dunne-lion, Fla. Dunnellon, 4, J. L. Inglis, Dunnellon, Fla. Piedmont, 1, executors Arentz estate, Piedmont, Ocala, Fla. Hood, successor to Gregg & Sullivan, 1, Dunnellon, Fla. Standard Phosphate Company, 1, S. R. Pyles, Ocala, Early Bird, Fla. E. B. Bailey, now Dutton, 2, H. F. Dut¬ ton & Co, Albion, Fla. Clarence Camp, 1, Clarence Camp, Al¬ bion, Fla. Osceola Phosphate Company, 1, Albion, Fla. Victoria Phosphate Company, 1, Little Brothers, Newberry, Fla. J. A. Carlisle, Newberry, Fla. Newberry Phosphate Company, 3, execu¬ tors Arentz estate, Ocala, Newberry, Fla. Wright & Mclanahan, 1, Wade, Fla. G. M. Wells, 1, G. M. Wells, Wade, Fla, Gold Mine, now Dutton, 1, H. F. Dutton & Co, Wade, Fla. Camp Phosphate Company, 1. Wade, Fla. Simmons, 1, High Springs, Fla. Riley, 1, High Springs, Fla. High Springs Phosphate Company, 1, High Springs, Fla. T. Willard, 1, High Springs, Fla. Childs, 1, High Springs, Fla. Kansas City, 1, High Springs, Fla. Robinson Phosphate Company, 1, Fort White, Fla. Hercules Phosphate Company, 1, Fort White, Fla. Brooks Phosphate Company, 1, Fori White, Fla. C. Pyne, 1, Fort White, Fla. SHIPMENTS FROM FLORIDA. The shipments to foreign and domestic ports in 1894-95 were as follows: Brunswick— Foreign. Domestic. September 6,627 October 8,270 November 4,375 December 4,609 January Febuary 6,777 March 4,315 April 4,043 May 2,712 June .... July .... August — Total 41,738 Fernandina— Foreign. Domestic. September 9,126 .... October 3,070 November 1,880 880 December 6,720 .... 29 January 7,425 Febuary March 13,293 April 29,340 May 15,895 June 21,636 July 7,490 August 1,775 1,909 Total 115,875 Punta Gorda— Foreign. September 6,560 October 5,248 November December 2,950 January ' 2,398 February March 12,846 April 5,587 May June 7,364 July 16,690 August 13,430 Total 73,073 Tampa— Foreign. September 17,234 October 14,606 November December 5,811 January 10,500 February 13,775 March 14,100 April 6,300 May 13,485 June 7,033 July 17,206 August 9,140 Total 129,192 Savannah— Foreign. Domestic September 3,104 October 3,088 November 5,353 December January 5,644 February 4,100 March 3,961 April... 5,972 May 18,418 June 4,628 July 8,509 August 5,100 Total 67,877 Jacksonville— September October November March Foreign. Domestic 1,003 Total. 1893-94. Recapitulation— Brunswick 60,592 Fernandina 166,308 Punta G-orda... 97,462 Tampa 118,604 Savannah 33,325 Jacksonville Railroads Consumed 965 5,469 Domestic. 2,262 2,598 1,160 1,224 2*, 825 1,020 11,089 Domestic. 1,125 3,598 2,281 3,861 2,800 1,935 4,687 3', 245 1,400 27,922 Total 476,291 Grand total 1,003 956 21,046 46,882 l!09o 28,000 15,000 112,884 .589,175 1894-95— Foreign. Domestic. Brunswick 41,378 .... Fernandina 115,875 5,469 Punta Gorda 73,073 11,089 Tampa 129,192 27,922 Savannah 67,877 Jacksonville 1,003 Key West 50,000 ...! Railroads 30,000 Consumed 13,000 Total 478,398 87,480 Grand total 565,878 SHIPMENTS FROM FLORIDA, 1895-96. Brunswick, Ga— Foreign Domestic. September 2,142 October 749 November December... 2,738 January 2,075 February 2,808 March 3,038 April 2,600 May 3,400 June 2,170 July 6,900 August 2,472 Total 31,092 Fernandina— Foreign. Domestic. September 16,670 1,020 October 14,537 November 8,000 3,000 December 3,883 6,072 January 7,143 4,803 February 7,400 1,007 March 21,050 3,132 April 16,241 2,371 May 21,728 June 5,543 July 6,200 August 11,720 Total 140,165 21,405 Punta Gorda— Foreign. Domestic. September 3,000 • 876 October • November December 812 January 1,905 February 1,846 March 7,167 837 April 16,412 144 May 2,981 5,083 June 3,000 3,398 July 8,587 1,229 August 10,056 2,531 Total .46,015 17,819 Tampa— ~ Foreign. Domestic. September 6.031 2,805 October 16,706 November 7,148 December 6,334 January 7,495 5,099 February 2.254 7,303 March 2,982 9,540 April 9,712 6,916 May 18,010 June 12,980 3,164 July 11,222 August 10,945 Total 98,337 48,309 1 30 Savannah— Foreign. Domestic September 2,275 October....v 8,559 November 10,556 December 3,156 January 2,106 February 4,370 March 8,517 April 6,006 . .. May 12,250 June 4,430 July 2,156 August 3,200 Total 67,581 Jacksonville— Foreign. Domestic September October November December January a February 688 March April _ 20 May June July .. August Total....! 708 1895-96. Foreign. Domestic. Brunswick 31,092 Fernandina 140,165 21,405 Punta Gorda 46,015 17,849 Tampa 98,337 48,309 Savannah 67,581 — Jacksonville 708 Key West 65,068 Railroad 30,000 Consumed 15,000 Total 383,189 Grand total 133,271 .581,528 FLORIDA. Shipped from September 1, 1896, to 31'st August, 1897: Brunswick— Foreign. Domestic. September 1,000 October 4,882 November 4,168 December 3,056 January February 3,570 March 4,929 April 2,724 May 4,006 June 3,046 July...' 1,250 August 3,090 Total tons 35,631 Fernandina— Foreign. Domestic. Sept-ember 4,619 October 6,650 1,725 November 4,750 653 December 1,912 950 January 5,400 February 11,814 March 16,090 April 22,439 May 27,831 June 31,702 July 14,013 August, assumed 13,500 Total tons 160,720 3,328 Punta Gorda— Foreign. Domestic. September 969 1,092 October 2,014 November 2,150 1,491 December 1,200 . 12,316 January 2,440 6,013 February 6,012 3,164 March 7,784 April 11,172 4,253 May 7,634 2,618 June 9,382 5,982 July 14,213 August, assumed 10,000 2,000 Total tons 67,186 46,713 Tampa— • Foreign. Domestic. September 7,620 October 9,100 1,550 November 12,053 6,410 December 6,283 9,407 January 5,371 6,807 February 4,869 4,720 March 7,836 8,288 April 3,018 7,570 May 8,161 12,728 June 8,078 2,824 July 13,202 8,888 August, assumed 9,000 4,000 Total tons 94,591 73,192 Savannah— Foreign. Domestic. September 13,017 October 11,364 November 15,840 December 13,784 January 2,991 February 5,284 March, 8,487 April 5,937 May • 7,191 June 12,892 July.. August 2,500 Total tons 99,287 Jacksonville, September, no shipments. Key West 45.000 1896-97. Foreign. Domestic. Brunswick 35,631 Fernandina 160,720 3,328 Punta Gorda 67,186 46,713 Tampa 94,591 73,192 Savannah 99,287 Jacksonville Key West 45,000 Railroads 40,000 Consumed 25,000 Totals ...502,415 188,233 Grand total 690,648 FLORIDA. Character of rock shipped from Flori¬ da from all ports, 1888 to 1896: ' , Years. Hard River Land Soft Total Rock. Pebble. Pebble. Rock. Tons. 1888 2,813 • 2,813 1889.... 25 7,755 7,780 1890.... 17,345 37,336 1,700 56,381 1891.... 88,342 79,265 2,925 10,784 181,316 1892....202.019 126.172 17,495 8,341 354,457 1893.... 245,851 116.325 61.281 7,000 430,437 1894.... 335.000 140.000 75,000 15.000 589,174 1895.... 305,000 125 000 72,000 12,800 515,878 1896... .302,000 123,000 73,800 13.000 516,400 1897.... 380,000 175,000 125,000 10,000 690,648 31 Tennessee Phosphates. T ~ I The phosphate rook which has been dis¬ covered in Tennessee varies greatly from that found in South Carolina and Florida. It is darker in complexion and more dense. It does not require washing nor drying and is mostly of a good grade, but its analysis does not run uniformly, many times varying greatly in the same de¬ posits. After iit is crushed it grinds freely and easily, and slacks up in drying. It has the disadvantage of occurring many times remotely from transportation facili¬ ties by railroad or boat, and at points re¬ mote from the manufactories. This was certainly the case with the early discov¬ eries of Swan Creek, Totty's Bend, Cen- treville and Blue Creek, but the new fields in Davidson, Hickman, Rutherford and White counties, and in the southwestern part of Maury County, are all very near to the railroads. The mines about Mount Pleasant have been promptly brought to notice, and the mines in Brad¬ ley, Marshall, Sevier, Perry, Lewis, Wayne and Decatur counties, - be¬ ing near the Tennessee River, it is possible for those engaged in the busi¬ ness of mining nere tO' conduct their opera¬ tions at a profit. It is expected that these mines will develop a profitable business on account of shipments made to New Or¬ leans, St Louis, Pensacola and Norfolk. The following table will show the com¬ panies that are engaged in phosphate mining in Tennessee, the production of the mines in that State during the last year, their location and postoffice address: TENNESSEE PHOSPHATE COMPA¬ NIES. T. C. Meadows & Co, Ki'ttrell Farm, near Mount Pleasant. Blue Grass Company, Mount Pleasant, Mount Pleasant. Columbus Phosphate Company, Mount Pleasant, Mount Pleasant. Hardy & Bryan, Mount Pleasant, Mount Pleasa nit. Tennessee Phosphate Company, Mount Pleasant, Mount Pleasant. Barrett & Lesser, Mount Pleasant, Mount Pleasant. Southwestern Phosphate Company, Sun¬ rise, Sunrise. Duck River Phosphate Company, Cen- treville, Centreville. Elk Mineral Company, Mount Pleasant. PRODUCTION OF PHOSPHATE IN TENNESSEE, IN TONS. 1894. January February March April May June July 1,025 August 2,755 September .. .. 2,595 October 4.933 November 4,800 December 2,955 1895. 2,018 1,597 2,321 4,464 5.289 4,197 4.362 5,668 4.484 3,925 4.151 2,602 1896. 4,165 4,136 4,060 2,8/o 3,970 4,125 2,500 2,966 5.400 1,500 5,400 7,950 1897. (1897 assumed).. 19,063 45,078 49,047 75,000 North Carolina. It is difficult to get accurate informa¬ tion of the rock mined or used in the State of North Carolina, for the business is comparatively small. The shipments of phosphate from other States are large, and the manufacturers in North Carolina employ South Carolina, Florida and other rock in the making of their goods. In the use of commercial manure North Car¬ olina is well up and the quantity used is large, approximating about 200,000 tons during the past year. Algiers and Tunis, The business in phosphate material from Algiers and Tunis appears to make slow progress* and the development of the mines in that country have not kept pro¬ gress with the development of similar un¬ dertakings in this country. A want of harmony among the companies engaged in the business and the political interfer¬ ences from which they suffer have pre¬ vented the successful prosecution of their work. Despite all the drawbacks from which these miners suffer it is claimed that about 300 tons daily are turned out by the mines. The following statement will show where the Algerian product was used dur¬ ing the past year: Germany 19,490 France 34,661 England 54,005 Holland 2,900 Austria 4,240 Italy 20,470 Belgium 1,500 Spain 250 Japan 3,500 Used in Algeria 1,324 Total tons 142,340 And it is assumed mining for 1897 will not exceed 175,000 tons. SHIPMENTS FOR PAST FIVE TEARS. Year. January .. February . March April May June July August.. . September October.. . November. December. 1892. 1893. 1894. Tons. 812 937 1,917 1.826 3,225 4,258 7,031 6,597 6,825 6,946 7,670 5,162 1895. Tons. 4,639 6,094 6.808 9.660 12,381 13,834 14,500 14,764 12,793 12.016 13.992 15,119 1896. Tons. 15,845 14.340 9,250 16,347 13,440 11.180 15,607 13,238 9.049 9,486 11,518 14,689 1,514 6,162 53.206 Canada. 136,591 153,389 All the apatite mined in this country is of high grade, and is eqaal to the best Florida, and Tennessee phosphate rock. It >as a1 ways commanded better prices in foreign markets than either the Florida or Tennessee rock, but the sharp competi- \ 32 tion with which it now meets is likely to continue and further reduce the product, which has already shrunk over 60 per cent, as it cost's more toi mine the Canadian apa¬ tite and transport it than any other class of phosphate. It is not unlikely that there will be still further depression in the min¬ ing' business in that country; it cannot result profitably at existing prices. This business once promised large returns, but the outside demand for it will fall off so that in the end it will not be prosecuted to a greater extent than what may be re¬ quired for home consumption. Shipments to U. S. Ports. Europe. Total. 1890 1,903 24,154 26,057 1891 2,000 24,009 26,009 1892 17,234 17,234 1893 8,198 8,198 1894 8,992 8,992 1895 7,000 7,000 1896 6,500 6,500 1897, assumed .. ..2,500 2,500 5,000 French Guiana. The phosphate mining in French Guiana shows that the same depressed conditions have prevailed there as have existed else¬ where. In 1894 the output of the mines in that country amounted to 6,378,000 kilos, and in 1895 to* 4,210,000 kilos. This 'shows a remarkably large falling off in the course of one year. The phosphate found1 in Juniata County, Pa, between the Oriskany sand stones and Owandavga lime stones does not seem to be rich in phosphate or lime. The phosphates of Alabama are of low grades. The discoveries in Arkansas have shown no development and have so far attracted but little attention. Phosphate deposits have also been dis¬ covered in Decatur County, Georgia, but their nearness to Florida has operated against any attempt to* develop them. The phosphates found in the Bad Lands of Dakota have amounted to nothing, either in, the extent of the deposits or in the quality of the rock. PRICES FOR PHOSPHATE ROCK. (Copied from Le Phosphate.) Canadian—Analysis, 80a85 per cent; iron and aluminum,, 2 per cent; price, Is. Carolina^River, analysis, 55a60 per cent; iron and aluminum, 3 per cent; price, 5%d. Land, analysis, 55a60 per cent; iron and aluminum, 3 per cent; price, 5%d. Florida—Land, analysis, 75a85 per cent; iron and aluminum, 3 per cent; price, 6%d. River, analysis, 55a65 per cent; iron and aluminum, 3 per cent; price, 5%d. Algiers, U. K.—Analysis, 58a63 per cent; iron and aluminum, 2 per cent; price, 5d. Analysis, 63a,70 per cent; iron and alumi¬ num, 2 per cent; price, 5%d. Tennessee—Analysis, 78a82 per cent; iron and aluminum, 3 per cent; price, 5%d. GRAND TOTAL, 1896-7. Tons. South Carolina 434,118 Florida ... 690,648 Tennessee 75,000 North Carolina 12,500 1,212,266 Value 243,281 00 COTTON IN CHARLESTON. Considerable Increase in Receipts—Pros¬ pects Favorable for this Year. During the cotton season, closing August 31, 1897, Charleston received 403,326 bales, being an increase over the previous year of 110,990. The highest price cotton sold at during this year was 8 cents for mid¬ dling on September 10, 1896, and the lowest was 6V2 cents on December 14, 1896. The prospects for the crop in our sec¬ tion are fairly good, and with the ocean freight facilities we are promised our re¬ ceipts should be increased again the com¬ ing year. COMPARATIVE EXPORTS. Comparative exports of upland cotton from the por.t of Charleston from Septem¬ ber 1, 1896, to August 31, 1897, inclusive, and for the same period in 1895-96: Exported to— 1896-97. 1895-96. Liverpool Havre Continental ports .. 71,423 ..191,889 20,016 172*, 288 Total foreign ports.. . ..263,312 192,304 New York Boston Interior by rail ,.107,225 , 28,822 11,483 76,686 *120 Total coastwise ports. ..147,530 76.806 Grand total ..410,842 269,110 Receipts, exports, taken by city mill and stock upland cotton year ending Au¬ gust 31, 1897: Stock on hand September 1, 1896.... 18,531 Received during the year ....393,190 Total 411,721 Exports, foreign and domestic 410,842 Taken by city mill 310 Stock on hand August 31, 1897 569 ' Total 411,721 RECEIPTS AT THIS PORT. The receipts of cotton at this port for the past twenty-eight years were as fol¬ lows: Bales. Bales. 1869-70 250,761 1883-84 428.301 1870-71 356,544 1884-85 512,039 1871-72 282,086 1S85-86 505,168 1872-73 386,128 1886-87 400,346 1873-74 438,713 1887-88., 450,068 1874-75 419,947 1888-89 416,490 1875-76 396,812 1889-90 349,828 1876-77 455,677 1890-91 557,744 1877-78 429,292 1891-92 511,399 1878-79 502,995 1892-93 306.449 1879-80 467,597 1893-94 407,843 1880-81 628,187 1894-95 420,169 1881-82 502,394 1895-96 281,757 1882-83 568,207 1896-97 393,190 i 33 PRICES AND RECEIPTS. The following tables show the prices of middlng cotton at Charleston at the close of each week for the past year, together with the total receipts of cotton at Charleston each week in the same period: 1896-97. Week ending— Middling. Receipts. September 4, 1896 7 11-16 8.097 Septe mber 11 7% b 19,520 September 18 7% 23,006 Sept ember 25 7%b 17,300 October 2 7 7-16 22,046 October 9 Omitted 22,480 October 16 7b 21,627 October 23 7 20,426 October 30 7 33,874 November 6 7% 14,766 November 13 714 19,914 November 20 6%b 16,561 November 27 7 13,943 December 4 7 14,857 December 11 6%b 12,511 December 18 6%b 16,691 December 25 Hobday 16,021 January 1, 1897 Hobday 10,610 January 8 6 ll-16b 5,009 January 15... 7%b 6,594 January 22 6 15-16b 4,148 January 29 6 13-16b 8,028 February 5 6 13-16b 4,841 February 12 6 11-16 5,452 February 19 6%b 5,418 February 26 6 15-16 2,835 March 5 6%a 3,365, March 12 6%b 2,799 March 19 7 1,508 March 26 6 15-16b 2,092 April 2 7 1,113 April 9 7 1,027 April 16 7b 769 April 23 7b 2,31? April 30... 7% 3,829 May 7 7 5-16 2,133 May 14 7% 2,335 May 21 7%a 1,008 May 28 714 979 June 4 714 658 June 11 714 22 June 18 714 25 June 25 714b 299 July 2 71/2 9 July 9 7% 16 July 16 7% 63 July 23 7% 3 July 30 7% 31 August 6 734 31 August 13 7%. 14 August 20 7 81 August 27 7 134 Prices of middling cotton in. New York and Savannah,: Date. New York. Savannah. September 4, 1896 814 7% September 11 834 734 September 18 8% 714 September 25 8 7-16 714 October 2 834 * 714 October 9 7 5-16 7% October 16 7 15-16 7 October 23 814 7 1-16 October 30 , 7 15-16 7 1-16 November 6... .;. ... ...8% 7 3-16 November 13 8 714 3 November 20 7% 6 15-16 November 27 7 11-16 6 15-16 December 4 7 ' 9-16 6 15-16 December 11 73/8 6 11-16 December 18 7 3-16 6 9-16 December 25 January 1, 1897... Holiday Holiday January 8. 7 3-16 6 11-16 January 15 7 15-16 634 January 22 r* 5-16 6% January 29 7 5-16 6 13-16 February 5 7 5-16 6 13-16 February 12 7 5-16 6 11-16 February 19 7% 6% February 26 7 5-16 6 15-16 March 5... 7 ; 3-16 634 March 12.. 714 6 13-16 March 19.. 73/8 6 15-16 March 26.. 7 5-16 6% April 2... . 7 5-16 6% April 9... , .. 7 7-16 7 April 16... April 23... 7 7-16 7 1-16 April 30... 734 73/s May 7... . 7 11-16 73/s May 14... , 7 13-16 7 7-16 May 21... , 734 73/s May 28... . 734 73/s June 4... . 734 714 June 11... 7 11-16 714 June 18... 734 714 June 25... 734 7% July 2... . 7% 7V2 July 9... . 7 15-16 71/g July 16... , 8 7 9-16 July 23... , 7 15-16 7% July 30... 8 734 August 6.. 8 734 August 13. 8 734 August 20. 7y8 7 August 27. 8 1-16 7% TOTAL COTTON CROPS FOR THIRTY- TWO YEARS. Bales. Prices. 1865-66... . ..2,193,987 36 a38 cts. 1866a67... . ..2,019,774 30 a31 1867-68... . ..2,593,993 24y2a25V2 1868-69... . ..2,439,039 28 a28y2 1869-70... . • • • • • • ..3,154,946 32 1870-71... . ..4,352,347 i7y2 1871-72... . • • • • • • ..2,974,351 18 1872-73... . ..3,930,308 17% 1873-74... . • • • • • • ..4,185,534 isy2 1874-75... . ..3,827,845 13% 1875-76... . a • • a • a ..4,669,000 10% 1876-77... . ..4,485,101 10% 1877-78... . ..4,773,865 liy8all% 1878-79... . ..5,073,531 11 a.11% 1879-80... . a a a a a a ..5,761,352 11 1880-81... . ..6,589,329 11% 1881-82... . ..5,435,845 12% 1882-83... . a a a a a a ..6,959,000 9% 1883-84... . a • a a a a ..5,713,200 10% 1884-85... . ..5,669,021 9% 1885-86... . ..6,570,165 9y8 1886-87... . a • a a a a ..6,505,897 9 3-16 1887-88... . 9% 1888-89... . a a a a a • ..6,925,362 10% 1889-90... . ..7,263,076 10% 1890-91... . a a a a • a ..8,655,518 7 11-16 1891-92... . a a a a • a ..9,038,707 ' 6% 1892-93... . 6% 1893-94... . a a a a a a ..7,527,211 63/g 1894-95../ . a a a a • a ..9,892,766 7y2 1895-96... . a a a a a a ..7,162,473 734 1896-97... . ..8,757,964 6% 34 NET RECEIPTS OF COTTON AT UNITED STATES PORTS. 1896-97. B 3_ J 0g New Orleans ...2,128,315 Galveston 1,376,357 Mobile and Pensacola... *371,222 Savannah 845,353 Charleston 402,317 Wilmington 234,664 Norfolk 738,286 Baltimore 61,255 New York 107,885 Boston 162,429 Philadelphia 53,097 West Point 50 Newport News 9,707 Brunswick ! 121,475 Port Royal ? 70,971 El Paso, Texas 100 Laredo, Texas 13,759 Eagle Pass, Texas 10,131 Texas City, Texas 54,245 Velasco Other minor points 67,482 1895-96. Bales. 1,809,864 1,001,075 227,379 782,996 292,288 176,447 344,124 45,038 98,557 154,521 45,414 143,838 15,472 74,340 77,906 300 24,293 9,492 54,019 42,883 Total port receipts 6,829,100 5,420,246 ♦Including 75,765 Pensacola net, against 25,091 last year. Total receipts at Pensa¬ cola were 80,120, of which 4,355 were from New Orleans and Mobile, leaving 75,765 net. ! Exclusive of receipts from Brunswick at New York and Savannah. ? Exclusive of 588 received from Savan¬ nah. FOREIGN EXPORTS. The following is a table of foreign exports and American consumption, also the stock on hand August 31 of each year, for the last thirty-one years: 1898-97.. 1895-96.. 1894-95.. 1893-94. 1892-93.. 1891-92.. 1890-91.. 1839-90.. 1888-89.. 1887-88.. 1886-87... 18S5-86.. 1884-85... 1883-84... 1882-83... 1881-82... 1880-81... 1879-80... 1878-79... 1877-78... 1876-77... 1875-76... 1874-75... 1873-74... 1872-73... 1871-72... 1870-71... 1869-70... 1868-69... 1867-68... 1866-67... Great Britain 47,272 43,149 35,033 33,385 20,650 24,778 34,294 25 987 21 515 '.8.665 25,441 L4.748 18 422 12,166 21,565 22,303 20 259 13,729 10.456 12 594 11,865 11,591 13 139 16,986 22,847 14,991 19,844 22,776 15.388 19,707 30,314 Conti¬ nent. 11,180 7,269 5,711 4,636 1.890 2,653 4,823 2 251 1,811 1,915 1,484 1,680 3,143 1.413 1,892 2,453 4,136 3,294 2,242 3,701 1,369 1.345 1,907 1,887 622 593 61 1,940 1,851 152 392 Total exports. Am'n con¬ sump¬ tion. 58,452 50,418 40,744 38.021 22,540 27,431 39,117 28. 38 23,326 20,580 26.925 16,426 21,565 13,579 23,457 24 756 24,395 17,023 12,698 16,295 13,234 12 936 15 046 18.873 23 469 15 584 19.905 24,716 17,239 19 859 30.706 39,074 39,882 34,765 23.516 22.497 32,312 26,602 19.141 20,132 19,683 20.435 19,973 17,358 11 674 13.573 14,762 11,270 9,389 10,365 9,451 4.068 1,915 2,192 2.113 1,523 1.526 1,672 1,399 1,388 1,670 1,597 Stock Aug. 31. 7,344 2,801 405 1,288 1.834 1,914 2,43!: 91 672 147 846 2,871 1,608 206 24 130 1,096 319 27 127 1,048 527 382 598 1,667 370 635 608 211 153 410 Sea Island Cotton. Carolinas opened at 20 cents for medium fine late in September and prices showed no change until about the middle of No¬ vember, when prices eased off and finally declined to 17 cents for medium fine. Ex¬ tra fine and fancy crops showed the most marked decline from opening prices. Georgias extra choice opened at 14% cents, but the large receipts by December forced prices down V/2 cents. Floridas were of poor quality and met with slow sale, and at this date the bulk of the unsold cotton in Savannah is Flor¬ ida cotton. Crop accounts are very conflicting, but the outlook is for about the same yield in South Carolina and Florida and a slight decrease in Georgia. With a good yield and the large stock on hand prices will probably be as low as those of the past season, and even if the crop should be 10,000 bags less than the yield of the past season the available supply will be about the same as that of last year, counting stocks in the several markets and the stocks held by spinners. RECEIPTS AND EXPORTS. The receipts, exports and stock of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida sea island cotton during the year 1896-97 at Charles¬ ton, as compared with the same time in 1895-96 and 1894-95: 1896-7. 1895-6. 1894-5. Receipts of islands 10,700 9,851 5,383 Georgias and Floridas... 367 123 61 rPPY Q c 07 Stock September'i,' 1896!! 572 2 '463 Total 11,736 10,621 5,907 Exports 10,809 10,049 5,844 Stock sea islands 927 572 2 Georgias and Floridas 61 Total 11,736 10,621 5,907 CAMPARATIVE EXPORTS. Comparative exports of sea island cot¬ ton from the port of Charleston from Sep¬ tember 1, 1896, to August 31, 1897, and for same period in 1895-96 and 1894-95: Exports to 1896-7. 1895-6. 1894-5. *Liverpool 7,092 7,198 3,407 Havre 1,563 1,191 1,021 Bremen and Continental ports 64 53 Total foreign ports 8,655 8,453 4,481 New York 2,085 1,576 1,424 Savannah 69 20 .... Total coastwise ports.. 2,154 1,596 1,424 Grand total 10,809 10,049 5,905 ♦Includes 176 from Port Royal to Liver¬ pool and 1,348 to Manchester from Charles¬ ton. THE TOTAL CROP OF SEA ISLANDS. The following comparative statement shows the total extent of the crops of 1896-7, 1895-6, 1894-5; also' the total exports 35 and their destination, as well as the stock on hand at Charleston and Savannah: South Carolina. Receipts at— Charleston Savannah 1896-7. . .. 10,631 69 1895-6. 9,851 119 1894-5. 5,883 508 10,700 9,970 5,891 Georgia and Florida— Charleston .. .. 367 Savannah 83,931 Fernandina 260 Jacksonville 4,917 Brunswick 1,795 123 77,280 2,208 507 1,965 61 63,797 1,541 2,435 903 Total .... 91,270 82,083 68,737 Total crop South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. 101,970 In addition tO' the . crop of Texas re¬ ceived at Charles¬ ton 97 92,053 74,628 645 102,067 92,698 EXPORTS. Charleston .. Savannah .. Fernandina Jacksonville Brunswick . Total. ..10,740 ..79,814 ... 260 .. 4,908 .. 1,795 Great Conti- Brit'n. 7,092 40,180 nent. 1,563 9,617 TEXAS CROP. North. 2,085 30,017 260 4,908 1,795 97,517 47,272 11,180 39,065 Stock on hand August 31, 1897. S. C. Ga and Fla. Charleston 927 Savannah 6,417 Grand total stock 7,344 hags. Exports from Savannah are as follows: Great Britain- Liverpool, direct 15,028 Liverpool, via Northern ports 19,401 Manchester, via Northern ports 4,726 Glasgow, via Northern ports 1,025 40,180 Havre, direct 1,612 Havre, via Northern ports 5,341 6,953 Continental (other than Havre)— Reval, direct 1,100 Reval, via North 1,100 St Petersburg ,... 100 Bremen 264 Hamburg .• 100 2,664 Northern ports 30,017 Total 79,814 To Charleston 125 79,939 Receipts at Charleston 97 Receipts at Houston and Galveston.. .2,320 Stock on plantations 100 2,517 Exports—the port of destination un¬ known 2,417 From the unsatisfactory prices paid there will be none planted this year. The Sea Island Crop of Thirty-two Years. The following table shows the extent of the sea island crops, by States, for the last thirty- two years: Season. So. Ca 1896-9".. 1895-96 . 1894-95., 1893-94. 1892-93., 1891-92. 1890-91. 1889-90., 1888-89 . 1887-88... 1886-87... 1885-86 1884-85 1883-84 1882-83 1881-82 1880-81 1879-80 1878-79 1877-78 1876-77 1875-76 1874-75 1873-74 1872-73 1871-72 1870-71 1869-70... 1868-69... 1867-68... 1866-67... 1865-66... Ga. 10,700 9,970 5,891 2,623 7,199 11,504 16,215 9,256 9,618 8,573 7,933 7.010 12,863 8,415 15,715 10,642 14,845 9,966 7,133 6,448 4,911 4,756 7,400 8,759 13,156 8,755 7,218 7,334 5,603 4,577 11,001 5,630 4,244 2,475 2,956 3,126 6,049 3,179 3,420 2,052 3.608 1,669 1,213 1.110/ 1,408 1,269 1,567 4,934 9,225 6,371 6,296 10,015 10,957 Fla. Tex. 645 26,418 24,987 14,073 18,054 21,842 18,410 13,318 13,716 14,739 11,214 8,950 8,313 8,825 10,764 5,624 8,753 9,948 6,703 10,402 11,212 2,428 29 19 8 2 30 . 29 77 204 920 1,100 Totals. 704 +101,970 92,698 74,628 61,009 44,981 59,232 68,063 46,798 44,089 39,564 45,346 37.672 40,325 25,444 36,924 38,552 36,442 26,704 22,903 24,825 17,823 14,996 17,027 19,912 26,285 16,849 21,609 26,507 18,682 21,275 32,228 19,015 tExcluding crop of Texas, but including Texas at least i03,487 bags. CHARLESTON'S RICE TRADE. Remunerative Prices—Favorable Pros¬ pects this Year. The weather during the greater part of the harvest season last year was very favorable for outdoor work. The cutting of the rice crop, which began much earlier than usual, progressed steadily until all of the early planting was gathered in or stacked in the fields. That portion of the crop which was planted in June did not fare so well, being caught by a severe blow late in the sea¬ son before it was quite ready for the sickle. Fortunately this was of short duration, yet it was quite sufficient to de¬ stroy many buildings on some plantations and to injure materially the late rice. This was, however, a small part of the crop, and that of the Atlantic coast States very nearly equals in quantity its predecessor, while the crop of this State somewhat ©XC60ClS it The crop of Louisiana for the year just ended was small as compared with the r \ 36 preceding one, and as the supply was un¬ equal to the demands of the country the importations during the past year of for¬ eign rice have been unusually large. Prices throughout the past year were remunerative, the high grades being in particularly good demand and ranging at from 4V2 to 5 cents per pound. The receipts of rough rice at the South Carolina mills amounted to1 1,007,908 bush¬ els. For the year ending 31st August, 1896, these were 959,118 bushels. In 1895-96 the crop of Louisiana was 7,466,721 bushels, and that of the year just ended was 2,558,- 292 bushels. The crop of the United States in 1895-96 amounted to 8.875,839 bushels; that of the past year (1896-97) is 3,966,200 bushels. The first of the new crop to reach this city last year, was a shipment of 30 bar¬ rels from Waverly Mill, which arrived on August 18, and was followed two> days after by another of 18 barrels from the same mill. The first cargo of rough rice, 1,500 bush¬ els, arrived on the 22d August, from Pon- Pon River, and a second, also of 1,500 bushels, from the sarnie plantation, was delivered at mill on the 29th August. The crop this season is about two weeks later than the last year's. The first cargo of rough rice arrived here on the 2d, from Ashepoo. The first oif the new crop of clean rice reached here on the 3d, from Waverley Mills. The harvest is well under way and the weather, since it began, has been very favorable. The indications are that better results, as well in the Gulf as on this coast, will be obtained this year than the last, and it seems only reasonable to expect that the planters will receive better prices for their produce, because, though there be an in¬ creased crop in the United States, it wid fall short of the needs of the country, and the cost of importing foreign rice is likely to exceed that of the last spring. TPIE RICE CROP. Barrels of 300 lbs net. Crop of South Carolina— 1896-97. Milled at Charleston 65,660 Milled at Georgetown 26,628 Total South Carolina 92,2SS Crop of Georgia— Milled at Savannah 27,272 Crop of North Carolina— Milled at Wilmington, Washington and Newborn 8,500 Total coast crop 128,060 Crop of Louisiana 215,618 Total crop United State© 343,678 EXPORTS AND HOME C A N ST T MPT I ON The following table shows the exports of rice from Charleston, as well as the shipments by rail and the home consump¬ tion for the past two years: 1896-97. 1895-96. Bbls. Bbls. North by steamer 25,986 *20,894 Interior by rail 30,591 30,606 Total exports 56,577 51,500 Total receipts at Charles¬ ton from September 1 to August 31 Stock on hand at begin- 75,660 76,500 , none none 75,660 76,500 51,500 25,000 .75,660 76,500 .none none Stock on hand August 31. RECEIPTS OF RICE AT CHARLESTON 1866- 1867- 1868- 1869- 1870- 1871- 1872- 1873- 1874- 1875- 1876 1877. 1878. 1879 1880 1881 Tierces. ■67 15,337 1882- •68 22.451 1883- ■69 35,541 ■70 38,528 1884- ■71 41,017 1885- •72 42,677 38S6- -73 48,943 1887- -74 43,967 1888 -75 46,796 1889- ■76 45,367 1890- •77 47,395 1891- -78 41,560 1892 -79 40,040 1893- -80 55,060 1894 -81 53,871 1895- -82 43,642 1896 Tierces. ■83 42,456 84 33,738 Barrels. •85 97,966 •86 86,126 •87 96,280 -88 81,290 -89 72,565 •90 97,240 ■9] 87,657 •92 ... 82,923 -93 94,332 -94 35,603 -95 67,390 -96 76,500 -97 75,660 NA TA J'j STORES. Light Receipts, but Fairly Good Prices. The naval stores business for the past twelve months has been rather small, but the prices have been fair' under the cir¬ cumstances and the business resulted sat¬ isfactorily to the operators. The receipts for the year amounted to 5,283 casks of turpentine and 56,293 barrels of rosin. The market opened last year at 21^ cents per gallon for turpentine and has gradually advanced until August 31, when 26^ cents was asked for machines and 2t>y2 for oils and country-made barrels. Rosins have ruled firm during the past year at an average price of $1 25 for B C D E, but the demand has eased off in the past month and to-day $1 10 is bid for B and $1 15 for C D E. There has been very little fine rosin re¬ ceived in this market, owing to the fact that what virgin timber still remains in the State is held firmly and the owners will not let the timber be cut at any price. The naval stores business in this State has been reduced on account of the scar¬ city of timber, the low prices and more attention being devoted to cotton plant¬ ing. It is possible that with the advent of higher prices for the product the old trees will be worked over and the re¬ maining virgin timber come into the mar¬ ket. 37 RECEIPTS OF NAVAL STORES. Bbls and casks. 1865-66 32,136 1866-67 54,026 1867-78 62,852 1868-69 72 279 1869-70 90,106 1870-71 90,297 1871-72 151,553 1872-73 225,683 1873-74 229,120 1874-75 276,222 1875-76 279,282 1876-77 276,635 1877-78 289,790 1878-79 299,970 1879-80 310,805 1880-81.. .' 282,881 Bbls and casks. 1881-82 330,106 1882-83 366,471 1883-84 328,256 1884-85 263,088 1885-86 200,441 1886-87 232,827 1887-88 208,872 1888-89 190,746 1889-90 270,321 1890-91 199,230 1891-92 152,931 1892-93 144,166 1893-94 85,807 1894-95 86,431 1895-96 68,440 1896-97 61,576 RECEIPTS, EXPORTS AND STOCKS OF NAVAL STORES. The following- comparative statement shows the receipts and exports at this port from September 1, 1896, to August 31, 1S97, and also for the same period in 1895-96: 1896-97. 1895-96. Sp'ts. R'sin. Sp'ts. R'sin. C'sks. Bbls. C'sks. Bbbls. Stock on hand 567 7,653 1,970 9,405 Receipts 5,283 56,293 8,910 59,530 Total 5,850 63,946 10,880 68,935 COASTWISE EXPORTS. The coastwise exports of naval stores from September 1, 1896, to August 31, 1897, as compared with the previous year were as follows: 1896-97. 1895-96. Sp'ts. R'sin. Sp'ts. R'sin. C'sks. Bbls. C'sks. Bbls. New York 5,039 32,163 5,651 25,452 Interior rail 363 525 124 Total 5,402 32,163 6,176 25,576 RECAPITULATION. 1896-97. 1895-96. Sp'ts. R'sin. Sp'ts. R'sin. C'sks. Bbbls. C'sks. Bbbls. Stock on hand Sept 1 and re¬ ceipts to Aug 31 5,850 63,946 10,880 68,935 Total exports, foreign and do¬ mestic 5,717 59,607 10,313 61,282 Stock on brand... 133 4,339 567 7,653 SPIRITS OF TURPENTINE. The following statement shows the re¬ ceipts of 'spirits of turpentine and the price in regular packages at the close of the market each week on the day named for the past year: 1896—Months. Prices. Receipts. September 4 21 % 238 September li 21% 95 September 18 21% 91 September 25 23V2 154 October 2 24% 90 October 9 24% 111 October 16 26 139 October 23 25 188 October 30 25b 221 November 6 25b 135 November 13 25% 212 November 20 25a 101 November 27 24% 138 December 4 24%b 235 December 11 24% 98 December 18 24% 88 December 25 24% 71 1897— January 1 24% 59 January 8 24% 115 January 15 Omitted 51 January 22 Omitted 28 January 29 Omitted 19 February '5 25 16 February 12 25% 8 February 19 26 8 February 26 26 12 March 5 27 48 March 12 27 29 March 19 Omitted 3<> March 26 26% 6 April 2 26% none April 9 26% 19 April 16 26% 12 April 23 26 27 April 30 26 58 May 7 Omitted 84 May 14 25% 59 May 21 25 77 May 28 24%b 89 June 4 24% 96 June 11 25a 107 June 18 24% b 86 June 25 24% 58 July 2 ' 23%b 124 July 9 23-% 119 July 16 23% 114 June 23 22% 115 July 30 ...25% 181 August 6 24% 165 August 13 24b 48 Augu s t 20 25b 108 August 27 25% 82 FOREIGN EXPORTS. 1896-97. 1895-96. Sp'ts. R'sin Sp'ts. R'sin. C'sks. Bbls. C'sks. Bbls. Rotterdam 3,330 2,404 Hamburg 300 3,000 Trieste 2,378 Glasgow 1,000 909 London 300 5,329 1,896 1,512 Liverpool 5,107 Bremen 1,000 2,000 Europe, via— Savannah 2,348 6,891 Bristol 941 6,114 Middleboro 3,602 Cardiff 2,961 Manchester 2,400 Hull 3,292 Stettin 2,808 Lubeck 1,391 Genoa 1,000 Bowling 3,344 Porto Rico 15 Total foreign 315 27,444 4,137 35,706 ROSIN. The following statement shows the price of the leading grades of rosin at the close of the market each week, on the day named for the past-year: September, 1896— 4....C $1 30 F $1 30 G $1 35 H $1 45 I $1 50 K $1 55 M $1 60 N $1 65 38 G $1 40 H $1 45 M $1 60 N $1 65 G $1 45 H $1 45 M $1 55 N $1 70 G $1 50 H $1 50 M $1 60 N $1 80 G $1 50 H $1 50 M $1 60 N $1 80 G $1 50 H $1 55 M $1 65 N $1 85 G $1 50 H $1 55 M $1 75 N $1 95 G $1 50 H $1 55 M $1 75 N $2 00 G $1 50 H $1 55 M $1 75 N $2 00 G $1 50 H $1 55 M $1 80 N $2 00 G $1 50 H $1 55 M $1 80 N $2 00 G $1 55 H $1 60 M $1 80 N $2 00 G $1 50 H $1 55 M $1 80 N $2 00 G $1 50 H $1 55 M $1 75 N $1 95 G $1 45 H $1 55 M $1 80 N $2 00 G $1 45 H $1 50 M $1 80 N $2 00 G $1 45 H $1 50 M $1 80 N $2 00 G $1 45 H $1 50 M $1 80 N $2 00 G $1 45 H $1 50 M $1 80 N $2 00 G $1 40 H $1 50 M $1 85 N $1 90 G $1 55 H $1 GO M $1 85 N $1 85 G $1 55 H $1 60 M $1 85 N $1 85 G $1 50 H $1 65 M $1 80 N $1 80 G $1 50 H $1 65 M $1 85 N $1 85 G $1 45 H $1 50 M $1 80 N $1 85 G $1 45 H $1 50 M $1 80 N $1 85 March— 5 C $1 40 F $1 40 G $1 45 H $1 50 [ $1 60 K $1 70 M $1 75 N $1 80 12 C $1 40 F $1 40 G $1 45 H $1 50 I $1 60 K $1 70 M $1 75 N $1 80 19 C $1 45 F $1 50 G $1 60 H $1 70 I $1 75 K $1 75 M $1 75 N $1 90 26 C $1 45 F $1 50 G $1 60 H $1 80 I $1 80 K $1 85 M $1 90 N $2 10 April— 2... .C $1 45 F $1 50 G $1 60 H $1 80 I $1 80 K $1 85 M $1 90 N $2 10 9 C $1 45 F $1 50 G $1 60 H $1 80 I $1 80 K $1 85 M $1 90 N $2 10 16...'.C $1 40 F $1 45 G $1 55 H $1 60 I $1 65 K $1 70 M $1 75 N $1 90 23 C $1 30 F $1 40 G $1 45 H $1 55 I $1 65 K $1 70 M $1- 75 N $2 05 30 C $1 30 F $1 40 G $1 45 H $1 55 I $1 65 K $1 70 M $1 75 N $2 05 Hay— 7....C $1 25 F $1 35 G $1 35 H $1 50 I $1 55 K $1 65 M $1 65 N $1 75 11... .C $1 30 F $1 35 I $1 50 K $1 55 18... .C $1 30 F $1 40 I $1 45 K $1 50 25... .C $1 30 F $1 45 I $1 50 K $1 50 October— 2... .C $1 30 F $1 45 I $1 50 K $1 50 9... .C $1 35 F $1 45 I $1 60 K $1 60 16... -C $1 40 F $1 45 I $1 60 K $1 60 23... ,C $1 40 F $1 45 I $1 60 K $1 60 30... .C $1 40 F $1 45 I $1 60 K $1 60 November— 6... .C $1 40 F $1 50 I $1 60 K $1 60 13... .C $1 40 F $1 50 I $1 60 K $1 60 20... .C $1 50 F $1 55 I $1 65 K $1 65 27... .C $1 45 F $1 45 I $1 60 K $1 65 December— 4... .C $1 45 F $1 50 I $1 60 K $1 60 11... .C $1 40 F $1 45 I $1 60 K $1 65 18... .C $1 40 F $1 40 I $1 65 K $1 70 25... .C $1 40 F $1 40 I $1 65 K $1 70 January, 1897— 1... .C $1 40 F $1 40 \ I $1 65 K $1 70 8... .C $1 40 F $1 40 I $1 65 K $1 70 15... .C $1 40 F $1 40 I $1 55 K $1 70 22... .C $1 45 F $1 50 I $1 80 K $1 85 29... .C $1 45 F $1 50 I $1 80 K $1 85 February— 5... .C $1 40 F $1 50 I $1 75 K $1 80 12... .C $1 40 F $1 45 I $1 80 K $1 80 19... .C $1 40 F $1 40 I $1 60 K $1 70 26... .C $1 35 F $1 40 I $1 60 K $1 70 14... .C $1 25 F $1 35 G $1 35 H $1 50 21... I $1 55 K $1 65 M $1 65 N SI 75 .C $1 25 F SI 35 G SI 35 H SI 50 I $1 55 K $1 65 M SI 65 N SI 75 28... .C $1 25 F $1 35 G $1 35 H SI 50 I $1 55 K $1 75 M $1 65 N SI 75 June— 4... .C $1 25 F $1 30 G $1 35 H $1 50 I $1 55 K $1 65 M $1 70 N $1 85 11... .C $1 25 F $1 30 G $1 35 H SI 50 I $1 55 K $1 65 M $1 70 N $1 85 18... .C $1 25 F SI 30 G $1 35 H $1 50 I $1 55 K $1 65 M $1 70 N $1 85 25... .C $1 25 F $1 30 G $1 35 H $1 50 I SI 55 K $1 65 M SI 70 N $1 85 July— 2... .C $1 25 F $1 30 G $1 35 H $1 50 I $1 55 K $1 65 M $1 70 N $1 85 9... .C $1 20 F $1 35 G $1 35 H $1 50 I $1 60 K $1 60 M $1 70 N $1 75 16... .C $1 20 F $1 35 G SI 35 H SI 50 I $1 60 K $1 60 M SI 70 N $1 75 23... .C $1 15 F $1 30 G SI 35 H $1 45 I $1 55 K $1 55 M SI 65 N SI 75 30... .C $1 15 F SI 30 G $1 35 H $1 45 I $1 55 K $1 55 M $1 65 N $1 75 August— H $1 45 6... .C $1 20 F $1 25 G $1 30 I $1 50 K $1 55 M $1 60 N $1 75 13... .C $1 20 F $1 25 G SI 30 H SI 45 I SI 45 K $1 50 M $1 55 N $1 75 20... .C $1 20 F SI 25 G $1 30 H $1 45 I $1 45 K $1 50 M SI 55 N $1 75 27... .C $1 20 F $1 25 G $1 30 H SI 45 I SI 45 K $1 50 M $1 55 N $1 75 1HE LUMBER TRADE. Light Demand—The Outlook is Favorable for the Future. The lumber trade during- the past year has participated to some extent in the general depression. Prices ranged too- low to make the business profitable to manu¬ facturers, and it is only by the strictest economy that any margin can be saved. The business, through the energetic char¬ acter of our dealers, has been kept on a footing to> take advantage of any rise in prices that may prevail. The local trade has not been up to that of previous years, comparatively few new buildings being repor The facilities enjoyed here for shipping lumber by water from the mills in the interior direct to this market places the trade here in a position, to compete in prices with any point South. In fact the saving in this method of transportation en¬ ables Charleston dealers to secure orders when more southern markets, depending on. railroad facilities, are barred out. This applies more particularly to- square edge and sound quality of lumber, and sawed trolley ties. The outlook now for the remainder of the year is not encouraging, but an in¬ crease in demand, which is confidently looked for on account of the passage of the Dingley bill, makes the prospects for a good spring trade more promising. EXPORT'S OF LUMBER. The comparative exports of lumber, tim¬ ber and crossties1 from the port of Charles- 39 ton, from September 1, 1896, to August 31, 1897, as well as for the game period in 1895-96, will be found in the following table: Exported— 1896-97. 1894-95. New York 34,918,629 53,873,767 Boston 14,644,613 6,966,000 Philadelphia 917,164 3,774,000 Baltimore 2,254,000 1,649,000 Other U. S. ports.. .. 8,900,540 8,844,327 Total coastwise .. West Indies Other foreign ports ..61,634,946 .. 1,442,000 33,000 Total foreign 1,475,000 Grand total 63,109,946 TOTAL SHIPMENTS. The total shipments of kinds for the last thirty 75,107,094 2,190,685 2,190,685 77,297,779 lumber of years were all as follows: Feet. Feet. 1866-67 .... ...19,831,103 1882-83 ... ....40,000,000 1867-68 .... ...17,958,615 1883-84 ... ....31,586,453 1868-69 .... .. .18,558,652 1884-85 ... ....30,033,961 1869-70 .... ...13,205,066 1885-86 ... ....26,860,594 1870-71 .... ...15,728,467 1886-87 ... ....32,672,735 1871-72 .... ...18,490,139 1887-88 ... ....45,269,411 1872-73 .... ...20,709,280 1888-89 ... 1873-74 .... .. .19,568,091 1889-90 ... ....68,397,400 1874-75 .... ... 5,242,238 1890-91 ... ....51,226,827 1875-76 .... ... 4,080,511 1891-92 ... ....53,246,608 1876-77 .... 1892-93 ... ....61,093,344 1877-78 .... ... 9,595,053 1893-94 ... ....60,914,453 1878-79 .... ...12,931,179 1894-95 ... ....74,90S, 589 1879-80 .... ...15,437,907 1895-96 ... ....77,297,779 1880-81 .... ...18,500,000 1896-97 ... 63,109,946 1881-82 .... ...43,000,000 THE PRODUCE MARKET. Dealings in Corn, Flour, Hay, Oats and Bacon lairing the Year. There has been an increase in the re¬ ceipts of flour at this1 port, also a slight in¬ crease in receipts of hay, corn and oats. More bacon has been sold here this year than during the preceding twelve months. HAY. The comipara live receipts of hay for the past twenty-three years are as follows: Bales. Bales. 1874-75 32,629 1886-87 47,700 1875-76 36,050 1876-77 24,994 1877-78 32,335 1878-79 31,241 1879-80 44,913 1880-81 53,596 1881-82 55,000 1882-83 43,739 1883-84 64,700 1884-85 48,078 1887-88 48,500 1888-89 51,700 1889-90 55,200 1890-91 67,000 1891-92 70,000 1892-93 62,000 1S93-94 65,000 1894-95 55,250 1895-96 50,000 1896-97 52,000 1885-86 46,800 CORN. The following are the amounts of corn received for the last twenty-three years: Bushels. Bushels. 1874-75 383,600 1886-87 800,000 1875-76 684,900 1887-88 900,000 1876-77 385,200 1888-89 1,100,000 1877-78 .. . ... 375,700 1889-90 .. . ...1,115,000 1878-79 .. . ... 353,950 1890-91 .. . ...1,190,000 1879-80 .. . ... 473,115 1891-92 .. . ...1,200,000 1880-81 .. . ... 796,600 1892-93 .. . ...1,050,000 1881-82 .. ...1,100,000 1893-94 .. . ...1,250,000 1882-83 .. ... 501,500 1894-95 .. . ...1,025,000 1883-84 .. ... 971,000 1895-96 .. ... 900,000 1884-85 .. ... 789,460 1896-97 .. ... 960,000 1885-86 .. ... 798,750 OATS. The receipts for the past twenty-three years are as follows: Bushels. Bushels. 1874-75.. .. . ... 60,500 1886-87.. . 160,000 1875-76.. .. . ... 50,000 1887-88.. . 172,000 1876-77.. .. . ... 77,400 1888-89.. . 175,000 1877-78.. .. . ... 86,800 1889-90.. . 185,000 1878-79.. .. . ... 97,250 1890-91.. . 235,000 1879-80.. .. ...104,450 1891-92.. . 275,000 1880-81.. .. . ...152,025 1892-93.. . 240,000 1881-82.. .. ...150,000 1893-94.. . 250,000 1882-83.. .. ...150,000 1894-95.. . 275,000 1883-84.. .. ...160,000 1895-96.. . 290,000 1884-85.. .. ...147,815 1896-97.. . 300,000 1885-86.. .. . ...150,000 FLOUR. The sales of flour during the year have been larger than they were durng the pre¬ vious year. The receipts amounted to 157,500. BACON. There has been an increased demand for bacon and sales have been in excess of those of last year. The receipts of the year amounted to 1,200 carloads or 30,000,000 pounds. ♦ FRUITS AJSD VEGETABLES. An Exhaustive Review of the Truck Trade of Charleston, Together with Many In¬ teresting Facts Regarding the Growth and Consumption of General Produce. The trade in vegetables and strawberries has been one of the most favorable for the past three years. The shipping sea¬ son ending July 31, 1897, was not noted for the large yield, but for its length, with fair prices. This left a nice sum, to the credit of the truckers and thiisi money, put in circulation' by them, was and will be felt in the community, for the truck farm¬ ers spend their money at home. A re¬ mark made by one of the larger dealers in Charleston is well worthy of repeating in this connection. Pie said: "The farm¬ ers have paid1 their obligation® for the past year better than I have ever known before. They have alsoi bought more lib¬ erally and have been on the lookout for new and improved tools. They are trying to keep up with, the times and want la¬ bor-saving implements. It seems as though new life had been infused into them." The figures that are given below were carefully compiled by Mr L. Sahlmann, president of the Truck Farmers' Associa¬ tion,, of Charleston and vicinity. They will be found interesting and' may be re¬ lied upon as accurate and comprehensive. The details are more full and there are a number of new subjects touched upon that have not previously been spoken of in this 40 Review. Tni (he grand total of over three million dollars shown in the state¬ ment of values, the meats, milk, eggs and country butter sold in Charleston during the year are added to the figures show¬ ing the production and dispovsition of vege¬ tables and fruit: FALIi CROP REPORT. Shipped East: Value. Baskets beans 84,500 $63,000 Basket's peas 1,000 1,500 Baskets lettuce 2,150 3,225 Barrels potatoes 1,000 3,025 Barrel© beets 1,750 3,500 Total $74,250 The fall crop of beans was the largest ever made;, but prices were very low. Only the first shipments brought fair returns. Fully 10,000 baskets were left in the fields. The home consumption of the fall crop was as follows: Value. Crates cabbage 2,000 $ 5,000 Barrels Irish potatoes .. .. 9,300 18,600 Barrels sweet potatoes .. ..73,150 73,150 Bushels beets 12,000 9,000 Baskets carrots 7,100 5,375 Baskets miscellaneous crops, including lettuce, spinach, beans, peas, kale, onions and tomatoes 67,301 67,000 Bushels of turnips 30,300 15,150 Total... $193,275 THE SPRING CROP. The season was late, but found all other sections in pretty much the' same condi¬ tions, if not worse. In North Carolina frost and rain delayed the truck. This gave Charleston a clear field for a time. Then the floods along the Mississippi de¬ stroyed much of the crop in Louisiana and around Mobile, making a Southern demand and keeping the price, up in Eastern, mar¬ kets.. On the whole this section was fa¬ vored by the elements, blocking several competitors., at least for a time, and if the growers should have another such season there would be few of them anxious to go to. the Klondyke or the gold fields of Caljfornia. The following shows the ship¬ ments of the spring crop: Strawberries, E'ast, quarts 656,480 Strawberries, near-by points 125,000 Total shipment 775,480 Cabbages, crates 125,582 Potatoes, barrels 164,860 ' Lettuce, beets, beans, cucumbers., muskmelong and miscellaneous baskets. 233,200 Asparagus, boxes 25,100 Tomatoes, ha s k e t s 9, (XX) Okra, baskets 3,000 Sweet potatoes, barrels 1,200 Mutton corn, baskets 1,000 Estimated value of spring shipments, $1,193,996 10. There were psed at home of the spring crops 350,000 quarts of strawberries, valued at $28,000. Also, sweet potatoes 11,000 bar¬ rels and miscellaneous vegetables 165,000 packages. Value of spring crop consumed in Charleston $170,000. THE HAY CROP has been 20 per cent larger than the fig¬ ures given in last year's report. The esti¬ mated value of this crop is $120,000. RLACKBERRIES have formed quite an item in the markets. Few were shipped, but about $15,000 worth have been gathered and sold in Charles¬ ton. MILK SUPPLY. The following statistics were furnished by Mr L. Sahlmann, president of the Charleston Truck Farmers' Association, and one of Charleston's most progressive farmers and dairymen. The number of cows shown in the city and suburbs, (these figures obtained through the kind¬ ness of Dr H. B. Horlbeck, health offi¬ cer:) Battery to Shepard street 478 Shepard street to city boundary 80 North of city limits, within half mile.. 75 James Island 95 Total 728 Averaging each cow at 6 quarts of milk daily this gives 4,368 quarts consumed daily in Charleston. As a rule the milk is good, but the method of delivery in hand cans and push carts, is not up to date. It is noted that there is a consid¬ erable increase in the number of cows kept in the city. This is not a good thing. It were better that the cows be kept in the suburbs, and, in fancy, some who have thought in advance of the times have seen the electric railway run¬ ning special milk trains in the early morning. As said before, the milk sold in Charleston is pure and the cows are nearly all healthy. The milk is mostly obtained from native cattle and they are very generally free from disease. THE BUTTER supply has grown but little in Charleston. That is, there has been but little increase in the butter making. The total amount made in the city during the year will hardly exceed 15,000 pounds, valued at $3,750. The total dairy products would, therefore, be valued at: Milk $111,660 Butter 3,750 Total $115,410 BEEF. There are slaughtered in Charleston an¬ nually about 16,000 head of cattle. Of this number about 11,430 come in by rail and 4,570 are driven in from nearby points in Colleton, Berkeley and Charles¬ ton counties. From September to May the supply comes from Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina, in the following proportions: Tennessee 10 per cent, North Carolina 15, Georgia 25 and South Carolina 50. From May to September the supply comes from near by and is all grass-fed cattle, averaging about 650 pounds each. The supply of cattle for this nearby demand is constant¬ ly increasing and forms a profitable in¬ dustry in the low-country. 41 The dressed beef coming- to Charleston from the West amounts to about 65 cars of 20,000 pounds each. The estimated value of the Western meat is $72,500; Charleston slaughtering is valued at $242,- 870. Total value of beef consumed in Charleston during the year, $315,370. VEAL. . The veal used in Charleston is nearly all from near the city. There were about 13,525 calves killed for the Charleston mar¬ ket last year, and they were valued at $40,755. SHEEP. Some six thousand sheep and lambs were killed for the home market last year. The larger number of lambs came from nearby points in the spring. Some lambs were also brought from the islands in the spring of the year. In the winter the mutton comes from the upper portions of the State and from Tennessee and Georgia. The demand for lamb and mut¬ ton is always good, and the wonder is that more attention is not given to sheep rais¬ ing in the lower counties. The estimated value of the mutton to the butchers last year was $13,000. HOGS. About forty thousand hogs were slaugh¬ tered in Charleston pens from the middle of September to the 1st of April. These were mostly small, not averaging more than 135 pounds. Some large hogs were used by the sausage makers. Charleston is well supplied with pork, and has a bet¬ ter run of it than most sections in the South. The hogs are killed young and in good condition. The estimated value of last year's supply of pork is $212,400. This brings up the meat bill, at wholesale prices, as follows; Beef $315,370 Veal... 40,755 Sheep and lambs 13,000 Hogs 212,400 Total $581,525 POULTRY. Charleston consumed last year about 16,- 250 dozen fowls and chickens. The greater bulk of this stock came from North Caro¬ lina. Some also came from Tennessee and others from the upper part of South Carolina. The value of the feathered crop was estimated at $45,000. v EGGS. Of the four million dozen eggs used in Charleston in a year not more than sixty to seventy-five thousand are laid in the city or suburbs. Great quantities are brought from nearby points and from North Carolina and Tennessee. The eggs eaten and used in Charleston in a year are valued at $600,000. This matter is worthy of more attention, for in no coun¬ try can eggs be produced at less expense than in this section. The value of the meat, milk and butter supply, poultry and eggs consumed in Charleston during last year was $1,341,935. THE HA1LHOA.T* SITUAJIOJS, Changes in Traffic Affairs which have been Brought About During the Year and which Proiuise Much for the Future of the City and Port of Charleston. The developments in traffic matters dur¬ ing the last twelve months have been sig¬ nificant rather than numerous. With one exception the railroad map, as viewed from Charleston, has remained un¬ changed, but influences have been at work which have brought forth condi¬ tions pregnant with important promises to this port. Physical changes in trans¬ portation lines are always of slow growth; even when achieved with apparent sud¬ denness and rapidity they are but the culmination of plans which have taken many months to mature. Five years ago The News and Courier declared that the old Southern Freight and Passenger As¬ sociation was working under an agreement which was illegal and contrary to the public welfare. It was the first paper in the South to make such a contention, and for months afterwards railroad men were inclined tO' ridicule a proposition which they professed to believe was preposter¬ ous and absurd. But each succeeding year brought new converts to> the view expressed by The News and Courier, and the last few months have furnished con¬ vincing proof that it was the correct one to take. What was known as the Trans- Missouri Association case, having accom¬ plished a tortuous journey through the Courts of all manner of degrees of juris¬ diction,, finally reached the highest tri¬ bunal in the land. The decision rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States was sweeping and far-reaching. It de¬ clared without equivocation that the agreements under which the various traffic associations of the country were then op¬ erating violated the anti-trust law. In the ranks of traffic consternation followed. For the moment the associations were dumbfounded, and did not know where to turn for means whereby to perpetuate the practices which they had long assumed to be their prerogatives. For a time there was talk of making another case before the same Court in the hope that the Judges would reverse their first opinion. This course, had it been followed, would have been fraught with danger to the Court and the roads alike. It is scarcely reasonable to believe that the Court would voluntarily have changed its mind upon so important a matter in a few weeks, and had the first decision rendered been re¬ versed a hue and cry would have been raised against the corporations and against the Judges, which would have been heard throughout the length and breadth of the country. However, the roads abandoned the idea of further liti¬ gation, some clever corporation attorneys having conceived an easy and effective method of extricating them from their dilemma. They abandoned their associa¬ tions, as such, overhauled their agree¬ ments, and immediately came together 42 again under individual promises to do for one another precisely what they were formerly bound to do by contracts, the performance of which was according to the Supreme Court contrary to the Anti- Trust Act. They made much noise ana ostentation over the willingness with which they bowed to the mandates of the Court, but their acquiescence was a sem¬ blance rather than a fact. Few persons who are informed will deny that the traf¬ fic lines are still working together to con¬ trol and manipulate freight, as they dia under the agreements of their associa¬ tions. Nevertheless the decision of the Court proved a distinct victory for those who opposed these combinations. The roads are now left without the authority to enforce their agreements, and succeed¬ ing years may find them still more power¬ less to control the business of the coun¬ try as they have heretofore done. While Charleston, in common with eve¬ ry other city, town and community in the country, has watched closely the case, the change in railroad affairs in which she has been much concerned has been the purchase of the Augusta Southern Road by the South Carolina and Georgia Com¬ pany. The significance of this important step to this port can scarcely be exagger¬ ated. The Augusta Southern is a road of 84 miles in length, reaching from Augusta to Tennille and extending through a thick¬ ly populated and productive section of Georgia. It has been converted into what is called the Georgia Division of the Soutn Carolina and Georgia Road, and will in future contribute directly to Charleston business and commerce. The people of this city have long hoped to see the South Carolina and Georgia Road the nucleus of a system of roads which would reach into other States and which would con¬ trol a large volume of traffic in the in¬ terior. The purchase of the Augusta Southern would seem to be the first step in this direction. The road is a natural feeder to the South Carolina and Georgia, and the purchase of it will unquestionably result in increasing Charleston's busi¬ ness. Tennille, its Southern terminus, is not far distant from Macon, and it has more than once been reported that the present owners contemplated extend¬ ing the road to that point. Should this ever be done the advantages to be de¬ rived by the interests of this city and port would be numerous and important. When the last Annual Review was pub¬ lished Messrs Thomas and Ryan were just completing the formation of their present Charleston and Western Carolina system. The Charleston and Western Carolina is, as is generally known, a con¬ solidation of the Port Royal and Augusta with the Port Royal and Western Caro¬ lina Company. The new company has figured extensively in the State and Fed¬ eral Courts during the last year upon one pretext or another. It was the re¬ ceiver of the Port Royal and Augusta Road who made the famous case before Judge Simonton something over a year ago, in which the United States Courts were appealed to to put an end to the great rate war between the Seaboard Air Line and the Southern system. Many repeti- I tions of a report that Messrs Thomas and Ryan directly or indirectly represented the Southern system brought about an in¬ vestigation of the rumor by the State officials last autumn. When put upon oath those gentlemen swore, with an em¬ phasis and circumstantiality, which it is hard to discredit, that the Southern had nothing whatever to do with their enter¬ prise, and yet with that testimony oh record not only laymen but well informed railroad men persist in the belief that Messrs Thomas and Ryan are nothing more nor less than agents of the South¬ ern system at the present time. Should this eventually prove to be the case the effect upon traffic in this section of the South would be far reaching. But at present the question remains a matter <">f conjecture. A rumor of more imme¬ diate interest to Charleston in which the Charleston and Western Carolina Com¬ pany figures is one to the effect that that company contemplates making a traffic or trackage agreement with the Plant System, which would enable it to run its trains solid into this city. There is no question of the fact that such a plan has been considered and it is not improbable that it will be put into ope¬ ration in the near future. Some people think that Charleston will be the head¬ quarters of the Thomas and Ryan lines this season. Emphasis need not be placed upon the benefits which this port would derive from such an enterprise. The Charleston and Western Carolina Com¬ pany could readily turn 100,000 bales of cotton to Charleston besides a vast vol¬ ume of general business. With its trains running solid into this city it would be a great acquisition to the movement now on foot to promote direct trade between Charleston and Europe. It would con¬ tribute largely to the maintenance of the Trans-Atlantic Steamship Line which has been formed here and which will be working within a few weeks. Last year it was confidently expected that before the present Review was issued Charleston would have begun the con¬ struction of a line of her own to the West. The Charleston and Macon Road appeared to be an assured fact. The in¬ fluences which operated to frustrate the plans which had been so well laid are too numerous to be given here in detail. An integral part of the Charleston and Macon enterprise had been a consolida¬ tion, either physical or in effect, with the Greenwood, Anderson and Western Com¬ pany, a company which had acquired con¬ trol of the old Carolina Midland Road and which had projected its extension to the upper part of the State. Financial differences between the Greenwood, An¬ derson and Western and its contractors threw the company into the hands of a receiver. It lost control of the Midland and for a time, at least, abandoned hope of completing its extension. The con¬ tractors for the Greenwood, Anderson and Western were to have been the con¬ tractors for the Charleston and Macon Road as well. Negotiations between them and the Security Construction Company for the building of the new road dragged 43 along for some months and were finally i abandoned. At the present time it seems improbable that they will ever be re¬ sumed. The Greenwood, Anderson and Western, though it . has not regained I control of the Midland property, hopes j to extend its line to Batesburg this year and possibly still further. Not a little attention has been given in some quarters to the report that the Charleston and Ohio River Company would extend its line to this city in the near future. The proprietors of the old Three C's Road intended that Charleston should be its water terminus. The trou¬ bles into which the company fell are of long standing and are familiar to the public, but there is no question of the fact that after the purchase of the prop¬ erty by its present owners a brighter turn was given to its affairs. These gentlemen have means at their disposal to develop the property if they desire to do so. Some of them were in this city recently and they talked freely of the advisability of extending the road to Charleston. Influential men here are in¬ terested in the project and it is not be¬ yond the bounds of probability that a few months may see a determined effort making to build a direct line of communi¬ cation between Charleston and the coal fields of Ohio and West Virginia. While the subject is treated in detail elsewhere, some mention should be made here of the Trans-Atlantic line of steam¬ ers to begin operations here this fall. The influence which this company will exert upon land traffic will, of course, be great. All of the railroads running into Charleston are expected to contribute to the business of the line, and naturally much freight which has never come to Charleston before will in future seek an outlet through this port. When all of these matters are consid¬ ered it may be said that the outlook in traffic circles for Charleston, both by land and sea, is a bright one, and the next year will probably bring forth changes of vast importance to the interests of thd port. South Carolina and Georgia Railroad. The South Carolina and Georgia Rail¬ road, now known as "The Charleston Line," has maintained its position as a leading instrument towards the upbuilding of Charleston. With already splendid lines to Columbia and Augusta, well equipped and operated to the best advantage of travellers and shippers, the Charleston Line has branched out within the -year and extended its lines by purchasing the Augusta Southern Railway. This line ex¬ tends eighty odd miles into Georgia and covers an excellent section of that fine State, and thus brings tribute on its own tracks from the interior of a sister State. The Augusta Southern, since its purchase by the South Carolina and Georgia, has been much improved physically and the service now given is identical with that on the main lines. The South Carolina and Georgia Rail¬ road has its headquarters and its shops in Charleston, and these facts are impor¬ tant -to the city. Through these means the road contributes to the support of a large number of people and is a material source of revenue to the local retail and wholesale traders. It is, therefore, a source of gratification to have the road guided by men of large means and larger experience. These gentlemen have the power to pro¬ vide every possible facility which may be required in the solution of the grave prob¬ lem of how best to develop the resources and to utilize the advantages which Charleston possesses in such large meas¬ ure over all other South Atlantic ports. The road has continued its work on ter¬ minals and now has docking facilities for a half dozen fine vessels at one time. The company has converted the old rice mill property that stood at the northern end of their ground into a modern, and in every way complete grain elevator. The elevator has been put up in accord with the views and suggestions of the best known experts in this country and is now ready for business. The elevator has large capacity and a splendid wharf, reaching some three hundred feet into the Cooper River, where grain vessels can lie and re¬ ceive their cargoes direct from the im¬ mense bins. Wharf No 1, a fine piece of marine and land building, is now used by the Boston Line of steamers. It is 410 feet long, and 80 feet wide and is covered almost the en¬ tire length. The tracks of the South Car¬ olina and Georgia Road run on this whart, and there are sheds just above which per¬ mit of an entire train being loaded or un¬ loaded under cover. A third wharf has just been finished for handling cotton, iron and naval store®. This pier is constructed on the same plan as the others and is substantial, roomy and in every way adapted to> the purposes intended. In every department and on every side the South Carolina and Georgia has kept up and improved its possessions and the service given for travel and traffic has been excellent. The Ashley River property has not been neglected. The new wharves there have been in constant use and are kept up to the standard of excellnece that marks "The Charleston Line" always. Statement of business of the South Car¬ olina and Georgia Railroad for the year ending June 30, 1897, as compared with corresponding time in 1896: FREIGHT TRAFFIC. 1896-97. 1895-96. Eastward tonnag'e 386,735 413,369 Westward tonnage 385,013 206,684 771,748 620,053 PASSENGER TRAFFIC. 1896-97. 1895-96. Number of passengers carried 424,687 367,888 MOVEMENT OF FREIGHT. 1896-97. 1895-96. Barrels flour 191,712 189,648 Bushels grain 1,045,567 1,068,000 Feet lumber 9,824,067 10,931,069 Tons fertilizer and phos¬ phate rock 244,202 151,355" 44 RECEIPT'S OP COTTON. 1896-97. 1895-96. Bales... 241,626 208,667 Charleston and Savannah Railway. The great Plant system of railways, steamships and hotels comes in touch, with Charleston by the Charleston and Savannah Railway. This 'splendid road has brought into Charleston thousands of tourists and hundreds of tons of freight, besides keeping Charleston, in, touch with her sister city, Savannah. The Charleston and Savannah Railway is splendidly equipped, has an exceptionally fine road bed, and is. managed in a generous and liberal way. The schedules are convenient and service fast and safe. The company does a large, business handling truck and the spur road to, Young's Island has done much, for the sea island farmers by provid¬ ing quick and safe transit for their pro¬ ducts. The business of the company tnrough the year has been excellent. Northeastern Railroad. One of the most important factors in the commerce of Charleston is the Northeast¬ ern Railroad. This road is operated indi¬ vidually, but forms a part of the splendid Atlantic Coast Line system. It is not a long road and the country through, which it passes does not give much of a volume of trade, but the through business re¬ ceived from other roads keeps the North¬ eastern very busy indeed. The. Northeast¬ ern Railroad is a link in the oldest and greatest through route from Florida to, the North, and thus participates in the profits accruing from, the enormous freight and passenger traffic flowing between the East and the extreme South Atlantic seaboard. The Northeastern Railroad shares largely in the winter tourist travel to and from Florida, and it is one of the chief mediums in marketing the products of the rich vegetable farms which stretch all along the coast from Charleston to the Gulf. During the past year the Northeastern Road has kept up in every particular with the progress of railroading. Its equip¬ ment and service are equal to, the best. Ashley River Railroad. The Ashley River Railroad consists of the line which runs from the Northeastern station out to Ashley Junction, together with numerous valuable spurs, which con¬ nect it with the various manufacturing concerns and phosphate plants located on Charleston Neck. It has passed through a very good year of business. The management has continued to, develop the property and its prosperity increases. The branch lines have proved valuable feed¬ ers to the Ashley River Line, and all have done their share in the handling of Charleston's business and increasing her commercial importance. Charleston, Sumter and Northern. The Charleston, Sumter and Northern Railroad, although it is no. longer put down as. such, is still an important feed¬ er to Charleston's commerce. The "C. S. I and N." is now a part of the Atlantic Coast Line and is operated with the same policy that has made that great system so popular and successful. The territory cov¬ ered by this road was naturally tributary to the Atlantic Coast Line, and the ac¬ quisition of it by that system, was, there¬ fore, to be desired. The East Shore Terminal. The East Shore Terminal Company was organized and its tracks constructed in 1S89-90. Its tracks run from Columbus street down along the entire eastern front to Southern wharf and with, sidetracks and connections to the various wharves along the water front. The track is a double track, laid with 60-pound rails. The property of the company was very seriously damaged in the year 1893 in the great cyclone of August in that year. Since then, under proceedings to, foreclose the mortgages in, the United States Circuit Court, it has been put in the hands of receivers, by whom it is now being oper¬ ated. The receivers are. William E. Htiger, Esq, and Isaac W. Fowler, Esq. The company owns the Union wharves, comprising four piers and docks, and the wharves south of the Custom House, for¬ merly known as Brown's, Kerr's, Atlan¬ tic and Vanderhorst wharves, comprising in all some, twelve piers and docks. In addition, it has four large cotton com¬ presses and ware, houses sufficient to, pro¬ vide storage room, for all freight brought to Charleston. The officers of the company are: Sam¬ uel D. Davis, president; John L. Nesbit, secretary and treasurer. Offices: North Atlantic wharf, Charleston, and 36 Wall 'street, New York. Tlie Clyde Line. The Clyde Steamship Line has been for years one of Charleston's moist stanch allies,. With its splendid steamers plying between this port and New York and . touching at Jacksonville it form© one of the most convenient and pleasant ways for travellers to come and go, North and South, and thus gives all a chance to choose between a rail and water route— some, of course preferring one and some the other. The Clyde Line carries annual¬ ly thousands of Charles to,nians both to New York and Florida, and brings them back, and it also brings thousands of tou¬ rists to this fine old city. It does more than this, however, for the capacious holds of the fine, ships are always filled with, Cotton,, naval stores and lumber for the Northern trip and with merchandise for Southern merchants when arriving from. New York. The business ha:s been so heavy forr the late summer and early fall that the line has been forced to press into service other boats than those of their regular schedule to handle their south¬ bound freights. The Clyde Line has quite recently bid¬ den for a part of the truck 'shipments and for a year or two, has handled quite a good quantity of the hardy vegetables and fruit going North. Some of the, ships, particularly the Seminole, which was rebuilt this past summer, are specially pre¬ pared co carry perishable- goods and the shipments by boat have been very satis¬ factory. Mr James E. Edgerton. who has been in charge of the affairs of the line for a number of years, is still managing the Charleston end of this great business with 'satisfaction to the company and to the merchants, travellers and all who have dealings with the line. Mr Edgerton has a. competent force of assistants and there is never any delay or trouble on the Clyde wharves. The ships are loaded and un- 1 oaded when they come in-, day or night, with the greatest possible dispatch., and in each department the work goes smooth¬ ly and satisfactorily along. The Boston Tine. The establishment of a line of freight 'steamer® between Charleston and Boston was a happy thought that has- been car¬ ried into effect by the Clyde S'teanVsh-ip Company. This line has now been in ac¬ tive operation for some time, and has proved a great success. The steamers make good time, and sail weekly from Charleston and Boston. This line sails from Pier No 1 o-f the South Carolina and Georgia. Railroad terminal wharves, and has been a success from- the s'art. Two fine steamers, the Delaware and the Onei¬ da, ply on thin route, and have had all the freight they could handle"'for some time past. The Bos1 on Bine is managed by the Clyde's general agent, Mr James E'. Edg¬ erton, an i an excellent set of officials. 1)1 If ECT TRADE WITH EUROPE. The .Charleston Transport Tine with a Cf» j>ital of $200,000—Steamers to be Run Regularly Between Charleston and the t ontinent. - lithe Charleston Transport Bine, which will, in the course of a week or two, es¬ tablish a regular schedule of boats be- t veen Charleston and European ports, will bring about a state of affairs that has long been anticipated and hoped for. It will be the beginning of direct trade. The details of the organization and' gen¬ eral plans of the company were published sometime ago, but, as it was not projected until after the cotton season had closed last, spring, it was decided not to begin operations until the fall. The details were set forth in a circular letter issued by Simpson, Spence & Young, of New York, and Street Brothers, of Charleston. In the circular it was announced that the Charleston Transport Bine had an author¬ ized capital of $200,000, and is incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jer¬ sey. Its general managers are Messrs Simpson, Spence & Young, whose head¬ quarters will be in New York. The gen-' eral agents for Charleston are Street Brothers, of this city; while the European agents are at Biverpool, Bondon, . New Castle-on-Tyne and West Hartlepool, Messrs Simpson, Spence & Young; at Man¬ chester, Messrs Sivewright, Bacon & Co; at Havre, Messrs C. Brown & Corblet; at Rotterdam, Messrs Van Santen & Co; at Bremen, H. Danelsbeg; at Hamburg, H. Vagemann, and at Genoa, Messrs Gastoldi & Co. The circular invited the "co-opera¬ tion of steamship owners, shippers and all others interested in the export trade of Charleston, which the Transport Bine has been formed to develop." In general terms the line "was said to be established "for the purpose of conducting a general charter' ing, steamship agency, and leading brok erage business in the port of Charleston, S. C." The circular bore the flag under which the ships of the company will sail. In the upper left hand corner there is a white palmetto tree on a purple field. The remaining ground of the banner is taken up by four red stripes, divided by a broad¬ er white one upon which the letters C. T. B. are traced in black. In their part of the joint circular Messrs Simpson, Spence & Young said among other things: "The bus¬ iness of the line will be conducted in a manner that will assure to all interests fair and satisfactory treatment." It is con¬ fidently expected with the railroad sup¬ port the line will enjoy that Charleston will gradually become an important ship¬ ping point for grain and general merchan¬ dise, in addition to cotton, which has been the principal export staple hitherto." Street Brothers on their part said: "We beg to inform you that we have under¬ taken the general agency in Charleston of the Charleston Transport Bine, incorpor¬ ated, and that our business as steamship agents, charterers and brokers has been merged into that of the new corporation. Under the auspices of incorporation, now so popular with railways, shippers and the general public, we are confident that our sphere of usefulness will be considerably extended to the advantage of our steam¬ ship owning and other friends. Rest as¬ sured that all business intrusted to the company at Charleston will receive our careful personal attention." The company expects to receive, and no doubt will receive, the enthusiastic support of every business man in Charles¬ ton. While the South Carolina and Geor¬ gia Road has been more largely than any other local transportation company, instru¬ mental in bringing about the establish¬ ment of the Transport Company, the man¬ agers of the new enterprise and the peo¬ ple of Charleston confidently expect all of the railroad companies entering the city tO' work .together for its maintenance and success. Inquiry at the office of Street Brothers, made a few days ago, brought out the fact that the first ship was expected within a week or ten days. GRAIN ELEVATOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA RAILROAD. \ 47 THE NEW GRAIN ELEVATOR. Charleston is Now Ready to Export Grain to Europe—Her Elevator lias a Storage Capacity of 200,000 Bushels and the Machinery will Handle 125,000 Bushels Per Day. Charleston has now a thoroughly equipped and perfectly arranged grain ele¬ vator. This very important adjunct to the city's railroad and steamship facilities is the property of and will be operated by the owners of the South Carolina and Georgia Railroad, and is situated at the Cooper River terminals of that company. The ele¬ vator was first constructed upon plans supposed to be all that was required, and much heavy and excellent machinery was put in, the buildings made over and put up on the property, which had been occupied by a rice mill, but when, last spring, a committee of experts from New Tork and the West came down to look over the plant and pass upon its completeness and excel¬ lence a number of suggestions were made for changes. The company immediately had plans drawn for the improvements in¬ dicated, and in a short time workmen were busy on every portion of the premises and some radical changes were made, and now, as said just above, Charleston has a modern, up-to-date grain elevator, with a capacity equal to anything that may be required of it. The buildings are exten¬ sive an-d are a^ arranged for the greatest convenience. The elevator is fronted by a splendid wharf reaching three hundred feet into Cooper River, with docks deep enough to receive the deepest draft ves¬ sels that come into thisport. Themachinery is of the latest and most approved pattern, and is so arranged that cars may be un¬ loaded and a stream of grain be continu¬ ally passing directly through to vessels on the water side, or the cars can unload into bins while grain is being taken from other bins to the ships. The bins are not so large or deep as those in Northern and Western elevators. This difference in con¬ struction is of great advantage, as it dis¬ poses of the grain in smaller and thinner bulk, and thus reduces the opportunities for heating. There are two Empire fans in connection with the bins, by means of which the grain can be moved from one bin to another and cooled, (should this be found necessary at any time.) The capacity of these fans is sufficient to handle and cool 4,000 bushels of grain per hour. The storage capacity of the elevator is 200,000 bushels. It has a receiving capacity of 5,000 bushels per hour and a delivery capacity of the same quantity. The eleva¬ tor is so arranged and equipped that it can receive and deliver at the same time, thus practically handling 10,000 bushels per hour, 5,000 bushels inward and 5,000 bush¬ els outward. An excellent feature of this elevator, and one calculated to keep the grain cool in warm weather and free from dampness is that the bins are not located on the lower floor, but are all above that floor, supported in the strongest manner upon most substantial foundations, thus providing for a free and plenteous pas¬ sage of air under the bins, insuring perfect safety from damage to the grain while stored in the elevator, or in course of handling and shipment. The facilities for loading vessels direct from the elevator are of the latest methods. In addition to a large spout conveyor, a new belt conveyor now extends the entire length of the pier, with a num¬ ber of spouts along its length, which will enable the grain to be loaded into all of the various holds of a vessel at the same time. A 250,000-bushel cargo of grain can be loaded into a vessel in forty-eight hours, and those vessels that may take a mixed cargo of grain, cotton and other goods can have 125,000 bushels of grain loaded into their various holds in twenty-four hours. The modernizing and reconstruction of the elevator was done under the superintend¬ ence of Mr Wescott, of Buffalo, N. Y., who has had large experience with the operat¬ ing of elevators and also in their construc¬ tion, not only at the port of Buffalo, but at some of the Gulf ports. CHARLESTON IMPORTING CO. Coffee Brought Direct to the City from Brazil—An Enterprise that has Proved a Success. Less than a year ago several Charles¬ ton merchants, realizing that a great quantity of coffee was being sold in this and adjoining States that was imported by firms much farther North, and not be¬ ing able to understand why a shorter trip would not make deliveries quicker and prices more reasonable, decided to go into the business of importing. They or¬ ganized under the name of the Charleston Importing Company, and immediately made contracts for large shipments of the beans from Brazil, and* preparations for handling the stuff when it arrived. When the ships came in with the first cargoes, the company had everything ready and the fragrant beans, in sacks, were unloaded under a covered wharf at Boyce's docks. It was conveyed by tramways to the big brick ware houses just at the head of the wharves and stored in great stacks, ready for sort¬ ing, cleaning and shipment. A little later the most improved machinery for sorting, cleaning and packing the coffee was put in the buildings and things are now work¬ ing smoothly and satisfactorily. Besides these machines for cleaning and grading the coffee the company has one of the largest and most perfect roasters in the 48 South. In this the coffee is roasted by direct flame heat, which is likened to the broiling-1 of a steak as against frying it; the juices in the bean are all retained and not expelled as they are when heat is applied to the outside of a cylinder containing coffee. The capacity of this roaster is large and the company packs roasted coffee in very handsome pound packages ready for the retail trade. They also sell the roasted coffee in drums of seventy-five pounds each. The pound packages are put up in cases of one hun¬ dred. The coffees of the Charleston com¬ pany find ready sale and are fast becom¬ ing known all over the Southeast. The manager, when asked about the success of the venture recently, said it was assured and that the company was meeting with the greatest encouragement. The coffee imported by this Charleston company goes out to the jobbers in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Tennes¬ see. They have a number of travelling salesmen, and the ware house and clean¬ ing and packing departments give em¬ ployment to a score or more of men and women, the latter being employed in mak¬ ing up the roasted coffee in packages. The Charleston Importing Company has al¬ ready sold and delivered more than 15,000 bags of coffee and the demand is active and shipments are being made daily. The "Red Owl" and. "Electric" brands of roasted coffees, in packages and drums, are being called for faster than they can be shipped at present. ♦ THE FREIGHT BITRICA U. What has been Accomplished in the Inter¬ est of the Business of Charleston. The second annual report of the Bureau of Freight and Transportation, issued in February, 1897, gives an interesting ac¬ count of the very important work of the Bureau in the second year of its existence. While this report necessarily conveys but a meagre idea of the labor and research involved, as a synopsis of the results al¬ ready accomplished by the Bureau, and of the important matters pending and in progress, it clearly shows the great value the organization has been to the city. The geographical location of Charleston unquestionably entitles it to a command¬ ing position, but the tendency of the rail transportation companies of the Southeast, even the two larger trunk lines entering Charleston -with their own rails, to> direct their efforts in behalf of other ports where they have interests constitutes a standing menace to the growth and pros¬ perity of the city. This bare statement is sufficient to show the need for the cease¬ less watchfulness and intelligent work that has been done by the Bureau since its organization: work that can only be done through an organization of this. character. The Bureau has been a power¬ ful factor in breaking down the persist¬ ent and long-continued policy of many roads to ignore the importance of Charles¬ ton, and to awaken in others, some con¬ ception of the vast possibilities for both domestic and foreign commerce through this port. We feel we can safely say that no other institution has done as much for the good of the city as the Freight Bu¬ reau. Reviewing the work it has accom¬ plished, one is led to wonder what would have become of the business of the city had it been left undefended, as it was before the organization of this Bureau, to be preyed upon by other markets. We give in detail some of the work of the Bureau, as taken from its second an¬ nual report, also, as gathered from its manager, of some important work it has under way: The discontinuance of stopping passen¬ ger trains of the Plant system and At¬ lantic Coast Line at Ashley Junction. Here¬ tofore repeated efforts for several years of our different organizations to secure en¬ trance of these trains into the city have, as is well known, resulted in failure. Reducing rates on all classes from 5 to 25 cents per 100 pounds between Charles¬ ton and Cordele and Tifton, Ga. Reduction in rates for United Confed¬ erate Veterans' Reunion at Richmond. Reduction of 5 cents per 100 pounds in rates between Charleston and Fayette- ville, N. C. Reduction in classification from second to sixth class on oat meal and cracked wheat from Charleston to Georgia points. Reduction in rates on empty barrels to Cartersville, Ga. Restoring connection between South Carolina and Georgia Railway and Atlan- the Coast Line at Pregnall's, thus giving quick communication between Charleston and that section. Reduction of 3 cents per 100 pounds on flour, grain and hay from the West, Mis¬ sissippi and Ohio River points, to Charleston. Reduction of 6 cents on rice from Charleston to Chicago and points taking Chicago rates. Reduction in rates on rice to the Plant system. Arranging passenger rates for the Gala Week, after the efforts of the Gala Week committee to make satisfactory rates had failed. Reduction in rates on cotton seed oil to New York, 7 cents per barrel. Reduction in rates from Charleston dur¬ ing rate war between Seaboard Air Line and Southern Railway in the summer of 1896. Arranging for the movement of freight from Boston and New York via the Clyde Steamship Line through Charleston to At¬ lantic Coast Line territory. Prior to the Bureau's taking the matter in hand the Atlantic Coast Line had refused to take freight at Charleston from the Clyde Line. Reduction in rates on various classes from Charleston to Americus and Rich¬ land, Ga. Reduced rates on fertilizers to local sta¬ tions on the Seaboard Air Line in South Carolina and to Atlantic Coast Line sta¬ tions in South Carolina. Reduced rates on fertilizer to the Geor¬ gia, Midland and Gulf and Atlanta and Florida divisions of the Southern Rail¬ way, and to the Georgia, Southern and Florida Railway. Reduced rates on granite, Winnsboro to Charleston. Reduced rates on fertilizer to points on the Georgia Railroad, the Atlanta and West Point and the Western and Atlantic railways. Reduction in rates on fertilizer from Charleston to points in North Carolina and Virginia on the Southern, the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley, the Seaboard Air- Line and the Atlantic Coast Line. These reductions apply to fully 1,000 miles of territory. Reduction in cement rates to North Carolina territory. Reduction in rates on shingles between Charleston and the northern part of the State. The Bureau is now endeavoring to ac¬ complish— The readjustment of merchandise rates between Charleston and the upper part of the State, also between Charleston and North Carolina territory. The Bureau hopes to get these rates arranged in the near future. All Ijnes but one have agreed to the readjustment of the rates into upper South Carolina, and the promulgation of the new rates, it is believed, is only tem¬ porarily delayed. The adjustment of marine insurance rates from Charleston; co-operation with the railroads in arranging for the export business; adjustment of certain cotton rates. It would be hard to give any estimate of the saving in dollars that the Bureau has made for the city, but it has certainly amounted to a great many thousands. The immeasurable good in the work of the Bureau i9 best shown perhaps in the gen¬ eral results of the city's large growth in business as set forth in this Annual Re¬ view, showing an increase in export com¬ merce of 28 per cent, and in import com¬ merce of 95 per cent. 4 THE ELECTRIC RAILROAD. The Year has Brought Rapid Transit to Charleston—The New Road is Said to be the Rest of its Kind in the Country—An Knterprise which has Done Much and will do More for Charleston. Charleston's greatest achievement dur¬ ing the past year was the building of the Electric Street Railway. To show the faith of outsiders in the old city it is but neces¬ sary to state that foreign capital alone was used to build and equip the enter¬ prise. Rapid transit has always been Charleston's pet dream. On several occa¬ sions the electric road was in sight, but after a brief spell of rejoicing the hopes of the people were shattered, and they had to live on without seeing their favorite scheme pulled through. Last October, however, Dr J. S. Law¬ rence, of Baltimore, with several asso¬ ciates, came to Charleston for the purpose of buying the horse car lines and forming a new company to give the city a trolley system. The Northern capitalists re¬ mained here, and, seeing that the deal could not be made, they set to work, and before the people realized it, obtained a v grant from City Council to begin work. But to make a long story, full of minor i details, short, in two weeks' time the first ground was broken., and the company started in with a big force of hands to tear up the streets and put down an electric railroad track that woffid last for ages. A charter was granted by Secretary of State Tompkins to the Charleston Street Railway Company on December 14. The officers elected were; P. H. Gadsden, president; F. D. McEowen, treasurer, and F. K. Meyers, secretary. The board of di¬ rectors consisted of the officers and Messrs W. H. Stevens, P. B. Jennings, C. H. Deans, H. P. McCollough, T. Moultrie Mordecai and A. S. Bigelow. While the work of getting in the new road was going forward the Enterprise and City Railway were running as usual, and maintaining their independent organ¬ ization. In the meantime, however, nego¬ tiations were on foot for the purchase of the two lines, and the electric people were still hammering away at the horse car companies to sell. They held out stead¬ fastly for a long time, but finally had to give in, or, rather, give up, and all the street car property, the franchises, and, in fact, everything, went into the hands of Dr Lawrence's company. The prices paid for the old lines were considered fair and liberal. In the case of the Enterprise Rai1- way most of the stock was transferred for stock in the electric company. One hun¬ dred and fifty thousand dollars in cash was paid for the City Railway, the greater » 50 part of which was left in Charleston to local owners. After the City and Enterprise railroads were transferred to the new company the plans were changed, and new routes for the trolley were selected. As it is now, the entire city is pretty well covered by the system. With the present routes the City Rail¬ way owns a most valuable franchise. Wherever it is possible to have a track through a street with any chance of do¬ ing a fair business the company has con¬ structed it, and now practically the whole city is taken in. There are four different lines running from down-town toward the city boundary. The first starts from the Battery and runs through Church to Broad, it then turns into Broad and fol¬ lows East Bay to the Northeastern depot, and finally cuts a direct path toward the power house through the Mall district. The double track in Meeting street makes a straight line from the Battery to Magnolia Cemetery. This route might be called the main line. At Wentworth street a branch 1 is extended to Rutledge avenue, and at Line another spur is run to King street. Beyond Magnolia the track is complete to the Five-mile House, and from this point an extension has been made to the com¬ pany's ground, at Chicora Park, on the Cooper River. It is something new to Charleston to have a car track in King street, but the electric company got the right of way, and has a single line from the Battery to Line street, with switches at several points. In the western part of town the Rutledge avenue line picks up the travel going north and south. From Rutledge a double track runs through Broad to Bast Bay. Then at Wentworth there is another connection and still another at Calhoun street. Spring street has its trolley line, too, from King street to Rutledge avenue. From this it will be seen that the map of the city is dotted over with street car tracks. Transfers are issued at all junctional points, and a ride to any part of town costs only half a dime. A suburban track has also been built to Chicora Park, and the company is now at work erecting buildings and getting the place in shape for the visitors and towns people. The park will be one of the biff features, and will be one of the finest of the kind in the country. It is rather difficult to say just how znuch benefit Charleston so far has derived from the new railroad. A rough estimate of the money expended is $800,000, and these fig¬ ures are conservative. The greater part of this amount, too, was spent in Charles¬ ton. Local workmen were employed wher¬ ever it was possible, and in every case an effort was made to leave the outside money in the city. The road in Charleston is considered by experts the best in the South, if not the best in the United States. It was put down to last, and it will do so. Much of the rail that has been used weighs sixty-two pounds to the yard. On Meeting street, however, a 98-pound rail has been put down, each rail being sixty feet long. They are made of the best quality of steel, and tightly bonded with large copper cable. By this arrange¬ ment none of the waste current of electricity is allowed to slip out, and con¬ sequently the cars can make better speed with less power. Thousands of crossties have been buried under the streets. The ties are cut from "heart" pine, and will last for ages, as they are protected under the stone pavements. The ties are placed two feet from centre to centre, and 2,640 are used to the mile. It was a big job to lay the track, especially in the new streets, where gas and water pipes had to be removed and lowered and other obsta¬ cles taken out of the way. The work pro¬ gressed more rapidly when the forces struck the horse car tracks. Very little time was required to> jerk out the old rails and rotten crossties, and in a short while the laborers had thrown away the earth for the track to go down. It was plain sailing enough on straight pieces of track, but the difficult work for the company was to get in the curves and crossings. There are dozens of these over town, and before the work could be moulded the chief engineer would have to send on the most careful drawings, and each piece of steel rail would have to be made as exactly as the tiny springs that go in a watch. The delay in getting the crossings was one reason why the road was not in operation by the early spring. To bond the crossings was still more difficult. All of this, however, has been completed, and the ease with Which the cars run shows that the track was laid with all the care possible. The cars are said to be the handsomest that can be turned out by a factory. The most important factor in connection with the building of the electric railroad was the power house. The City Railway was a long time in deciding on a location for its power house. When the work first began on the road the horse car lines had not been bought out and, as the company believed it would get possession later on, no site was secured until the negotiations were ended. Finally, when this was done, a lot was purchased on upper Meeting street, at what is known as the Cool Blow section. Here the first ground was broken. Mr Henry Oliver was awarded the contract to get in the foundations. He made an early start and rushed through his work very rapidly. All power houses are alike. They are built on the same plan and the 51 same machinery will do as well in one as another. The City Railway's power house proper is a handsome and substantial structure, designed after the latest and most improved patterns. The founda¬ tions and walls are of stone and brick, while the sheds and upper walls are of light steel frame work. The engine house and the car shed are on opposite sides of the street and face each other. A room 68 by 85 feet is used to house the big dyna¬ mos and the engines. The car shed is 255 by 68 feet. In each side of the shed there are seventeen windows and one door. The smoke stack at the power house is perhaps the highest in Charleston, being 125 feet. Two mighty engines when put to work furnish more power than is needed to run the road. The plant was built-on a large scale, and it is understood that there is enough latent power to light the entire city. The machinery at the power house is like the track—it is the very best. Every piece of steel and every slip of wire has been given a careful test and there is not much chance for a slip-up. The main trolley wire is full size and made from the finest quality of copper. The span wires are strung tight and no room is left for them to slide or break. The overhead wires are not in reach of telephone or electric light wires and th© company is not counting on accidents or injuries on this score. On King street, between Calhoun and the Bat¬ tery, iron poles were used. These cost the company $2,500 more than the ordinary wooden poles would have done, but the city officials, some of them, wanted iron poles erected, and so< the company con¬ sented, though it was not compelled to do so. Dr J. S. Lawrence has been practically at the head of the company that was formed to build the electric street railroad in Charleston. He has worked faithfully to see the plans carried out, and to him is due the greater part of the credit. Messrs F. B. Jennings and T. L. Parks, of New York, furnished the means to ac¬ complish the results that have been achieved. It was their faith in the future of Charleston that made the enterprise possible. Mr F. D. McEowen is the treasurer of the company, and his purpose all along has been to give the public the very best service within the power of the company. Mr T. W. Passailaigue is the general su¬ perintendent. He was the former presi¬ dent of the Enterprise Railroad, and for years worked in a quiet way to see if it could not be arranged to electrify the old lines. He gave a first-class service with the horse car lines, and is now continu¬ ing that, though on a much larger scale, for the City Railway. Mr P. J. Balaguer is auditor of the road, and was the secretary and treasurer of the Enterprise Railroad. The necessity and usefulness of the elec¬ tric road has been shown by the large business transacted since the lines were opened. New life has been enthused into the city and the people, real estate has taken a big jump upwards, and the com¬ ing of the trolley marks a new era for Charleston. The people have hailed it with joy and delight. ♦ INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS. A List of the New Charleston Enterprises Chartered During the Year. The following charters were obtained from, the Secretary of State for Charleston enterprises during the past year: The Hein® Furniture Company.$ 5,000 00 The Industrial Fire and Marine Insurance Company 200,000 00 The Ger mania Brewing Com¬ pany 100,000 00 The C. G. Mathews Company .. 10,000 00 Progressive Investment Com¬ pany 5,000 00 The Adams Cotton Company .. 30,000 00 E. M. More-land Company .. .. 6,000 00 The Heriot & Storfer Company 2,500 00 Charleston Import and Export C'omp any 100,000 00 The Geer Drug Company .. .. 30,000 00 The Charleston Basket and Ve¬ neer Company 40,000 00 Pringie Brothers 65,000 00 Domestic Building and Loan As¬ sociation 150,000 00 Charleston Street Railway 200,000 00 Phillips & Meyers Manufactur¬ ing Company 5,000 00 Security Real Estate and Invest¬ ment Company 100,000 00 Smith Paving and Supply Corm pany 1,000 00 The Palmetto Land Company .. 10,000 00 The C. D. Gartleman Company .. 5,000 00 Jacob Knobeloch. Company .. .. 1,000 00 The Charleston Mills 350,000 00 The Jackson Social Club .. South Carolina Protective Union Cornelia Real Estate Company 30,000 00 John- Manual Company 1,000 00 T. C'. Cycle Club Vuelia Abajo C'ompania 20,000 00 The Southern Cycle Supply Com¬ pany 8,000 00 The Norman Cordial Company .. 4,000 00 T'he Em pire M - n ing . Company .. 5,0ro no Ashepoo Fertilizer Company .. 100,oco no Walsh-Bofil Company 5,000 00 Total $1,588,500 00 -♦ Til E N E If I O K T1F1 ( A HONS. Charleston Harbor Being Made Impreg¬ nable— Forts and Batteries Now Build¬ ing on Sullivan's Island. For more than thirty years the "coast defences" of Charleston harbor were sim¬ ply historical and romantic pleasure 52 grounds. The grim looking walls of Sum¬ ter, that proved so formidable in the six¬ ties, were simply "man traps" in the nine¬ ties, for the march of progress in the art of war had brought ordnance to the front that would have pierced the old fort with little difficulty, and battered down the walls in a short engagement. On Sullivan's Island stood Fort Moultrie, a venerable pile, with grass growing luxuriantly all over the (once) "bomb proofs;" behind it was the grave of Osceola, a favorite spot for tourists to spend a half hour on a win¬ ter's day. But neither of these honorable landmarks was of real importance as coast defences in the early nineties. A short time ago, however, the Federal Government gave its attention to the Southern coast, and since then there have been great changes and material improve¬ ments all along the South Atlantic coast. In this neighborhood Sumter was first taken in hand, and after months of good work the walls to the east and south were renewed and reinforced and other improve¬ ments were made. The fort has only some of the old-fashioned guns as yet, but it is expected that it will be armed with modern ordnance. On Sullivan's Island it has seemed to be the plan not to spend much money on Fort Moultrie, but two other forts are nearing completion, and a third is to be constructed before the work is done. One of the new forts, which is now called a "battery," is located well up the Island, and is very nearly completed. The masonry, massive and securely laid in the best cement, is fronted by solid banks of sand and earth thirty to seventy- five feet in thickness and about eighty feet in height. The interior is fitted up with bomb proofs, magazines, cisterns, quar¬ ters, etc, and everything is strictly on mod¬ ern lines. Eight 12-inch rifled mortars are now mounted in this battery, and eight more of the same calibre are still to be placed. The mortars are located in groups of four at the corners of the battery, and are expected to cover in their range the entire harbor. At a recent test made of four of these guns everything was found to be perfectly satisfactory. Near old Moultrie a larger fort is going up. The masonry is about completed and the outer walls of sand are being piled. Thi« fort will be armed with breech-load¬ ing rifles of twelve-inch bore and thirty feet in length. They will be mounted on disappearing carriages, and will be for direct fire, at long or short range. The third of the fortifications projected is not begun as yet, but it is expected to be a small mortar battery on the front beach, not far from the big battery. And then with these forts, built, build¬ ing and talked of, comes the rumor that the United States will garrison the Island. This seems reasonable enough, and the advent of the garrison is looked forward to with pleasure by many. It would, in¬ deed, make a different place of the Island to have dress parades, post hops and all the pleasures of a garrison town. There is no finer climate or more pleasant place for Uncle Sam's soldier boys to spend the days of peace, nor would there be many more important places for them to be near in the event of war. AMONG THE WIRES. The Western Union and its Facilities for Doing Business. For the past year the Western Union, Telegraph Company has enjoyed an unin¬ terrupted season of prosperity and the fa¬ cilities for doing business in Charleston are not surpassed at any other branch of¬ fice of the company. Over thirty-five wires in use enter the office and to accommodate all these wires it requires six quartette tables at the main office, besides two at the Exchange office. The operating force has been considerably increased during the past twelve months, and the typewriter is now being used en¬ tirely by the operators. The business of the company gradually increases from year to year until now there is employed a force of seventeen operators, two bookkeepers, four clerks, eighteen messenger boys, a Mneman, a battery man and a porter. The operating room is sixty-four feet long, but the premises extend from East Baj'' on the front to State street in the rear, a distance of two hundred and sixty feet. In the rear of the operating room is the battery room, containing 1,500 bat¬ teries, which supply the power for operat¬ ing the instruments. There is a branch office at the Cotton Exchange with direct wires to the Cotton Exchanges of New York, Augusta, Atlan¬ ta, Columbia, Charlotte and Wilmington. Aside from this the company has direct cable lines to Liverpool and many other European points. The other local branch office's are situ¬ ated at the Charleston Hotel, the North¬ eastern depot and at the South Carolina and Georgia Railroad offices. The call box system is used altogether in the messenger service and has more than 185 boxes now in use in the city. The local office has also under its su¬ pervision the synchronized clock service of the Self-winding Clock Company, by which each, clock in the circuit is regulated *> 53 at noon daily by the observatory clock at Washing-ton, over the wires of the Western Union Telegraph Company. Mr D. M. O'Driscoll is in charge of the Charleston office, which position he has held for many years. Under his manage¬ ment the company has always given entire satisfaction. The Postal Telegraph and Cable Company The Postal Telegraph and Cable Com¬ pany is another of Charleston's most suc¬ cessful institutions, and its business is increasing rapidly. The local office is un¬ der the management of Mr M. S. Harris, who by his courteous and affable man¬ ners has won the esteem of everyone with whom he has been thrown. The main office of the company is situated at No 13 Broad street, where a full and complete telegraphic paraphernalia can be found. There is a branch office . at the St Charles Hotel, placed there for the bene¬ fit of the travelling public. Within the past year many new offices have been opened in various parts of the United States, especially in the State of Texas, which fact speaks louder than anything else for the Postal Company's prosperity. The company has a call-box system, which affords ample facilities for gathering and distributing messages with dispatcn. TIME MTTII MOLLS IF HUE BJKfL MORE THAN $18,000,000 INVESTED IN COTTON MILLS AND MORE THAN A MILLION SPINDLES AT WORK. The mills have come to* the cotton. The News and Courier predicted more than twenty years ago that such a change in the industrial policy and activity of this country was inevitable. Its prediction has been fulfilled. South Carolina leads all the Southern States to-day in the manufacture of cotton goods. The capital in¬ vested in cotton mills in this State amounts to more than $18,000,000; the number of spindles in these mills is 1,272,220, and the number of looms is more than 35,000. There has been an enormous increase in the consumption of cotton in Southern mills. In 1890 the total takings of the Southern mills amounted to 546,894 bales; at the close of the commercial year of 1896 the takings of the Southern mills amounted to 904,701 bales, an increase of nearly 100 per cent. The average consumption of mills in the three States of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina amounted to 33 per cent of the total crop of these three States, and during the last few months the mills in all of these States have been compelled to go into outside markets to obtain cotton to keep their wheels turning. The total number of bales, according to a recent estimate of the Textile World,, consumed by the mills in South Carolina last year was 254,698, as compared with the total consumption by the cotton mills of Georgia of 210,844 bales. The time is coming, and coming speedily, when the mills in South Carolina will require the total cotton product of this State. In a speech delivered in Congress during the discussion, of the Dingley tariff bill in April last Senator McLaurin gave some very striking figures as to the growth of South Carolina as a manufacturing State. His comparisons covered a period of twenty years, running from 1870 to 1890. In 1870 the capital invested in manufacturing industries in this State amounted to $5,400,418. In 1890 it amounted to $29,276,261, an increase of 600 per cent. The increase in the number of hands employed was more than 400 per cent, in the amount paid for wages 350 per cent, and the increase in manufactured products amounted to> $31,926,681, or about 350 per cent. During the past three years, according to a recent statement of the Amer¬ ican Wool and Cotton Reporter, the number of new enterprises undertaken or pro¬ jected during the first half of the current year was at the rate of 174 mills for 1897, as compared with 300 mills for 1896; 337 mills for 1895 and 263 mills for 1894. The total number of new mills, the construction of which has been actually under¬ taken, was 87. Of these 32 were cotton mills, 19 knitting mills, 9 woollen mills and 8 silk mills, the remainder being miscellaneous. More than half of the State's 54 census will show a most remarkable increase even upon the startling figures which we have given. The growth of the South in manufacturing industries has just be¬ gun. The success of the manufacturing industries in this part of the country does not depend upon Government favor. In South Carolina the conditions are particularly favorable for the largest de¬ velopment of manufacturing enterprises, and particularly for the establishment of cotton mills. The number of mills now in the State is 89, their capital, as we have said, exceeds $18,000,000, and the number of spindles runs largely over a million. The County. Abbeville... Aiken Aiken Aiken Aiken... ».. Aiken Anderson... Anderson... Anderson... Barnwell... Charleston.. Chester Chester... Chester... .. Chester... ., Chesterfield. Colleton... Cherokee... Cherokee... Cherokee... Cherokee... Darlington.. Edgefield... Fairfield... Greenville... Mill. .. Abbeville $ ..Dunkirk . .Bath, . Granitevil'le . .Langley .Warren Manufacturing Company ..Anderson .•Autun. ... . .Pelzer .. Bamberg . Charleston . Catawba . Chester . Cedar Shoals . Manetta Mills .. South Carolina Braiding Company ...Colleton . .Gaffney Manufacturing Company ..H. D. Wheat Company... ... . .Black sburg ..Cherokee: Falls Manufacturing Company.. . Darlington Manufacturing Company ..Edgefield Cotton Manufacturing Company ...Fairfield Cotton Mills .American Spinning Company Capital. Spindles. Greenville... .Batesville Manufacturing Company... Greenville... Greenville... Greenville... Greenville... Greenville... Greenville... Greenville... Greenville... .Economy Cotton Mill Company .Greenville Cotton Mill . Huguenot Mills .Mills Cotton Mill .F. W. Poe Manufacturing Company. .Oaklawn Cotton Mill .Victor Manufacturing Company Pel ham Mills 200,000 160,000 300,000 600,000 700,000 200,000 250,000 1,000,000 175,000 350,000 100,000 200,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 100,000 . 600,000 100,000 150,000 150,000 225,000 100,000 85,000 125,000 15,000 34,990 43,000 20,000 17,888 1,500 107,000 10,752 28,000 5,000 1,400 5,000 51,116 10,000 '7,000 11,040 5,000 10,000 2,400 Looms. 304 'i.92 1,106 1,310 • • t • 600 3,200 72 752 *435 160 1,340 300 392 384 180 180 Greenville... • Piedmont Manufacturing Company.., 50,000 2,300 .. . 75,000 2,700 230 100.000 10,000 500 250,000 10,000 304 3,000 . . 150,000 10,000 300 150,000 10,000 .... 800,000 58,392 1,780 Greenville... Reedy River Manufacturing Company — 62,000 10,000 156 Greenwood.. . Greenwood Cotton Mill t ... .-. ... 180,000 10,000 360 Greenwood.. . Grendel Mills 200,000 10,000 Kershaw... ..Camden Cotton Mill 200,000 10,000 300 Lancaster... .Lancaster Cotton Mill 150,000 10,500 460 Laurens... . ...Laurens Cot torn Mill 350,000 37,000 1,000 Laurens... , ... Clinton 100,000 5,152 140 Lexington... .Lexington Manufacturing Company 50,000 3,000 204 Lexington... . Saxe-Gotha Mills 50,000 5,000 224 Marion , Ashby Cotton Mill 2,750 • • • • Marlboro... ..Marlboro Mill Company 40,000 • • • • Marlboro... ..McColi Manufacturing Company 100,000 7,500 • • • • 55 value of the annual product is increasing- steadily, year by year. During all the long period of business depression, from which the country has .suffered, the cotton mills of this State have run on full time, and the dividends which have been paid to those who have invested their money in them have not shown any marked de¬ crease. The following complete list of the mills in this State will be of great interest to the general reading public, and should be of the largest encouragement to those who are fortunate enough to live in South Carolina Product. Three-yard sheetings. Selling Agents. Brown sheetings. Sheeting, shirting and drills. Sheeting, shirting and drills. Brown sheetings and pillow goods. Sheetings. Yarns. Brown sheetings, shirtings and drills. Yarn® and sheetings. Sheetings, shirtings and drills. Yarns, 20 to 30. Ginghams.. Yarns and warps. Yarns and warps, 12 to 20. Cordage and lines. Sheetings. Print cloths. Fine cotton goods and yarns, up to 100's. Sheetings. Sheetings and drill's. Sheetings and shirtings. Sheetings. Y aims, 8 to 20. Yarns and warps. Hosiery yarns. Colored goods. Print cloths. Plain cotton goods. Hosiery yarns. Sheetings. Yarns, warps, knitting yarn, twine and ladies' and children's ho¬ siery. Brown sheetings, shirtings, drills and yarns. Sheetings and drills.. Sheetings and drills. Sheetings. Fine cotton goods. Sheetings. Twills. Twills. Tickings and drills. Cotton goods. Yarns. Rope and twine. Knitting yam, 6 to 30*s. W. H. Langley & Co, New York. Haines & Bishop, New York. W. H. Langley & Co, New York. Woodward, Baldwin & Co, New York and Baltimore. J. E. Mitchell & Co, Philadelphia and Boston. Woodward, Baldwin & Co, New York. Carey, Bayne & Smith, for cloths. James H. White & Co, for yarns. Woodward, Baldwin & Co, New York and Baltimore. Buckingham & Paulson, New York. James S. Woodward, Philadelphia. Sell direct. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York and Baltimore. Carey, Bayne & Smith., New York. Deiering, Milliken & Co, New York and Boston, Woodward, Baldwin & Co, New York. Catlin. & Co, New York, Boston and Phil¬ adelphia. Catlin & Co, New York, Boston and Phil¬ adelphia. for Catlin & Co, New York. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York. Woodward, Baldwin & Co, New York. Lafreniere & Loeb, Philadelphia. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York. Catlin & Co, New York, for yarns. E. H. Hamilton &' Co, New York, twines. Bacon & C'o, New York, for hosiery. Woodward, Baldwin & Co>, New York, for cloths. Catlin & Co, New York, for yarns. Woodward, Baldwin & Co, New York. Woodward, Baldwin & Co, New York. Woodward, Baldwin & Co, New York. Woodward, Baldwin & Co, New York. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York. Deering, Milliken & Co, New York. Robinson & Shackelton, New York. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New. York. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York. R. A. Biylhe, Philadelphia. William D'Olier, Philadelphia and direct. I 50 County. Mill. Capital. Newberry-•• .Newberry Cotton Mill 400,000 Newberry... .Prosperity Cotton Mill 50,000 Oconee Courtenay Manufacturing Company 200,000 Oconee Hamilton Manufacturing Company 25,000 Oconee Seneca Manufacturing Company 300,000 Oconee Walhalla Cotton Mill 100,000 Orangeburg... Orange Cotton Mill Orangeburg... Enterprise Cotton Mill 60,000 Orangeburg... Branchvillo Cotton Mill 25,000 Pickens Norn® Cotton Mill 100,000 Richland Allen Batting Company 5,000 Richland Broad River Manufacturing Company Richland Columbia Mills Company 1,000,000 Richland Congaree Manufacturing Company Richland Granby Mills Company 150,000 Richland Miller Batting & Manufacturing Company Richland Richland C'otton Mill Company 150,000 Spartanburg...Arlington Mill Spartanburg.. .Clifton Manufacturing Company 1,000,000 Spartanburg.. .Cowpems Manufacturing Company 60,000 Spartanburg.. .Einioree Manufacturing Company 400,000 Spartanib urg...Fairmont Mill 50,000 Spartanburg.. .Fingerville Manufacturing Company 50.000 Spartanburg.. .Glendale 300,000 Spartanburg...Pacolet Manufacturing Company 700,000 Spartanburg. ..Arkwrighit Mills 200.000 Spartanburg.. .Beaumont Manufacturing Company 60,000 Spartanburg...Spartan Mills 1,000,000 Spartanburg.. .Tuckapau Mills 300,000 Spartanburg.. .Whitney Manufacturing Company 190,000 Union Lockhart Mills ... 500,000 Union Union Cotton Mill 600,000 Sumter Sumter Cotton Mill 43,000 York Clover Cotton Manufacturing Company.. 75,000 York FV>rt Mill Manufacturing Company*. 157,000 York Millfort Mill Company 140,000 York Arcade Cotton Mill 100,000 York Globe Cotton Mill York Manchester Cotton Mill 200,000 York Rock Hill Cotton Factory 100,000 York Standard Cotton Mill 100,000 York York Cotton Mill 65,000 Total Number of mills 89 $18,002,000 COTTON MILLS OF THE SOUTH. + REPORT OE OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENJJEH A VG UST 31. ■» The Consumption, for the First Time, Passes the Million-bale Mark—An In¬ crease in Spindles, Old, Idle and not Complete, of 158,753, and a Gain of Spindles at Work of 463,267. A telegraphic summary of the annual re¬ port of Mr Henry G. Hester, secretary of the New Orleans Cotton Exchange, has already been published. The complete re¬ port is now at hand, and is of particular Spindles. Looms. 25,000 874 5,000 250 16,176 556 20,000 650 3,240 112 5,096 10,000 .... 10,000 *288 18,000 .... 7,000 30,000 500 25,000 *700 2,500 22 86,000 2,698 7,072 204 30,720 820 120 3,000 17,136 *518 56,300 2,160 10,000 3,100 • • • • 72,480 2,460 16,000 468 30,000 910 25,000 800 60,000 1,350 3,000 • • • • 6,000 • • • • 5,200 425 5,200 160 6,000 160 9,000 320 6,000 300 8,000 192 486 ' 3,i20 • • • • 1,272,220 35,368 interest this year, especially in regard to the census of the Southern cotton: mills, which is made up from, actual figures of every cotton mail in the South, and which, in part, follows: For the first time in its history the cot¬ ton consumption of the SOuth. has passed the million-bale mark, the returns by Southern cotton mills for the year just closed showing as the total number of bales consumed 1,042,671, an increase of 137,970. This is the largest yearly gain made, except that of 1894-95. As an indication that the trend of the cotton manufacturing industry in Ameri¬ ca continues surely and steadily southward the results are most gratifying, especially ae this increase occurred in face of an i unfavorable season. V w- o i Product. Sheeting's1, 'shirtings and drills. S'hee tings. Sheetings. Twines, ropes, etc. Print clothe. Sheetings. Yarn®, warp®, twines, sewing thread rope. Sheetings. Sheetings. Batting. Buck, yarns and1 twines. Yarn®. Sheetings and twills.. Batting. Cotton good's. Shirtings and yarns. Sheetings, shirting and drills. Sheetings and yarn®. Sheeting© and drills. Sheeting©. Yarns and warps, 8 to 20. Drills, shirtings1 and sheetings. Brown sheetings and drills. Drills and sheetings. Twines and carpet warps, 4 to 8's. Brown sheetings and print cloths. Print cloth®. Brown goods. Brown sheetings. Wide goods. No 8, 10 and 12 yarns. Yarn®, 18 to SO'®. Ginghams. Sheetings and shirtings. Print cloths. Ginghams. Brown sheetings. Shirtings', drills, etc. Ginghams and drills. Yarn®, 24 to 40. Selling Agents. Whitini & Collins, New York. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York and Baltimore. Clark & Campion, New York. James E. Reynolds & Co, New York. Haines & Bishop, New York. Robinson-Hughes Co, Louisville, Ky. Catlin & Co, and direct. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York. Carey, Bayne & Smith,, New York. Amon, Green & Co, Baltimore. Wheelwright. Eldredge & Co, New York and Boston. Catlin & Co, New York and Boston. Fred Victor & Aohelis, New York. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York and Baltimore. William D'Olier, Philadelphia. Wheelwright, Eldredge & Co, New York. Deering, Milliken & Co, New York and Boston. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York. J. E. Reynolds & Co, New York. Deering, Milliken. & Co, New York. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York and Baltimore. Deering, Milliken & Co, New York and Boston. Deering, Milliken & Co, New York and Boston. Carey, Bayne & Smith., New York. Sell direct. Catlin & Co, New York, Boston and Phil- adelpia and direct. Clark & Campion, New York. Clark & Campion, New York. J. E. Reynolds & Co, New York. Carey, Bayne & Smith, New York. Haines & Bishop, New York. Catlin & Co, New York and Boston. James Ta.lco.tt, New York. Sell direct. There has been general complaint of the narrow margin between the cost of the raw material and manufactured article, and, in many instances., the mills have done little better than "exchange a new dollar for an. old one." A© usual within the past year or two re¬ ports have been conflicting, some concerns doing better than, others, and while it is certain that the cotton manufacturers of the South, as a whole, have fared better than those of other sections, an analysis of the mill letters indicates that with even fairly good trade their aggregate con¬ sumption for the past season would have been at least 150,000 bale® greater. In fact the excess attained has been due to the introduction of new spindle© (many of which were mentioned under head of "New, Not Completed," in my report of last year,) and not to increased activity of the old ones, the average consumption per spindle having been smaller than last season, which was decidedly less than any of the four previous years, including 1893-94, when the consumption of the South dropped off over 25,000 bales. This increase in pounds per spindle has, it is true, been due, in a measure, to. resort to finer num¬ ber©, but the difference from this cause has been quite small. Inability to dispose of goods at remunera¬ tive price® and consequent over-accumula¬ tions of stocks have caused more or less shorff time, especially with many of the smaller mills, and toward the close of the season there were exceptional cases of partial interruptions on account of the scarcity of raw material. As a rule, how¬ ever, most of the mills had secured their 58 supplies fer the summer months in ad¬ vance, facts showing that fully 80 per cent of their year's supply was taken during the first eight months of the season. Th.s is generally the case, and the past sea¬ son was no exception. A few mills bought from hand to mouth, and were, therefore, in the market late, but as a rule Southern spinners were as well posted as others relative to* the statistical position of the staple, and were as intelligent in filling their wants while the bulk of the crop was being marketed, instead of waiting to be caught during the usual period of depleted supplies. The absurdity of crediting com¬ paratively heavy takings to the Southern mills, in excess of those of Northern spin¬ ners during the summer months, is pa¬ tent on its face. As a whole there i's a cause for satisfac¬ tion at the general results of the year's showing. In face of two successive sea¬ sons of trade depression and uncertainty the cotton 'spindles of the South, have in¬ creased in round numbers 675,000. or, say, 21 per cent, while the aggregate of the bales consumed is greater by 180,000, equal to 25 per cent, and the tendency is toward a further material increase in the immedi¬ ate future. No surer or better indication could be afforded of the substantial basis of the industry. It's progress during the past eight years is shown at a glance as follows: Consumption. Year— Bales. Increase. 1889-90 546,894 65,719 1890-91 604,661 57,767 1891-92 686,080 81,419 1892-93 743,848 57,768 1893-94 718,515 *25,333 1894-95 862,838 144,323 1895-96 904,701 41,863 1896-97 1,042,671 137,970 Net increase in eight years, 561,496 bales. * Decrease. The record for the past year does not inn dicate so> great an impetus in the build¬ ing of new mills, a natural consequence of the uncertainties incident to a national election year emphasized by possibilities of the gravest moment to the material interests of the entire country. The roster of mills and spindle's shows: MILLS. Total number of mills last year... 475 Crossed out and merged into, other concerns 8 Burned 4— 12 463 New and uncompleted malls added to list 19 Total number of cotton mills in South 482 Last year the number of mills added was 55. The record of cotton spindles in the South shows: RECORD OiF COTTON SPINDLES. This year. Last year. Total in. operation 3,419,663 2,956,396 Idle 143,148 162,542 New, not completed 289,180 574,300 Grand total 3,851,991 3,693,238 Showing an increase of spindles, old, idle and not complete, over last year of 158,753, and a gain of spindles at work during more or less of the past year of 463,267. As Indicated by the tables annexed the total consumption in all the mills (old and new) for the year was 1,042,671 bales, against 904,701 for the season of 1895-96, and 862,838 for that of 1894-95, an increase over last year of 137,970 bales, and over the year before of 179,833. The changes in each State, as compared with last year, were as follows: Gain. Gain. Bales. Bales. Alabama 9,578 S. Carolina .. 72,945 Arkansas .. ..*1,591 Tennessee . . *1,333 Georgia 18,973 Texas 1,231 Kentucky .. .. 4,286 Virginia .. .. 1,828 Louisiana .. ..2,623 Mississippi ... 866 Totals .. ..140,894 Missouri 1,713 Total net g'n. 137,970 N. Carolina ..26,851 ♦Loss, 2.924 bales. The decrease in. the average consump¬ tion per spindle, in mills in operation has been 2 51-100 pounds, due to. fewer work¬ ing hours by some and partial stoppage by others of the mills during part of the season. As stated above, change to finer numbers and short supplies of cotton to¬ ward the close of the year had some ef¬ fect, but in, reality accounted but for lit¬ tle. The comparisons for the past five years are as annexed: AVERAGE CONSUMPTION PER SPIN¬ DLE BY SOUTHERN MILLS. Pounds Pounds per per spindle. spindle. 1896-97 140.16 1893^94 147.60 1895-96 142.67 1892-93 160.30 1894-95 164.45 1891-92 160.60 Present conditions are shown by the fol¬ lowing statement of mills closed down en¬ tirely in August, 1897: Spin- Spin- Mills. dies. Mills, dies. Alabama . . 5 20,040 S. C 2 12,904 Arkansas Tenn 5 13,504 Georgia . . 5 20,092 Texas Kent'ky Virginia . . 2 18,369 Louis'na .. Miss Tof'l cl'sd Mi'ss'ri temp'ly .31 131,951 N. C *12 47,042 Tot'l cl'sd 1' st year. 52 252,486 *Two mills, with 12,480 spindles, stopped to put in new machinery. Thus, out of 414 mills in operation dur¬ ing the season, but thirty-one have stopped for the present, the spindles they contain amounting to less than 4 per cent of those in action. The stoppages above only allude to mills that have been in operation during the year, and not to the forty idle mills with 143,148 spindles given in the table below, which have remained closed during the entire twelve months. As a general thing the weights of bales consumed by the mills have been lighter, the average for all the mills showing 6 53-100 pounds per bale less than last 59 year. It must be remembered that the Southern mill weights are given net—that is, exclusive of bagging and ties. SOUTHERN COTTON MILLS IN 1896-97. MILLS. New, In not operation. corn- Total. Old. New. Idle, pl't'd. Alabama.. .... . ...*39 32 4 3 Arkansas .. 3 1 2 Georgia , , 81 73 1 5 "2 Kentucky , 12 10 1 1 Louisiana .. 5 2 m m 3 Mississippi .. 11 9 # m 2 Missouri .. 5 3 m m 2 North Carolina.. ..177 157 4 5 ii South Carolina.. .. 95 77 2 5 11 Tennessee ... 31 25 m m 6 Texas ... 9 3 m m . 5 1 Virginia 14 12 2 • • Total , 482 404 10 • !40 28 Last year ..475 361 25 28 61 ♦Includes one mill counted in Georgia last year. !Not including mills temporarily stopped for repairs, etc. SPINDLES. In ♦New, . opera¬ not tion. com¬ Total. iOld. Idle pleted. Alabama.. ., . 327,476 240,856 14,220 72,400 Arkansas ... 9,000 3,000 6,000 ,,,,,, Georgia , 704,753 663,039 19,714 22,000 Kentucky ... 65,024 , 64,736 • ••••« Louisiana ... . 62,400 55,800 6,600 Mississippi .. . 71,132 63,832 7,300 Missouri.. .. . 23,868 12,504 11,364 No Carolina . 969,337 900,453 9,440 55,780 So Carolina, .1,250,324 1,055,824 15,000 132,000 Tennessee ., . 158,536 136,024 22,512 Texas 70,958 32,960 730,998 7,000 Virginia.. ., . 130,183 133,983 Total .. .3,851,991 3,363,011 143,148 289,180 Last year .3,693,238 2,752,336 162,542 574,300 Year before .3,177,310 2,413,151 134,670 558,516 288; North New Spindles—Kentucky, Carolina, 3,664; South Carolina, 47,500, (just starting up ) Virginia, 5,200, (just starting up.) Total, 56,652. Last year, 204,060. Year before, 70,973. ♦Includes spindles being added to old mills, as well as those in new concerns. llncluding spindles added to old mills less spindles thrown out during year. ?Nearly all practically useless. SOUTHERN COTTON CONSUMPTION. Year ending August 31. (Actual figures reported by the mills.) '.Spin¬ States— ♦Mills. !L'ms. dles. Alabama .. 32 4,660 240,856 Arkansas 1 60 3,000 Georgia 74 16,584 663,039 Kentucky 2,103 65,024 Louisiana 2 1,534 55,800 Mississippi 9 1,990 63,832 Missouri 3 280 12,504 North Carolina.. . ... 161 21,436 904,117 South Carolina... .. 79 33,146 1,103,324 Tennessee 25 3,528 136,024 Texas 3 992 32.960 Virginia 14 4,764 139,183 Totals 414 91,137 3,419,663 Ipc States— 1897. ' 1896. Alabama 84,578 75,000 Arkansas 826 2,417 Georgia 226,717 207,744 Kentucky 24,421 20,135 Louisiana 16,378 13,755 Mississippi 17,642 16,776 Missouri 3,152 1.439 North Carolina 258,923 232,072 South Carolina 327.643 254,698 Tennessee 30,584 31,917 Texas 12,700 11,469 Virginia 39,107 37,279 Totals 1,042,671 904,701 Less consumed and taken from South¬ ern seaports and included in port receipts 54,289 41,066 New consumption to be added to crop 988,382 863,635 ♦Mills in operation only; for total in South see other table. ! Employed in mills in operation; for total spindles in South see other table. The following shows the consumption of Southern mills during the past two years, in pounds of lint cotton, and the average net weights per bale: Pounds (lint.) States— This year. Last year Alabama 40,158,326 34,553,212 Arkansas 394,575 1,172,930 Georgia 104,689,240 98,561,032 Kentucky 11,997,501 9,901,824 Louisiana 7,667,356 6,433,607 Mississippi 8,281,167 7,733,992 Missouri 1,494,378 705,240 North Carolina 116,734,679 105,864,419 South Carolina 148,994,350 118,215,557 Tennessee 14,701,201 15,222,824 Texas 6,453,980 5,758,475 Virginia 17,747,760 17,668,373 Totals 479,314,513 421,793,485 Average weights. This year. Last year States— *Per bale. *Per bale. Alabama 474.81 480.57 Arkansas 477.69 485.28 Georgia 461.76 467.47 Kentucky 491.28 491.77 Louisiana 468.15 467.73 Mississippi 469.40 461.02 Missouri 474.11 490 North Carolina 450.84 456.17 South Carolina 454.75 464.14 Tennessee 480.68 476.95 Texas 508.19 502.08 Virginia 453.81 473.95 Totals.. 459.60 466.22 ♦Exclusive of bagging and ties. 00 CONSUMPTION UNITED STATES. (American cotton.) 1896-97. 1895-96. Total crop United States. .8,757,964 7,157,346 Stocks at ports beginning of year 223,179 280,091 Total supply... Sent to Canada Burnt at delivery ports... Stock at close of year.. .. 8,981,143 7,437,437 5,971,383 4,626,168 80,617 81,040 4,138 2,078 77,654 223,179 6,133,792 4,932,465 Total takings for consump¬ tion, United States 2,847,351 2,504,972 Of which taken by spinners in Southern States, total 1,042,671 904,701 Taken by Northern spin¬ ners 1,804,680 1,600,271 AVERAGE MILL TAKINGS IN BALES. Bales. Average weekly takings. . Northern mills Average weekly takings, Southern mills Average weekly mill tak¬ ings, United States Average monthly takings, Northern mills Average monthly takings, Southern mills Average monthly mill tak¬ ings, United States 1897. 1896. 34,705 30,774 20,051 17,398 54,757 48,173 150,390 133,355 86,889 75,391 237,279 208,748 TitAI>1S AT THE niSPENSA RIES. Tlie Eight Regular Whiskey Houses Sold $307,000 Worth of Stuff in Twelve Months. There are eight dispensaries in Charles¬ ton, where intoxicating liquors are sold by the agents of the State. In addition, liquors were sold for a part of the year under special permits from the authori¬ ties at Columbia at the Charleston Hotel, the St Charles Hotel and the Calhoun Hotel. What the sales at these places amounted to has not been ascertained. The gross sales at the regular dispensaries from September 1, 1896, to August 31, 1897, both dates inclusive, amounted to $207,241 42. The official figures were ob¬ tained from the central establishment at Columbia. The largest sales made .dur¬ ing the eleven months covered by the following statement were in December last, when the sales amounted to $26,866 77. The smallest sales were in August, when the sales amounted to $9,136 60. The amount of business done by the dispensaries does not indicate a very lively demand for the State brand of liquors. It would be valuable for pur¬ poses of study and comparison to know what the sales "on the side" amounted to during the year, but in the circum¬ stances the figures cannot be given. The official figures will be read with interest as follows; DISPENSARIES. 1896— F. Von Santen C. F. Steinmeyer... M. W. Powers H. A. Meyer L. D. Mahlstedt.. .. J. A. Tiencken J. T. Forbes and M. S. Stoppelbein.. .. W. W. Sale F. Von Santen C. F. Steinmeyer... M. W. Powers H. A. Meyer L. D. Mahlstedt.. .. J. A. Tiencken J. T. Forbes and M. S. Stoppelbein.. .. W. W. Sale 1897— F. Von Santen C. F. Steinmeyer... M. W. Powers H. A. Meyer L. D. Mahlstedt.. .. J. A. Tiencken J. T. Forbes and M. S. Stoppelbein.. .. W. W. Sale F. Von Santen C. F. Steinmeyer... M. W. Powers H. A. Meyer L. D. Mahlstedt.. .. J. A. Tiencken J. T. Forbes and M. S. Stoppelbein.. .. W. W. Sale F. Von Santen C. F. Steinmeyer... M. W. Powers H. A. Meyer L. D. Mahlstedt.. .. J. A. Tiencken J. T. Forbes and M. S. Stoppelbein.. .. W. W. Sale Sept. Oct. $ 2,258 45 $ 2,999 91 1,722 10 2,309 85 1,696 64 2,430 53 1,966 68 2,671 96 1,900 53 2,643 45 1,233 24 1,497 95 2,406 95 3,131 70 2,338 16 2,787 91 $15,522 75 $20,473 26 Nov. 2,709 20 2,037 65 1,911 55 2,628 30 2,293 23 1,434 99 Dec. $ 4,077 60 3,011 80 3,036 90 3,890 53 3,294 55 2,071 86 2,772 50 3,764 10 2,506 80 3,719 43 $18,294 22 $26,866 77 Jan. Feb. $ 2,884 55 $ 2,453 66 2,056 75 1,705 10 2,164 93 2,129 84 2,613 97 2,607 94 1,837 38 1,513 53 1,405 23 1,491 63 2,632 30 2,529 15 3,069 13 2,494 43 $18,664 24 $16,925 28 March. April. $ 2,582 20 $ 2,475 62 1,868 70 1,767 46 2,023 50 1,858 90 3,252 07 2,615 31 1,808 30 1,703 40 1,737 96 1,567 21 2,351 95 2,667 85 3,039 13 2,559 91 $18,663 81 $17,215 66 May. June. $ 2,428 17 $ 1,822 26 1,525 03 1,062 81 1,792 05 1,385 90 2,814 29 1,991 33 1,848 00 1,400 80 1,684 76 1,496 20 3,015 05 2,426 25 2,386 92 1,847 18 $17,494 27 $13,432 73 61 July. Aug. F. Von Santen % 1,429 70 $1,190 31 C. F. Steinmeyer... 981 23 747 50 M. W. Powers 974 70 610 05 H. A. Meyer 1,712 75 1,520 25 L. D. Mahlstedt.. .. 1,228 75 992 65 J. A. Tiencken 1,422 29 1,163 59 J. T'. Forbes and M. S. Stoppelbein.. .. 2,058 20 1,538 30 W. W. Sale 1,741 20 1,373 95 $11,548 82 $9,136 60 "THE CITY IS GENERAL. Charleston's Financial Condition—The City's Debt, Income and Kxpenditures. The following- table shows the income and expenditures of the city government during the year 1896: Income $668,612 92 Surplus from 1895 8,888 94 $677,501 86 Expenditures 627,743 94 Surplus to 1897 49,757 92 The bonded indebtedness of the city on December 31, 1896, amounted to $3,827,700, as follows: Four per cent bonds $3,361,700 00 Five per cent bonds 313,500 00 Five per cent stock (College).. 23,000 00 Six per cent bonds 109,500 00 Seven per cent bonds 20,000 00 Indebtedness January 1, 1897 $3,827,700 00 Indebtedness January 1, 1896.... 3,839,700 00 Reduction $ 12,000 00 The following figures are taken from the annual1 report of the city assessor for the year 1896, the period covered extending to January 1, 1897: The assessed value of real and personal property returned for taxation is as fol¬ lows: Real estate $12,887,709 00 Personal property 5,789,097 00 Total $18,676,806 00 At 27 malls, $504,273 76. As compared with the assessments for year 1895, the following decrease is shown,: Real estate... $ 3,742,655 00 Personal property 323,375 00 Total decrease for 1896, as com¬ pared with 1895 $ 4,066,030 00 The amount of regular applica¬ tions for licenses issued is.. .$ 89,098 50 The amount of licensee assessed is $ 4,242 50 The amount of penalty assessed is 2,121 25 Total amount of assessed licenses and penalties $ 6,363 75 % As compared with the regular li¬ censes issued for year 1895, the increase is 854 00 The number of permits issued during the year 1896 for the erection of new buildings and old buildings improved are: Permits. Cost. New buildings 74 $111,050 00 Old buildings improved... 59 24,130 00 Total 133 $135,180 00 The record of the sales of real estate during the past year show a considerable advance over assessments. Three hundred and three pieces, as¬ sessed for $383,115, sold for $664,134, an ad¬ vance over assessments of 73.35 per cent. The decrease in assessments is account¬ ed for by action of last Constitutional Convention and Act of the Legislature, which require that city assessments shall be the same as that of the State, the city assessments having previously been higher for city taxation. The loss on personal property is further caused by the increased investment of banks, corporations and individuals in new 4V& per cent State bonds, exempt from taxation. The following table contains a very in¬ teresting comparison, showing the differ¬ ence between the assessed value of real estate and its value at sale during the year 1896: Number Amount Am't of Wards. of Pieces! of Sales. Ass'mts. Ward 1 10 $ 17,075 $ 11,465 Ward 2 20 44,960 23,895 Ward 3 21 144,480 76,670 Ward 4 15 28,100 18,910 Ward 5 16 71,830 44,500 Ward 6 17 82,325 46,815 Ward 7 23 46,130 28,265 Ward 8 15 39,715 22,315 Ward 9 10 11,765 6,730 Ward 10 33 42,555 23,195 Ward 11 57 62,080 40,660 Ward 12 66 73,119 39,695 Total.. 303 $664,134 $383,115 Advance Number over Wards. of Pieces. Ass'mt. Per Ct. Ward 1 10 $ 5,610 48.93 Ward 2 20 21,065 88.15 Ward 3 21 67,810 88.44 Ward 4.. 15 9,190 48.60 Ward 5 16 27,330 61.41 Ward 6 17 35,510 75.85 Ward 7 23 17,865 63.21 Ward 8 15 17,400 77.97 Ward 9 10 5,035 74.81 Ward 10 33 19,360 83.46 Ward 11 57 21,420 52.68 Ward 12 66 33,424 84.20 Total 303 $281,019 73.35 295 pieces sold above assessments. .$281,808 Amount of sales $657,553 Amount of assessments 375,745 62 Per cent of sales above assess¬ ments 4 75.00 8 pieces sold below assessments $789 Amount of assessments $7,370 Amount of sales 6,581 Per cent of assessments above sales 10.71 Here is a statement from City Asses¬ sor Kelly's books, containing the descrip¬ tion and value of personal property re¬ turned for taxation for the year 1896: 1,307 horses and mules $ 87,835 187 cows 4,617 430 dogs 4,530 775 gold and silver watches and plate 60,002 436 piano fortes, melodeons and cabinet organs 34,870 387 carriages, buggies, etc 29,420 771 wagons, drays, carts, etc— 30,935 Merchandise, money and credits pertaining to business of mer¬ chants 1,614,778 Materials, machinery, engines, tools and fixtures of manufac¬ turers 906,478 Moneys, bank bills and circulating notes on hand or deposit, and all credits 473,083 Receipts of insurance agencies.. .. 453,301 Receipts of express, telegraph and telephone companies 16,395 Returns of banks 1,056,172 Returns of phosphate companies.. 61,139 Stocks and bonds of all other com^ panies, corporations and persons 494,632 Vessels, boats and other floating property 86,360 All other property, including household furniture 374,550 Total value of personal prop¬ erty $5,789,097 The Bond and Stock Market. The volume of business in the bond and stock market during the year just closed has largely exceeded that of the previous year. The depression noticed at the open¬ ing of the business season gradually dis¬ appeared and confidence being restored, securities of all kinds became very active. Blocks of South Carolina bonds were pur¬ chased by the brokers in the Northern markets on orders from investors at home, while at the same time an active business was being done in the other se¬ curities usually dealt in here. The South Carolina Brown bonds and the City of Charleston 4 per cent bonds have continued to be the leading securities with investors, but there have also been large dealings in the bonds of the various cities of the State, as well as those of Georgia. A good business has been done during the year in the stocks of the cotton manufacturing companies of the State, the stock of the older and larger mills have been in good demand and prices have remained very firm. The stocks of the fertilizer companies have been neglected, few sales of any im¬ portance having taken place during the year. The stocks of the several banks an3 banking institutions of the city have been in demand and are readily sold on the mar¬ ket. The following table will show the value of the different securities at the close of the year as compared with the prices at the close of 1896: 1896. 1897. South Carolina 4V2 per cent bonds..107 108 City of Charleston 4 per cent bonds 94 95 City of Charleston 5 per cent bonds.107 108 South Carolina and Georgia Rail¬ road bonds 92 95 Northeastern Railroad 1st mort¬ gage bonds 109 108 Northeastern Railroad 2d mortgage bonds 108 107 People's National Bank 150 150 First National Bank 220 230 Bank of Charleston, N. B. A.-.. ..130 133 Dime Savings Bank 195 20O South Carolina Loan and Trust Co. 35 45 Charleston Gaslight Company 20 16 Equitable Fire Insurance Company.49 52 The Young Men's Business League. This organization is now about three years old. Its membership is composed of public spirited and live business men. Large numbers of the members give much time to matters of material interest to the community in general. It is almost im¬ possible for such an organization to se¬ cure capital to invest through its own channels or to form stock companies, but in numbers of instances it can accumulate information which is very valuable to cap¬ italists seeking investments, and in such work the city can be greatly benefited. In fact, it is possible for the League to be of much help, if it has the co-operation ot the business men of means. In supplying information to those seek¬ ing new homes in our section, much good has been, accomplished. Along the line of providing entertain¬ ment for visitors the League has done noble work. The last "Gala Week," which was very successful in every respect, was managed by committees from its member¬ ship. And during the "blockade week," the League did its share in the entertain¬ ment of the fleet and the visitors to the city. Realizing that the bringing of the State Camp of the U. C. V. here over a year ago was a pleasure and benefit to the city and the visitors appreciated the at¬ tention, an invitation has been extended to the same body to meet here next spring. The League's invitation was enthusiasti¬ cally accepted at the recent reunion in Greenville. The beginning of a plan to run excur¬ sions into, the city from other parts of the State was the work of the League and foretells great things for the merchants. So, while the work of the League has been largely of a general character, there is no room to doubt the efficiency and great value of the organization The president, Mr W. H. Welch, is full of pub¬ lic spirit and energy, and ever ready to do all in his power for the comfort and pleasure of visitors and for the benefit ot the city. Mr W. G. Harvey, Jr, is the treasurer and Mr T. T. Hyde, secretary. 63 The Knitting Mill. During the past year an important change has been made in the Charleston Knitting Mill. Besides increasing the plant and the capacity, the white labor was abandoned and negroes were put at the machines. A white foreman is in charge. This move provoked considera¬ ble comment last October when it was made, but the management had good and sufficient reasons for the change and is now congratulating itself upon it. President Chisolm says the colored help has proved efficient and the goods turned out are better than under the old regime. The Knitting Mill was organized in 1896, with a capital stock of $25,000. The offi¬ cers of the company are W. Gregg Chis¬ olm, president, and R. Bee Lebby, secre¬ tary. The mill is located at the corner of East Bay and Pritchard streets, in a handsome and commodious building. At first there were only thirty machines in use, but now there are sixty-five knit¬ ting machines of the most improved pat¬ tern, with all the necessary auxiliary machinery. Eighty-five employees are kept constantly at work and the mill has a capacity of three hundred pairs of socks per day. The goods are seamless half hose, ladies' hose and children's ribs. The socks and hose are mixed colors and fast black. A large Western and Southern trade has been established and the forces here are kept busy filling orders. The stuff manufactured is of the best quality and make, and therefore finds a ready sale. Since the mill was started in February, 1896, many like concerns in the North and East have opened under the most prom¬ ising conditions, but have gone to pieces just as quickly. Charleston's in¬ dustry. however, has continued to thrive, and with the big forces at work finds it sometimes rather difficult to supply the demands of the trade. The Shoe Factory. Another successful manufacturing estab¬ lishment in the city, which is only a stone's throw from' the Knitting Mill, is the Charleston Shoe Factory. There is no other like concern in the State. A few business men got together last year and in a short lime the company was organ¬ ized with a capital stock of $25,000 and the plant was soon, in full operation. Mr E. C. Williams, Jr, was made president and treasurer and Mr T1. W. Kelly superin¬ tendent. The factory has continued in working order without a break and at present is making in the neighborhood of three hun¬ dred pairs of shoes per day. The shoes are medium, grade, both black and tan, and are stout and durable. There was no trouble to get the goods on the market and the trade now is general. Large ship¬ ments are sent to New York and to the East, right in the centre of the shoe manu¬ facturing country. The machinery in the factory is of the best make, and was purchased at heavy expense. At first the operatives had to be brought here from the North, but they have gone home and Charleston men and boys are doing the work. They have be¬ come expert at the business, and know how to handle the machinery to the best ef¬ fect. Forty-five operatives are employed regularly. The building is large and the machines are placed in both the first and second stories. Mr Williams, the president, is very much encouraged at the success of the enter¬ prise and the ready sale that his goods are meeting with. The shoes sell remark¬ ably well in Charleston and wear the same way. Later on it is the purpose of the company to increase the plant and double the pres¬ ent capacity. The factory is young yet, but it is old in wisdom and experience. The Piano Factory. Among the industries that have been started in Charleston during the past year is that of piano making. Messrs Duston- smith & Cady, two Northern men of means, enterprise and ability, came to this city some months ago and in a modest and unassuming way began the building of Charleston pianos. Mr Dustonsmith is a practical piano maker, and had been en¬ gaged in the business for years at Platts- burg, N. Y., and owned some valuable patents covering improvements made on sounding boards and actions. His factory in New York State having been destroyed by fire he decided to locate South, and* it was through correspondence with the Charleston Freight Bureau that he de¬ cided upon establishing his business here. The Charleston Piano Factory occupies the two floors of numbers 161 and 163 Meet¬ ing street, and in the various divisions can be seen pianos in the several stages of construction. Dustonsmith & Cady claim to make as fine an instrument as any that can be bought in the country, and they have found no trouble in disposing of their output, and have orders -ahead for some time. They are using the native woods in making cases, and have turned out some very handsome pianos in red cedar, yellow pine, etc. The Bell Telephone Company. The Southern Bell Telephone Company is doing a large and growing business in Charleston, and has in this city one of the most completely equipped exchanges in the South. Mr J. M. Fogle, the cour¬ teous and efficient superintendent of the Charleston Exchange, has succeeded in increasing the list of his subscribers greatly within the past year. There are some twenty-five employees in the Exchange, and the system is as near perfect as can be obtained in every appointment. The latest improved switchboard has just been put in by the company and is in good working order, greatly facilitating the service of the Exchange. The company is also reaching out in other directions, and it will not be many more weeks before an Exchange will be / 64 In operation at Summerville. The move¬ ment has been on foot for some time, and now the plans are about to be consum¬ mated. The company is also hard at work upon the construction of the long distance lines, and Charleston will be conversing with all her sister cities at an early date. A burglar alarm system is run in con¬ nection with the Exchange, and is under the management of Mr Purse. The ma¬ jority of the banks and leading business houses are enjoying the service, which has been pronounced thoroughly satisfac¬ tory. Within the past few months a num¬ ber of new houses have been equipped with the burglar alarm apparatus. The Mutual Telephone Company. Firmly believing; in the old adage which says that competition is the life of trade., about the first of this year a number of Charleston's' most prominent and in¬ fluential business men met together and resolved to establish a new telephone ex¬ change for this city, and fix the price of talking over the new system at much lower figures than were at that time pre¬ vailing, As. soon as it was decided to have the hew exchange, a stock company was formed, temporary officers elected and a charter applied for for the Carolina Mu¬ tual Telephone Company. With Charles¬ ton's push and enterprise at the back of it the scheme was bound to. succeed, and almost in a short time everything had been got in readiness for the work to begin on the new line. The contract for the construction of the line was awarded to Messrs Thomas & Hunter, of Richmond, two of the best known electrical contractors in the South. These gentlemen pushed the work rapidly ahead and it was but a short while before all the poles were up and most of the wires strung. About a month ago the ex¬ change, which is situated in the Plenge building at the corner of Broad and Church, streets, was got in working order, and now while everything is not yet work¬ ing with entire smoothness it will not be many more days before the exchange and its lines will be in ship-shape. Though the Carolina Mutual Telephone Company has received much encourage¬ ment at the band's of the Charleston people in the way of subscriptions the new com¬ pany has had quite a number of obsta¬ cles to surmount since work was begun. Just as Messrs Thomas & Hunter were about to get things ready for talking to begin, over the new system' a proposition was made to. the City Council to enforce the underground wire ordinance. This oc¬ casioned the company no little delay, but everything, was finadv satisfactorily ad¬ justed. Work was b^gun again with re¬ newed activity and soon the wires were connected and the exchange's outfit put in working order. The latest improved switchboard, in fact the best machinery all around, can he found in the exchan.ge. The patrons are not yet enjoying full service, hut all of the loose ends of the system will be picked up before the end of this mouth and every¬ thing will then be in. perfect order. The company is also reaching out in the direc- tion.«f long distance 'phones and will no doubt be a formidable competitor in, that important fieid. The Postofflee. The year just closed has been a busy one with Postmaster Mowry and his force. There was a large increase in the amount of money handled and new facilities for the good of the city have been added to the office. Besides attending to postal matters Mr Mowry is the custodian of the Gov¬ ernment building in Charleston and he has to watch over all the details of keeping the place in order. He has won much praise for his work, as there is no build¬ ing in the city that is kept in better con¬ dition than the Postoffiee and United States Court building. The custodian's help consists of nine men, divided into squads of two each. They work from 6 A. M. to 6 P. M. For the year ending June 30, 1897, the gross receipts from the sale of stamps, envelopes, etc, amounted to $102,479 43, of which the net profit to the United States Government was $40,483 45, being an excess over the year ending June 30, 1896, of $1,708 32, which 'speaks well for the office as compared with others of the same grade, and during a period of general busi¬ ness stagnation throughout the country. The receipts from and the payments of domestic and international money orders and certificates of deposit issued to post¬ masters was $1,035,332 93. The amount re¬ mitted to the postmaster at New York was $613,000. It is also gratifying to- state that the above exhibit of the work in the money order division of this office is greatly in excess of last year's. The total receipts from postal business, viz, $102,479 43, with the receipts and payments of the money order department, viz, $1,035,332 93, amount to $1,137,812 36. Sixty-nine thousand, four hundred and six pieces of all classes of matter were handled by the register division for the year ending June 30, 1897. There are in all seventy-one employees at this office and twenty-six railway postal clerks are paid off at the Charleston office. The number of pieces of mail matter handled during the year was about 19,000,- 000, of which the carriers alone handled 10,000,000 pieces, being an average of about 450,000 to each carrier. There are now 128 letter and package boxes in the city, against 47 in April, 1887, when Mr Mowry took charge of the Charleston office. Sub-station No 1, at the corner of King and Wentwortb, and sub-station No 2, at 567 King street, are regarded by citizens generally as thp greatest conveniences the Government has ever given them, and thanks are due Mr Mowry for his inde¬ fatigable efforts to obtain them. These stations have been established seven and one-half years, six or more years sooner than several near-by cities have received them. Stamp agencies fifteen in number, are conveniently located throughout the city. 65 Charleston's Hotels. There are 'several good hotels in Charles¬ ton and during the winter season many tourists come here from; the North to enjoy the fine climate. The Charleston Hotel is well known over the country as one of the best hostelries in the South, and in th© winter months it is always crowded. For the past few seasons it has been con¬ ducted only on the European plan in sum¬ mer, but this custom has been stopped and the house is now open all the year on the American plan. The Charleston is owned by a stock com¬ pany, with Mr W. Irving Davids as gen¬ eral manager, and much of its success of late has been due to his faithful work. Mr Davids spends the summer months at the North and while he is absent Mr Albert V. Green is acting manager. The service and accommodations are excellent and the hotel enjoys a liberal patronage. THE ST CHARLES' is one of the old line hotels in Charles¬ ton that has been completely renovated of late, Mr Earle Dodd is manager and has greatly improved, his house. The St Charles is well known, over the South and generally has a big run. of business. THE CALHOUN HOTEL, on. King street, is under the management of Mr Sol Bowman, Jr, and is very popu¬ lar with travellers. It is in a good loca¬ tion, with all necessary conveniences and is altogether an up-to-date hotel. The Fire Department. Charleston possesses possibly the best drilled and most perfectly appointed fire department in the South, a fact which is manifested in the small number of fires of consequence which have taken place here within, the last decade, and also in the lowness of the insurance charges here. The department has nine modern engines, and employs over one hundred men. Capt O. G. Marjenhoff is the efficient chief of the department, a position which he has filled with credit to himself and satisfac¬ tion to citizens. During the year a moa- ern chemical engine has been added to the equipment of the department and other improvements are contemplated. 1HE PUBLIC HEALTH. It has been Exceptionally Good During the East Twelve Months—A Bacteriologist Added to the Staff of the Health Depart¬ ment. Too much cannot he said, and that truth¬ fully, about the good health that has pre¬ vailed in Charleston during the past year. The board of health has kept a watchful eye over the city and the people. Recent¬ ly Dr Robert Wilson was elected bacte¬ riologist and it is believed that the es¬ tablishment of the office will prove espe¬ cially beneficial to the public. In his annual report for 1896 Dr H. B. Horlbeck, the health officer, says: 5 The general health of the city has been fairly good. From time to time la grippe has been prevalent among the whites and blacks, with little mortality. There have been 521 deaths among the whites and 1,348 among the black and colored—1,869; a few in excess total of 1895, although there were fewer deaths among the whites in 1896 than there were in 1895. The deaths from typhoid fever are about the average for twenty years among the whites and a slight increase among the colored—14 whites and 30 colored. There were 5 white and 2 colored deaths from diphtheria and none from scarlet fever either among the whites or among the blacks. From diarrhoeal diseases there were 57 whites and 171 colored. Every year in Charleston there is a large mortality from diarrhoeal diseases, due in a great measure to improper and unwholesome food. We have recommended from year to year that a food inspector should be appointed, whose sole business it should be to visit every day the various markets, and who should be empowered to destroy all food supplies that are offered for sale that is unfit and unwholesome.^ We re¬ new the recommendation as an important necessity for the general health of the city. Consumption ha's claimed a greater num¬ ber of victims than usual—45 whites and 243 colored deaths. The exact status of consumption and its relation to the human race as a destroyer of mankind is being better understood each year, and progres¬ sive health authorities are striving to en¬ lighten the people at large as to the fear¬ ful ravages of consumption, and the best means and method's for Its limitation. The city of New York is making every effort to limit the disease. Over 90,000 people an¬ nually die in the United States from con¬ sumption, and consumption is a prevanta- ble disease, and it is estimated that there are in New York city 20,000 cases. All over the world consumption claims its hundreds of thousands of victims every year. There were in ten years in Charleston 1,158 deaths from malarial fevers, whoop¬ ing cough, diphtheria, measles, typhoid fever and yellow fever combined, and 3,119 from tuberculosis, nearly three times as many as from all the above zymotic dis¬ eases. QUARANTINE. The ^quarantine service has been un¬ eventful during the year 1896. The station has received the constant care and attention of the maritime sanita¬ tion committee', under the earnest and zealous efforts of Mr Hall T. McGee, chairman of the committee. The station is in the best possible condition. Every piece and part of the plant is in perfect order and ready for instant work, night or day. Dr Lebby, the quarantine officer, with a lifetime experience, has been untiring in his efforts to maintain the high standard ' of excellence that has always character¬ ized the work of the Charleston quaran¬ tine station. The whole station, all buildings, machin- \ 66 (pry and wharves, have during the year been placed in perfect order. The Station and its equipment stands second to none on the coast of the United States. Every modern scientific device and machinery for the perfect carrying out of the requirements of the quarantine laws of the Government, Federal and State, with, the least possible delay and hindrance to commerce, have been made use of. There were 121 arrivals at the quaran¬ tine station during the year. MORTALITY AND LONGEVITY. Total mortality for the year, 1,869. Estimated population: White 28.870 Black and colored 36,295 Total 65,165 Proportion of deaths: White, 1 in 55; black and colored, 1 in 26. Ratm per 1,000 in the year: Whites 18.04 Black and colored 37.14 Total 28.68 Deaths among white 521 Among black and colored 1,348 Total 1,869 The table of longevity shows that of the year's dead 38 whites and 36 colored were over 80 years of age. Charities and Hospitals. The poor and the sick and the friend¬ less are not allowed to suffer in Charleston. There are sixteen institu¬ tions that properly come under the head of charities and hospitals and In each every attention is shown the inmates. Five of these institutions are under the control and government of the city, viz: The Charleston Orphan Asylum, the Alms House, the Ashley River Asylum, the City Hospital and the William Enston Home, the last named having been en¬ dowed by the late William Enston. Most of the other institutions are supported by church congregations and religious so¬ cieties. The Sheltering Arms Day Nurs¬ ery was established only recently and is supported by the Order of the King's Daughters. The following is a list of the eleemo¬ synary institutions of Charleston: The Charleston Orphan Asylum, Calhoun street. The City Alms House. Hampstead Mall. The Ashley River Asylum, Ashley River. The City Hospital, Lucas street. St Xavier's Infirmary, Sisters of Mercy, Calhoun street. Catholic Female Orphan Asylum, Sisters Df Mercy, Oueen street. Catholic Male Orphan Asylum, Sisters of Mercy. Calhoun street. The William Enston Home, King street. Caroline Wilkinson Home, Cannon street, Episcopalian. The Church Home, Laurens street, Epis¬ copalian. The Confederate Home, Broad street. The Hou£\s of Rest, Ashley street, Epis¬ copalian. St Philip's Church Home, Church street, Episcopalian. Sailors' Home, Market street. The Sheltering Arms Day Nursery, Hampstead Mall, King's Daughters. The Riverside Infirmary, annex to the City Hospital. The Jacob Washington Franke Lutheran Home, which is to be established under the will of Mr C. D. Franke, who died in 1892, has not yet been established, al¬ though the trustees have been organized and have the matter under consideration. The St Francis Xavier Infirmary has been cohsiderably enlarged and improved. TfOltK OJV THE STREETS. What has been Accomplished for the Im- provement of the City's Thorough fares. During the past year a great deal of work in the way of improvements has been done on the streets of Charleston. Wherever it was possible improvements were made and the city is gradually tak¬ ing a step upward in this line. Mr J. B. Keckeley was elected superin¬ tendent of streets to succeed the late Gen Huguenin. Mr Keckeley understands the work of his department and has a large force regularly employed, not only to keep the streets clean, but to put down new pavements. Mr Charles C. Fuller, the efficient clerk in the street department, has very kindly prepared for the Annual Review the fol¬ lowing statement, showing the work of the past year: The following pipe drains have been laid: Size of pipe. Feet. Inches. Alexander street 441 12 Bogard street 423 10 Chapel street 300 10 Doughty street 854 12 East Bay 294 12 Franklin street..... 483 12 Heyward court 252 10 Inspection street 212 12 Larnes court 603 10 Minority street 189 - 10 Mary street 290 12 Smith street 480 12 Lucas street •• .. ..516 12 Pipe drains have been cleaned in Cedar court, King, John, Drake and Mary streets, and brick drains in Queen, Amer¬ ica, Trapman, King, Reid and Judith streets• Plank roads had to be repaired in the following streets: Columbus, Calhoun, Laurens, and a new plank road laid in Concord street, south of Laurens street. A very considerable quantity of wood curbing and crossing has been put down and sidewalks graded and filled in the following streets: Jasper, President, America, Larnes court, Stewart street, Hanover, South, Mary, Bogard, Broad, ("west end,) Beresford, Drake, Chisolm, Islington court, Morris, St Philip, Shep- ard, Coming, Felix, Line, Park, Percy, Columbus and Bull streets. 67 Bogard street has been opened and ex¬ tended from Rutledge avenue to Ashley avenue, through the old Thomson and Robb property; sidewalks have been made and curbed, the street nicely graded and a 10-inch pipe drain laid in same. The cargo of flagstone was late in arriv¬ ing this year and the stone is now being laid in the following streets: Ashley, west side, from Bull to Monta¬ gue. Ashley, west side, from Cannon street, south. Coming, east side, from Cannon to Spring. Cannon, south side, from Ashley to Pres¬ ident. Doughty, south side, Rutledge to Ash¬ ley. East Bay, west side, from Laurens to Calhoun. Hanover, east side, south of Line. Hasell, south side, East Bay to Anson. Meeting, west side, from John to Ann. Meeting, west side, from Spring to Co¬ lumbus. Meeting, west side, Reid street, north. Rutledge avenue, west side, from Cal¬ houn to Mill. Rutledge avenue, east side, from Bull to Calhoun. Spring, north side, between Norman and President. Savage, west side, from Broad to Tradd. Smith, east side, from Montague to Bull. Tradd, north side, from East Bay to Church. Cement gravel roadways have been laid in the following streets: St Michael's alley. Broad street, from Postofflce to Frank¬ lin street. Line street, from St Philip to Rutledge avenue. Drake street, from Chapel to Columbus. Columbus street, from Meeting to Drake. Rutledge avenue, Race street, north. The work on Rutledge avenue is now be¬ ing pushed and the road will shortly reach the city boundary. Granite block roadways have been laid in Cumberland street, from Meeting street, east, and in East Bay, from Calhoun to Laurens street. Owing to the recent ac¬ tion of the board of health, prohibiting this work being done in summer, the de¬ partment had to postpone further work of this nature until the fall. MARION SQUARE. The east half of the plaza has been cov¬ ered with cement gravel; the west half having been covered last year with the same material, the square now presents a most creditable appearance and makes an excellent drill and parade ground. Extension of Calhoun, 4th and 2d streets, through the West Point Mill Pond: This department has been steadily at work on these streets, raising and grading them, and now there has been put a thick cov¬ ering of oyster shells on same; the exten¬ sion of Calhoun street in particular is of great advantage to the city, and it is hoped will be continued along the old Sa¬ vannah Railroad wharf, and thence to the New Bridge, thus giving a driveway along the banks of the Ashley. The following streets have received more or less filling: Smith, Mary, Calhoun, Wentworth, Ashley avenue, Laurel, Rad- cliffe, Bogard, Queen, Coming, Lucas, Chisolm, Tradd, Liberty, Clifford, Beres- ford, Princess, Marsh, Inspection, Society, Franklin, Trapman, Warrem, Columbus, Atlantic, Lamboll, Pine, Cannon, C'hurch, America, Aiken, Pitt, Broad, Park, Sires alley, Rogers alley. The following sidewalk's have been filled and graded: Morris, from St Philip to Rutledge; Felix street, both sides; Smith street, from Morris, south; Mary street, north side, from King to railroad track; Meeting, from Mary to Reid, and from Columbus to Spring; Columbus street, north side, from King to Meeting; St Philip street, from Morris, north; Wash¬ ington street, west side; Cooper street, on north side; Broad street, from Rutledge to Chisolm:; Shepard street, on north side; Amherst street, north side from To- bin's alley to America; Bogard street, from Rutledge to Ashley; Laurel street, both sides; Sires alley; Horlbeck's alley, on north side; Smith street, both sides, from Morris to Cannon; Line street, on north side, from Rutledge to Sires alley; Amherst street, south side, from America to Hanover. The scavenger department has been taxed to its utmost to meet the increasing demands required of them. In addition to their regular work of removing garbage, trash, etc, from the streets they have been called on to remove thousands of loads of sand, debris, Belgian blocks and cobbles from,the streets opened by the Charleston City Railway Company, for laying their electric road, and cleaning up these streets after the tracks had been laid. The fol¬ lowing is the number of loads hauled from the 1st of January to 1st of August: Loads. Garbage 20,542 Miscellaneous .. ...23,194 Total 43,736 BUILDING UP THE CITY. Plenty of Work for Contractors and Im¬ proved Homes for the People. The year just closed has proved a har¬ vest to the contractors. New home's and new" business houses have been springing up all over town, and many of the old- time dwellings have been greatiy im¬ proved. Real estate men are experiencing a revival in their business and on every lot sold some kind of a house has been erected. This is especially the case up¬ town and in the western part of the city. The following list of building permits is¬ sued during the year tells the story of progress: NEW BUJLDTNGS. Charleston Shoe Manufacturing Com¬ pany, two-s'cory building, East Bay, $2,500. R. Maxwell Anderson, two-story frame building, 2 Lucas street, $1,500. Catherine Rivers, 22 Lucas street, two- stoiy frame building, $400. 68 St Michael's Church, St Michael's alley, two-story brick building-, $2,500. Emma M. SChwacke, 284 Calhoun 'street, two-story frame building, $1,400. Central R. M. W. Church, 53 and 57 Pres¬ ident street, two-story frame building, (church.,) $2,000. John McAlifiter, 2 Horlbeck alley, two- story frame building, $1,300. R. M. Anderson, Meeting street, 2 one- story frame buildings, $125 each; $250. R. M. Anderson, 178 Tradd street, two- story frame building, $1,500. J. N. Peeeksen, 59 Bogard street, 2 two- story frame buildings, $700 each; $1,400. James Kelly, 170 Queen street, two-story frame building $1,500. William F. Davis, 91 Bogard street, two- story frame building, $450. Estate Peter Sohl, 242 S;t Philip* street, two-story frame building, $2,000. M. J. Mcintosh, 4 Percy street, two- story frame building, $1,300. M. J. Mcintosh, trustee, 6 Percy street, two-story frame building, $1,300. W. H. Warley, 203 Broad street, two- story frame building, $1,500. R. C. Richardson, 205 Broad street, two- story frame dwelling, $1,700. Annie B. Seabrook, 207 Broad street, two- story frame building, $2,500. St Matthew's Disciples' Church, colored, "E" street, one-story frame building, $200. James St Simons, 122 Rutledge avenue, two-story frame building, $4,000. Ida H. Thee, 2 Reid street, two-story frame building, $700. Ida H. Thee, No 4 Reid street, two-story frame building, $700. C. D. Hyer, 633 King street, two-story frame building, $600. J. E. Hayne, 289 Rutledge avenue, one- story frame building, $350. Estate James Fishburne, 12 Nunan street, two-story frame building, $400. Porter Academy, 24 President street, two and a half story frame building, $3,500. South Carolina and Georgia Railroad, Concord street, elevator and wharf, $15,000. Frank Wright, Meeting street, one-story wood shop, $100. N. Abrahams, 76 Beaufain street, two- story frame building, $50. W. J. Comar, 627 and 629 King street, one- story frame building, $150; two-story frame building, $450-; $600. Mrs M. A. Lubs. 184 Calhoun street, two and a half story frame building, $1,200. J. N. Peeeksen, 84 Reid street, two-story frame building, $500. J. N. Peeeksen, 88 Reid street, two-story frame building, $1,000. Carl II. Metz, 30 Alexander street, two- story frame dwelling, $1,000. Maria Kuck, 85 Coming street, two-story frame building, $1,800. Mary R. Behrens, two-story frame build¬ ing, $1,500. Emma C. Rutledge, 52 and 54 South Bay, 2 two-story brick buildings, $5,000 each; $10,000. P. J. Ford, Grant court, two-story frame building, $250. Christian Church, 54 Rutledge avenue, building for church, $300. A. F. de Jersey, 34 Rutledge avenue, two- story frame building, $3,000. Elsworth, two-story building, frame, $1,000. Susan Paterson, Columbus street, two and a half story frame building, $1,300. E. J. Doran, 116 Rutledge avenue, two- story frame building, $400. John Hass, 88 and 90 King street, two- story frame building, $1,050. St Mary's Reformed Methodist Union Church, Meeting street, one-story frame church, $400. D. A. Clark, 20 Bucas street, two-story frame building, $800. Bawrence Due, 80 Nassau street, one- story frame, $275. C. E. Brux, 12 King street, two-story frame building, $1,500. Queen Investment Company, 99 and 101 Wentworth street, 2 new two;-story frame buildings, $1,250 each; $2,500. Sarah A. Bateman, 5 Thomas street, two-story frame building, $1,200. D. W. Ohiandt, 19 and 21 Water street, two-story frame ware house, $1,450. Wiliiami Jones. 15 Meeting street, one- story frame building, $250. St J. De Caradeuc, 7 New street, two- story frame building. $1,800. Susan A. Dubose. 86 Radcliffe, two-story frame building, $1,500. Palmetto Band Company. 161 Smith 'street, two-etory frame building, $500. W. H. Heidenreicb, 245 Coming street, two-story frame building, $600. Edward S. Burnham, 73 Coming street, two-story frame building. $2,500. Annie R. R. Wolff. 289 Coming street, two-story frame building, $500. J. F. Rilienthal, 14 Percy street, two- story frame building, $750. Joseph Dei Guidice, 32 Alexander street, two-story frame building, $1,200. Henry Thees, 16 Percy street, twor-'story frame building, $700. Mary A. Ryan, 1 1st street, one-story frame building, $200. Annie C. Burns, 247 Coming street, two- story frame building, $1,025. Martha Ann Johnson, frame dwelling, $25. Joseph Marks, 366 King street, three- story store and brick building, $8,500. R. K. Harrison, 42 Eauren-s street, two and a half-story frame building, $1,200. IMPROVEMENTS. A. C. McBride, 30 Amherst street, store room, $100. Emily T. Wiltshire, Rosemont street, general repairs, $100. Christian Kurse, 426 King street, gen¬ eral repairs, $500. H. Hastedt, 573 King street, new front, $250. P. G. Gerard, 70 King street, general re¬ pairs, $250. Peter Matson, Washington street, new roof, $200. J. W. Kennedy, 595 King street, improve¬ ments, $200. Sarah W. Baer, 76 Wentworth street, general repairs, $400. Mary Connor, 68 South street, general repairs. $200. Bee Boeb 91-93 Wentworth street, gen¬ eral repairs, $800. Bee Boeb and W. B. Cohen, 108% Smith street, repairs, $65. 69 Lee Loeb, and W. B. Cohen, 30 Alexan¬ der street, repairs, $50. J. S. Simmons, 184 Wentworth street, building remodelled, $600. Louisa E. McNulty, 139 Broad street, ad¬ dition to rear of house, $800. Charleston Bagging Manufacturing Company, 12 Hudson street, improve¬ ments, one-story brick addition, $1,400. Estate Caroline McNulty, 267 King street, front remodelled, $500. Wm Roberts, 2 Strawberry lane, repairs, $100. Peter F. Lynch, 21 State street, general repairs, $100. Eliza Mannen, 35 Wall street, repairs, $50. J. N. Peecksen, 86 Reid street, old building rebuilt, $300. J. H. C'. Weller, 56 Bull street, old build¬ ing improved, $700. Lucy H. Yaux, 36 Rutledge avenue, re¬ pairs, $600. Langdon Cheves, 61 South Bay, repairs, new kitchen, $300. J. F. Runy, 15 Wharf street, repairs, $400. M. W. Luden, 42 Wolfe street, repairs, $325. Mary O. Brandt, 473 Meeting street, addi¬ tion, $150. W. McComb, 71 Vanaerhorst, general repairs, $200. Ella G. and G. C. Steinmeyer, 119 Beau- fain, two-story building, $900. Francis A. Ryan, 88 Calhoun street shop, $45. Pelzer, 104 Rutledge avenue, general re¬ pairs, $2,000. Mary Alice Bradley, 22 Jasper, general repairs, $200. M. W. Wigg, 68^ Morris street, general repairs $100. W. F. Ostendorff, 92 Tradd, kitchen, $150. John F. Rose, Rosemont street, repairs, $50. J. J. Finnegan, 56 Morris street, repairs, $200. Hannah Anderson, 168 Wentworth street, kitchen, $100. H. B. Noisette, 6 Ogier street, improve¬ ments, $5v. F. H. Carmand, 85 Spring street, general repairs, $300. T. P. Speisseiger, 45 Vanderhorst, piaz¬ za, $400. I. M. Monash, 131 Market street, new front, $500. N. J. White, 42 President street, repairs, $100. N. C. Luden, 209 Coming street, repairs, $150. H. Hastedt, 573 King street, repairs, $500. H. Hastedt, 573 King street, addition to rear, $200. S. A. Legerton, 66 Pitt street, bay win¬ dow, $110. Pauline F. Toomer, 234 Ashley avenue, repairs, $150. C. E. Kanapaux, 108 Queen street, ad¬ dition, $150. L. W. Bicaise & Co, 130 Meeting, new front, $150. James Campbell, 1 Laurel street, repairs, $200. F. H. Gaillard, 78 Morris street, repairs, $100. Geo R. C. Thompson, 70 Church street, piazza, double, $100. J. D. E. Meyer, 13-15 Chalmers street, new roof, $100. C. Wulbern, 40 Elizabeth street, repairs, $100. THE WATER-WO It Kit. Improvements Made During the Year have Doubled the City's Supply of Water. During the past year improvements have been made in the Water-Works by which the supply of water from the Artesian wells has been more than doubled. As is well known, the only source of supply is from the four deep Artesian wells. They are all constantly flowing, discharging about 1,500,000 gallons daily. This supply has not been sufficient for the demand, and for several years the company has been at a loss to know how to obtain the additional quantity of water required for the city's use. It was feared that if pumps were applied to the wells a flow of sand would be started at the bottom, which might choke in the tubing, and cause the flow to cease altogether, until reopened, at great additional expense and loss of time, and the sinking of other wells would be useless, as the four already bored seemed to yield all the water which would flow from the strata penetrated. It was also' found impracticable to pro¬ cure pure and healthy water, such as these wells supply, from any other source whatever. Something had to be done, and it was determined to experiment upon the George street well by pumping air down into it to a certain depth in order to re¬ duce the head and friction, and relieve the pressure against which the flowing water would have to struggle in the effort to escape at the surface. The hope and be¬ lief was that such a supply would be ob¬ tained as would be the case if the sur¬ face were at the depth at which the air was delivered in the well. The result was far beyond expectation. At first the in¬ creased body of water discharged from the well brought up a large quantity of sand and mud, so discoloring the water as to lessen its uses, and to cause much complaint on the part of water takers. A system of settling troughs, however, was laid, and the sand and mud was deposited therein as the water flowed on before emptying into the reservoir. This flow of sand continued in large quantities for several months, but the water gradually became clearer until finally the sand ceased to flow. Being satisfied with these experiments, the company purchased a large and expensive air lift plant, and ap¬ plied it both to the George street well, and to the largest of all the wells, the one in Stewart street. The air is pumped into 70 the latter well by a powerful engine, through a five-inch pipe, a distance of 7,188 feet, and then discharged through a two-inch pipe at 160 feet below the sur¬ face, at a pressure of 80 pounds to the square inch. This system has been in operation for some months, and has been eminently satisfactory. The quantity of water has been increased over 100 per cent, and there has been no complaint during the past summer of a deficiency in the water supply. The company has laid over one mile of additional water mains during the year, namely, at the west end of Broad street, around the Colonial Lake, through Ash¬ ley avenue to Beaufain street, 1,429 feet, upon which five fire hydrants were placed, and on Meeting street, from Line street, north, a distance of 4,091 feet, with thir¬ teen fire hydrants. «. CASTLE PiyCKNET SANITA R1TJM. The Home for United States Soldiers and Sailors which it is Proposed to Build in Charleston Harbor. The plan to make a sanitarium of Castle Pinckney Island was first thought of only a few months ago. But it was such a good idea, and such an apparently feasible one, that it has been gaining ground and friends wherever mentioned. Mr A. C. Kaufman, a prominent citizen of Charles¬ ton, has been the prime mover in this pro¬ ject, and his devotion. to the cause will undoubtedly bring it to a happy realiza¬ tion. The whole plan is as follows: That the island be turned into a sanitarium for the soldiers and sailors of the United States. The island is now occupied as a supply depot for light house stores, but it is the intention of the department to re¬ move this and make a regular depot on land. The place will then be graded and protected by jetties and sea walls, and suitable buildings will be erected and parks and promenades laid out. The matter is, of course, not far ad¬ vanced as yet, for an Act of Congress is needed before anything can be definitely known, but the approval everywhere meeting the announcement of the pro¬ ject has encouraged the promoters and, in fact, all of Charleston, to believe that it will go* through Congress without de¬ lay. The work of Mr Kaufman in securing the unanimous approval of the Grand Army of the Republic (in council assem¬ bled in Buffalo' recently) is considered to have made the success of the sanitarium a certainty. Castle Pinckney Island has been proved one of the most healthful and salubrious spots on this side of the globe. It has a mild and beautiful winter climate and is delightfully cool in summer. The situa¬ tion in respect to the city and the sea is most advantageous. The most perfect health has blessed all who have lived there in the past score of years, and the cost of making the whole island habitable will not be very heavy. A \ E If Z> EPA 111 UliE. A Training School for Colored Nurses Es¬ tablished and a Hospital to be Conducted in Connection with it. The Charleston Training School for Col¬ ored Nurses has been organized in the city within the past year. It is a new experi¬ ment in the South and is meeting so far with much success. The object of the in¬ stitution is to fit colored women for ser¬ vice in the sick room, and to make trained nurses of them. The Training School was opened in January with a good attendance and with an excellent corps* of teachers. A few weeks ago a building on Cannon street was purchased, where a hospital will be established. In the school the nurses learn the theoretical part of the work before them, and in the hospital they will get the advantage- of the practical knowledge necessary to perfect them in the duties of a nurse. The public has been generous with the institution and the money for the hos¬ pital was collected mostly by popular sub¬ scription. The applicants for admission are re¬ quired to be in good health and must present a certificate of good moral stand¬ ing. They must also have a diploma from some college or high school, or a second grade teachers' certificate, or else pass on examination to show that they have a fair common school education. In. this way the best class of negroes will be in the insti¬ tution, and will be able to* learn the theo¬ retical part of the duty of caring for the sick, as well as the practical knowledge which they will acquire in the hospital. The courses of instruction, with the teachers of the different departments, are as follows: Surgical nursing and hygiene, Dr A. C. McCIe.nnan. Obstetrical nursing, Dr L. Hughes Brown. Medical nursing, Dr J. M. Thompson. Anatomy and physiology, Dr R. J. Mc- Beth, Therapeutics, Dr T. D. Rankin. Chemistry, Dr T. M. Roberts. Dietetics and superintendent of nurses, Miss Ellen Woods. Care of infants, Dr W. D. Crum. EDUCA.TION IN CHARLESTON. The College of Charleston One of the Most Thorough Schools in the South. The College of Charleston is one of the finest institutions and one of the most thorough schools to be found in the South. Its trustees and professors have always bfeen men of high scholarly attainments, and its alumni can be found among- the most brilliant and brainiest citizens of the State. Th.e institution was founded in 1770 and in point of scholastic merit ranks sec¬ ond to> noi college in the country. The first class graduated in 1794 and the names of those who received the degree were: John Callahan, Samuel Thomas, Isaac McPherson, Nathaniel Bo wen, Wil¬ liam Heyward, John Lewis Gervais, vale¬ dictory. Another item: of interest in the early history of Charleston College oc¬ curred in November 16, 1810, when the board, taking into consideration the val¬ uable services of Mr Mitchell King in the College, and from having competent ex¬ perience in his erudition. Resolved, That a diploma, constituting him a bachelor of arts in the College, he conferred upon the said Mitchell King. This considerate act was never forgot¬ ten by Judge King, and he remained a sub¬ stantial friend of the College to the day of his death. The Museum in the College, which is one of best in the South, was started by the renowned Louis R. Agassiz in 1852. The work continued in his hands for several years, and he was succeeded by the well known scientist, Prof Francis S. Holmes. The successor of Prof Holmes was the present learned curator, Prof Gabriel E. Manigault, M. D. To the diligent and care¬ ful work of Dr Manigault is to be ascribed much, of the fame that the Museum now enjoys. The College has a library of some twelve thousand volumes of the most valuable works. With the end of the last session of the College President Henry E. Shepherd re¬ signed his position, which was ac¬ cepted, though with reluctance. He will be succeeded by Professor Har¬ rison Randolph, late professor of mathematics in the University of Ar¬ kansas. Prof Randolph will assume his new duties with the highest recommenda¬ tions as a gentleman and a scholar, and he gives every promise of measuring up fully to all expectation. The College will again throw open its doors to students in October. South Carolina Military Academy. The South Carolina Military Academy, which is well known as the "West Point of the South," ranks second only to West Point itself as a military college. The fol¬ lowing report of Major Garlington, U. S. A., to the Inspector General was made at the last inspection of the Citadel corps: St Augustine, Fla, April 29, 1897. To the Inspector General United States Army—Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of an inspection of the military department of the South Carolina Military Academy, made by me on April 26, 1897, in compliance with in¬ structions from the Secretary of War, communicated in a letter from the Ad¬ jutant General, dated April 9, 1897. First Lieut J. M. Jenkins, 5th cavalry, is professor of military science and tactics. He has been entirely satisfactory to the school authorities; is reported to be re¬ markably well qualified for the duty. The general excellence of the battalion demon¬ strates that this opinion is well founded. The superintendent of the Academy ac¬ companied the inspector at the review ana inspection. The cadets are organized into a battalion of three companies, with staff and non-commissioned staff. There is no cadet field officer. Return of cadets at review and inspec¬ tion: Present 113 Absent—sick 3 Absent—with leave 1 Guard 3 Total present and absent 120 The review was accurately and hand¬ somely executed, except in the march past at double time. The hired band played so execrably that the battalion was thrown out of step, but subsequently, when it ceased to play, the march in double time was executed remarkably well. The appearance, bearing and steadiness during the inspection were most excellent. The rifles and leather equipments are old and shabby; they should be replaced by new ones. The setting up exercises and the bayo¬ net exercises were executed: in an excel¬ lent manner, particularly the bayonet ex¬ ercises—miuch life, vigor and soldierly snap were shown. Each cadet captain drilled his company in close order in a very cred¬ itable manner; no errors were observed. The battalion was drilled in close and extended order by Lieut Jenkins. I have never seen a better drill by any troops. There were no errors in the commands of the officers or in performance by the indi¬ vidual members of the battalioni The battalion was formed for attack and made it except th© assault, which could not be delivered on account of the limits of the ground. The school is in the busi¬ ness centre of Charleston. The cadets have been instructed in minor tactics over diversified ground in the coun¬ try. A message of 20 1-5 words was sent through three stations (four altogether) in 17 minutes and 20 seconds1. It was sent and received between the last two stations in 4 minutes and 50 seconds. The new code was used. There has been no* instruction in ar¬ tillery, no gallery and no target practice; there is no range available. Two hours daily are allotted to theoreti¬ cal instruction, and seven hours per week to practical instruction. Once a month, one day, frown 7 to 8 hours', is devoted to practical work in minor tactics in the country. Guard mounting is held daily. Dress parade and inspection weekly. Reviews and escort to color occasionally. Theoretical instruction includes military engineering, military law and security and information. Practical instruction includes minor tac¬ tics, infantry drill regulations to include extended order in the battalion: and cere¬ monies, guard duty and signalling, con¬ struction of temporary bridges, fascines, etc. 72 The theoretical examination of the first class included the following- subjects: General rules of evidence. Advance guard, one battalion of infantry —disposition and drill. Outpost, regiment of twelve companies. Details of the triple sling bridge. General Court-martial, routine, hasty in- trenchmemts. Shelter, standing, lying, kneeling. The proficiency developed was creditable in a high degree and evidenced intelligent, careful and systematic instruction. To the superintendent, to Lieut Jenkins and to the cadets themselves is due the highest commendation for the high stand¬ ard developed by this inspection, for it could not have been attained without their united effort.. It speaks volumes for the esprit which must exist at this institu¬ tion. As I have said in a former report, any graduate of good standing from this in¬ stitution is qualified for the position of second lieutenant in the infantry. Lieut Jenkins has done most excellent work here, and has demonstrated that he possesses a remarkable quality for train¬ ing young men. His services would be of the highest value in the tactical depart¬ ment at the United States Military Acad¬ emy. Respectfully submitted, E, A. Garlington, Major Inspector General. This report gives an excellent idea of what effect the rigid discipline of the mili¬ tary feature of the Citadel has upon the minds and physical development of the students. Lieut Jenkins, who had been acting in the capacity of commandant of cadets for the past four years and who. had the es¬ teem and admiration of every man in the corps, was. removed from this post and Lieut McDonald, of the 10th. cavalry, was stationed in his stead. Moral and political science, mathematics and engineering, chemistry and physics, English literature and history, French and German, drawing and bookkeeping, military science and tactics, these depart¬ ments, with the subjects they cover, make a curriculum compact, comprehensive and logical. The Porter Military Academy. The thirty-first session of the Porter Military Academy will begin the first of next October. The Rev A. Toomer Porter is the rector and the Rev Theodore A. Porter, assistant; Lieut D. G. Dwight, commandant of cadets; Mr Charles J. Colcock, head master. Last year there were considerably over a hundred cadets on the rolls and the good work accomplished , in the class rooms even surpassed that of pre¬ vious sessions. A large class of young men was graduated at the last commencement, and several of these have gone to other institutions of learn¬ ing to pursue a higher course of study. The Porter Military Academy is a first- class school in every respect and well de¬ serves the patronage it now enjoys. The students are given advantage of the most thorough instruction, with the the best moral and religious training. There is just sufficient military training to insure good order and obedience with¬ out encroaching upon a full and complete curriculum. The founder of the Academy, Dr Porter, is now 70 years of age, and for more than a quarter of a century past he has done- a vast amount of beneficiary work through this institution, and his good work is known and appreciated throughout the South and especially in this State. The military feature of the Academy is thorough, and its scholastic grade of the highest order. Special attention is paid to modern languages, and In chemistry the students are afforded a magnificent laboratory in which to make their anal¬ yses. The High School of Charleston. The High School of Charleston, which for more than half a century has been doing its part in advancing the educational interests of the community, is in a very prosperous condition.. One hundred and seventy-two boys were enrolled last year as pupils, and the outlook is promising for full classes the: coming year. The beautiful and commodious annex, erected by the last City Council, and the provision made by the present City Coun¬ cil for new furniture, proper heating ap¬ paratus and other conveniences needed at the school, have added largely to its ma¬ terial facilities, and the boys who attend the school hereafter will have reason to congratulate themselves upon the im¬ proved conditions under which they pur¬ sue their studies.. The people of Charles¬ ton have always been deeply interested in the cause of education, and the City Fathers, in dealing graciously with the city High School, have not only indicated their own intelligent estimate: of its value to the community, but their action has been in accord with the views of their constituents. It has voiced public opin¬ ion. The work done at the school is second to that of no preparatory school or academy in the South. The teachers, most of whom have for years been connected with the school, and in charge of its several courses of study, are indefatigable and en¬ thusiastic in maintaining its already high reputation. The boys who meet the re¬ quirements of the school and receive their diplomas as graduates are thoroughly pre¬ pared to enter college or for business life. Those attending the College of Charleston or pursuing their higher studies in other colleges are recognized at once by their professors as fully equipped for the labors demanded of them, and take position with the best in. their classes. Those who en¬ ter at once upon business do. so. with minds well stored, well developed, well discip¬ lined, conditions, essential to success in life. No Charleston boy need go else¬ where in quest of the best educational advantages—he can find them at home— and the boys living in other parts of the State would do. well, as some of them have already done, to. prepare for college or for life at the High School of Charles¬ ton. 73 The following' gentlemen will constitute the faculty for the coming season: Virgil C. Dibble, principal and teacher Of mathematics. Thomas della Torre, teacher of classics. Walter M. Whitehead, teacher of English and physics. William H. Sehaefer, teacher of English and mathematics. James J. Andrews, teacher of French and German. Robert V. Royall, teacher of preparatory class. E. P. Valdes, in charge of gymnasium. The trustees are: The Hon Julian Mitch¬ ell, president; the Hon J. Adger Smyth, Mayor; Dr H. Baer, the Rev C. C. Pinck- ney, D. D., J. P. K. Bryan, Col T. Pinck- ney Lowndes, Col Z. Davis, O. C. Beck- mann and Frank Q. O'Neill. The City Public Schools. During the past year the work done in the six public schools of Charleston was good and fully up to the standard of pre¬ vious years. The principals and teach¬ ers, without exception, were earnest and conscientious in the discharge of their duties, and the pupils were diligent and orderly. The course of study mapped out by Superintendent Archer and the time schedules were rigidly enforced, and the discipline for which these schools are remarkable, was never better. These re¬ sults are in great measure due to the in¬ telligent supervision of the commissioners, Judge Simonton, Major Julian Mitchell, Dr H. Baer, Major G. L. Buist, Dr C. F, Panknin, Dr B. M. Lebby, Mr A. C. Kaufman, Mr T. A. Wilbur, Mr J. H. E. Stelling and Mr C. C. Olney, all of whom were regular in their visits at the schools. The total number of pupils enrolled dur¬ ing the past year was 5,971, being an in¬ crease of 851 over that of the year previ¬ ous. Of the 5,971 children enrolled 3,178 were white and 2,793 were colored. The average daily attendance was 5,609—2,986 white and 2,623 colored—and, as usual, the girls were in the majority. At the Memminger Normal School the enrolment was 402, with an average daily attendance of 377. At the Bennett School the enrolment was 938, with an average daily attendance of 881. At the Crafts School the enrolment was 908. Average daily attendance 854. At the Courtenay School the enrolment was 930. Average daily attendance 874. At the Simonton School (colored) the enrolment was 1,408. Average daily at¬ tendance 1,322. At the Shaw School (colored) the enrol¬ ment was 1,385. Average daily attendance 1,301. The number of teachers employed was 105, including the superintendent and the 6 principals. These principals were; Miss A. R. Simonton, for the Memminger Normal School, Mr C. L. Legge for the Bennett School, Mr R. E. Seabrook for the Crafts, Mr J. a. Finger for the Courtenay, Mr W. P. Hill for the Simon¬ ton, and Mr Edward Carroll for the Shaw School. The branches taught were reading, spelling, penmanship, intellectual arith¬ metic, written arithmetic, geography, English grammar, history of the United States, history of South Carolina, physi¬ ology and hygiene and the higher branches. In the normal department of the Mem¬ minger School the course in pedagogy was conducted by Miss Mary L. Porcher, a graduate of the University of Minne¬ sota, and the French course by Mile Jeanne Viett. The graduating class num¬ bered 36, and the Peabody medal was awarded to the first honor graduate. In the grammar schools bronze Pea- body medals were awarded to the pupils making the highest marks in the first class. These Peabody medals have proved to be great stimulants to effort, and in the boys' departments are coveted prizes, since the holders of them receive free public school scholarships in the High School of Charleston. There are at present 11 boys holding public school scholarships at the High School of Charleston, and for these the city board of public school commissioners pay $40 per annum apiece. The public schools, therefore, not only lay the foundation in elementary educa¬ tion, but also assist in secondary educa¬ tion. In almost every class at the High School the public school medal boys stand in the front rank, and the commis¬ sioners have good reason to feel proud of their achievements. Upon the comple¬ tion of the High School course these boys have the privilege of entering the Charles¬ ton College on free scholarships, and not a few have availed themselves of it. But the ,large majority of the public school boys' go into business or learn some use¬ ful trade whereby they can earn a living. As a consequence they are to be found in the stores and offices, in the machine shops and in commercial life, where they always make their mark because of the lessons of punctuality and attention taught at the city public schools. It is a rare thing to find a boy who attended the public schools without having learned something. The school houses of the system are all in good condition. Every attention is paid to their sanitation and cleanliness. Each is under the care of a male janitor, who lives on the premises, in a lodge provided by the commissioners. During every summer vacation these buildings are overhauled by a competent builder and all needed repairs are made in time for the opening in October. The schools are supplied with water from the Arte¬ sian wells and from cisterns which con- vain thousands of gallons of pure water. Everything is done by the commissioners to advance the physical, mental and moral interests of Charleston's children, and their only reward is the conscious¬ ness of duty well performed. The com¬ munity is fortunate in having such a board of school commissioners. Medical College of South Carolina. The Medical College of South Carolina was founded in the the year 1828 and is so well known throughout the entire South n that a long story of the history of the institution would be a mere waste of words and time. The fact should be recognized by the profession that the surest way to promote the educational interests of the State is to do all in their power to sustain State in¬ stitutions and to keep our young men at home where they can be as well edu¬ cated as at any other school in the coun¬ try. Matriculants must bear in mind that three courses of lectures in three separate years will be required for graduates, and that they will follow the graded course of instruction as outlined for their ad¬ vantage. The combination of didactic lectures, practical work in the laboratory, the study and treatment of diseases at the bedside and in the operating room has been the chief feature of the College to attract the confidence and support of the alumni and the profession at large. THE COURSE OF STUDY. First and Second Years. Didactic lectures upon anatomy, physi¬ ology, chemistry, materia medica and therapeutics, pathology, practical medi¬ cine, surgery, obstetrics and diseases of women, and medical jurisprudence. Practical work in anatomy, histology, chemistry and hygiene. Clinical lectures at the C'ity Hospital on medicine, surgery, gynaecology and dis¬ eases of the eye, ear, throat and nose. Thirdi Year. Didactic lectures upon practical medi¬ cine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, general pathology and medi¬ cal jurisprudence. Practical work in clinical microscopy, bacteriology and morbid anatomy. Clinical lectures at the City Hospital on surgery, medicine, obstetrics and gynae¬ cology, diseases of the eye, ear, throat and nose, and physical diagnosis, ausculta¬ tion, percussion1, etc, at the bedside. At the end of the first year examina¬ tions will be held on histology and the use of the microscope in the demonstration of the minute structure of all the tissues and upon osteology and anthrology. At the end of the second year final ex¬ aminations will! be held on anatomy, physiology, materia medica, chemistry and toxicology, hygiene and histology. At the end of the third year examina¬ tion® will be held on all the branches not previously passed. THE CITY HOSPITAL, the largest in the Atlantic States south of Baltimore, now offers advantages to the student of medicine such as are not obtainable in any of our neighboring cities. Under a contract with the City Government the faculty constitute the medical and surgical staff of the Hospital and have complete control of the treat¬ ment of the sick during the 'session. The material for clinical instruction is thus abundant. CLINICAL TEACHING will thus he an essential feature of the school, and certain days of the week will be devoted to it. The course of the didac¬ tic instruction at the College building will be so arranged as to permit of the stu¬ dents spending full time at the Hospital. Clinical lectures in the amphitheatre, or operating room, and bedside instruction in the wards will be all that can be de¬ sired. The class will be divided into sec¬ tions for the facility of teaching auscul¬ tation and percussion, the use of the mi¬ croscope, the use of reagents in the ex¬ amination of urine, the use of electrical apparatus and the study of pathogenic micro-organisms. BENEFICIARY SCHOLARSHIPS. According to an agreement with the State Government, in consideration of pecuniary aid by appropriation in years past, the College gives beneficiary scholar¬ ships to seven medical students, one each from the seven Congressional districts, who are appointed by the Governor. Pre¬ ference in these appointments is given, as far as practicable, to young men of. good preparatory education, merit and talent, whose pecuniary circumstances do not ad¬ mit of their paying college fees, the same regulations being carried out in the dis¬ cretion of the Governor as those adopted by the board of visitors of the State Mili¬ tary Academy in the selection of its bene¬ ficiary scholarships. Applications for these scholarships must be made t0' the Governor of the State, who notifies the successful applicants of their appoint¬ ment. With these exceptions all students of this College pay the regular fees, and without doing so cannot apply for gradua¬ tion. The rigid enforcement of these rules seems to reduce its numbers, but the pro¬ fession at large, and particularly its alumni, are not deceived as to the real status of the College, and know that its diploma is fairly and deservedly earned. REQUISITES FOR GRADUATION. 1. The candidate must be 21 years of age, of good moral character, and have had a preliminary education satisfactory to the faculty. 2. He must offer evidence of having studied medicine for at least three years under the direction of a regular physician or practitioner of medicine in good stand¬ ing. 3. He must have attended three full courses of lectures, during three separate years, and have dissected during two ses¬ sions in a medical college recognized and approved by the faculty, the last of which course of lectures must have been in this institution. 4. He must pass a satisfactory written examination upon all the branches taught in the College. 5. He must have paid in full all College dues, including the graduation fee. FEES FOR MED I CAD STUDENTS. Matriculation, payable once only...$ 5 00 Laboratory, each year 5 00 Tuition, first year 100 00 Tuition, second year 100 00 Tuition, third year 80 00 The above must be paid in advance, and include all college expenses. A small 0 charge only is made for dissecting mate¬ rial. Students coming from other colleges and taking only one or two courses of lectures will be charged $100 for the general ticket each year. EXAMINATIONS. At the end of the second term the stu¬ dent, before being admitted to the third year's class, must stand final examina¬ tions in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, materia medica and histology. He must also produce evidence that his work in the dissecting room and laboratories has been satisfactory. Should he fail to pass a successful examination in any one of these branches a second opportunity will be af¬ forded him before the opening of the regu¬ lar session in the autumn; failing in this, such studies for the second year must be repeated. Information about board and lodging can be obtained by applying to the janitor at the College. The usual price paid by students is $16 to $20 per month. MEDICAL FACULTY. F. L. Parker, M. D., professor of an¬ atomy and1 clinical lecturer on diseases of the eye, ear, throat and nose; dean of the faculty. Allard Memminger, M. D., professor of chemistry, urinology and hygiene. Manning Simons, M. D., professor of clinical surgery and surgical pathology. P. Gourdin DeSaussure, M. D., pro>- feseor of obstetrics, gynaecology and dis¬ eases of women and children. J. L. Dawson, Jr, M. D., professor of practice of medicine and clinical medicine and special pathology. J. Siomers Buist, M. D., professor of general surgery and surgical pathology. John Forrest, A. M., M. D., professor of materia medica and therapeutics. Edward F. Parker, M. D., professor of physiology and medical jurisprudence, as¬ sistant to clinical lecturer on diseases of the eye, ear, throat and nose. INSTRUCTORS. Robert Wilson, M. D., instructor in bacteriology and histology. B. E. Baker, M. D., instructor in gen¬ eral pathology and pathological: histology. A. Johnston Buist, M. D., assistant in¬ structor in the pathological and bacterio¬ logical laboratory. DEMONSTRATORS. Lane Mullaliy, M. D., demonstrator of anatomy. Louis D. Barbot, M. D., assistant de¬ monstrator of anatomy. ASSISTANTS TO THE SEVERAL CHAIRS. Lane Mullaliy, M. D., assistant to the chair of diseases of women and children. B. E. Baker, M. D., assistant to the chair of clinical medicine and physical diagnosis. R. S. Kirk, M. D., assistant to the chair of physiology and medical jurisprudence. R. S. Cathcart, M. D., assistant to the chair of clinical surgery. A. Johnston Buist, M. D., assistant to the chair of general surgery. THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY. This department has been re-estab¬ lished, and for the present -will consist of a professor of chemistry, urinology and hygiene, a professor of materia medica and therapeutics and a professor of prac¬ tical pharmacy. The plan of instruction will embrace didactic lectures, with chemical and phar¬ maceutical laboratory work. REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION IN PHARMACY. Students of pharmacy are required to attend two annual courses of lectures on chemistry, urinology, hygiene, materia medica and therapeutics and pharmacy. They must attend two courses in the pharmaceutical laboratory and must have worked two years in a pharmacy before entering the College, showing a certificate of the same. They must be 21 years of age and must pass a satisfactory written examination. Instruction in the chemical and pharma¬ ceutical laboratory is graded, and con¬ sists of a junior and senior course. These courses are designed to fit the student to conduct the processes of manufacturing and dispensing in the most thorough ana economical manner. Women are admitted as students. FEES FOR PHARMACEUTICAL STU¬ DENTS. First Course. Matriculation fee, paid once $ 5 00 Tuition fee, embracing lectures on materia medica and general chem¬ istry, didactic and practical phar¬ macy 40 00 Total $45 00 Second Course. Tuition fees, as above $50 00 Special instruction in qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis .. .. 20 00 Practical and chemical laboratory work.. 5 00 Practical pharmaceutical work .. .. 5 00 Total $80 00 FACULTY OF THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY. Francis L. Parker, M. D., ex-officio dean of the faculty. Allard Memminger, M. D., professor of chemistry, urinology and hygiene. John Forrest, A. M., M. D., professor of materia medica and therapeutics. Edward S. Burnham, Ph G., professor of pharmacy and instructor in practical pharmacy. The Medical School. The medical profession should recognize the fact that the surest way to promote the educational interests of the State is to do all in its power to give young men their education at home. With this point in view the Charleston Medical School was established a few years ago by a .body of able, earnest and progres¬ sive physicians. The aim of this school is not only to ground most thoroughly 76 and practically advanced students in med¬ icine, but also to give doctors an oppor¬ tunity of catching up with the progress of practice and to train them in the spe¬ cialties of modern medicine. The City Hospital, with its many opportunities for the practical study of medicine, has been placed under the charge of the Medical "School during half of each year, in order that the students may take advantage of the many facilities offered there for in¬ struction and improvement. The wisdom of this step can be readily conceived when it is known that during the past season the students have witnessed operations covering almost the entire field of sur¬ gery. For example, amputations, hernias, perineal sections, ovariotomies, internal urethrotomies, resections, double castra¬ tions, removal of cancer, appendicitis and many other difficult operations. Aside from these examinations have been made into constitutional diseases, as well as special diseases of the eye, ear and nose, comparing normal with abnormal tissues, and thoroughly familiarizing the students with all the modern forms of treatment. The Medical School building is one of the most imposing looking structures in the city. It is situated on a lot adjoining the City Hospital, which makes it con¬ venient for students and teachers. For students who will practice in the South Charleston has many advantages over other cities. While the city is ex¬ empt in a great measure from those rav¬ aging diseases which are characteristic of other sections of the country, yet at the same time the city affords sufficient op¬ portunities for practical instruction in the various types of those diseases which are characteristic of the sections in which the practitioner will pass his life. The following are the officers of the school: R. B. Rhett, Jr, M. D., dean; Charles M. Rees, M. D., secretary; A. E. Baker, M. D., treasurer; B. E. Baker, M. D., curator. The following gentlemen constitute the faculty of the school: R. B. Rhett, Jr, M. D., abdominal sur¬ gery and gynaecology. J. J. Edwards, M. D., general surgery. Charles M. Rees, M. I)., obstetrics and diseases of children. Charles W. Kollock, M. D., diseases of the eye and ear. Walter Peyre Porcher, M. D., diseases of the throat and nose. Joseph Maybank, M. D., practice of medicine. A. E. Baker, M. D., materia medica and therapeutics. B E. Baker, M. D., physiology and pa¬ thology. Edward J. Kinloch, M. D., anatomy. T. Prioleau Whaley, M. D., diseases of the skin. J. M. Green, M. D., demonstrator of anatomy. William Henry Johnson, M. D., histol¬ ogy and microscopy. The Catholic Schools. There are five Catholic Schools in the city, under the direction and control of Bishop Northrop. They are as follows: St Mary's School for Girls, in George street, and the parochial schools of the parishes of the Cathedral, St Joseph's, St Patrick's and St Peter's. These schools have an annual attendance of about 700 pupils. Private Schools. Charleston is splendidly equipped with private schools and these institutions are a great addition to the educational facil¬ ities of the city, besides being a credit to their instructors and teachers. Among them are Mrs Isabel A. Smith's school for young ladies, the University School, the Academy of our Lady of Mercy, the Froebel Academy, Mrs Hamilton Carew's primary school and a number of others. THE PINE FOREST INN. A Brief Sketch of the Famou* Winter Re¬ sort in Summerviile. The Pine Forest Inn, at Summerviile, is one of the most popular winter resorts in the South. Summerviile has a climate that is hard to surpass in any part of the world. The average temperature is about 2 degrees lower than along the seaboard, but the comparative dryness of the air and the freedom from the cold blasts of winter combine to render the climate as near perfection as possible. The Inn is a handsome and superbly constructed building, standing upon a plateau of sixty acres, beautifully wooded with pines interspersed with live oaks, from which the rainfall naturally flows into an adjacent creek, affording perfect drainage of the entire property and its surroundings. It is a modern structure in every respect, and has all the latest improvements for comfort and con¬ venience. The arrangement of rooms is such that there are single rooms with or without private bath, as well as suites for famly parties. The lighting is by an Edison improved electric plant. The heat¬ ing is amply secured by a combination of open fires, steam radiators and the fan system of hot air; this latter also insur¬ ing perfect ventilation. Every sleeping room in the house has direct sunshine upon it during some portion of the day, and nearly every room has a fireplace for pine knot open fire. The parlor, reception room, rotunda and dining rooms are beautifully finished in Southern curly pine, which is very pleas¬ ing. The design of the owners and the aim of the manager is to provide here a model home, possessing, so far as possible, all the composure and refinement usually found in such. The large and cosy sun parlor will be found a popular apartment. A telegraph office, with through wires, is provided. The elevator is one of the Whittier Ma¬ chine Company's best hydraulic construc¬ tions. The milk supply is from the Inn's own herd of Jerseys, insuring the best quality of that important requisite. The supplies of meats and other foods are brought from New York markets. THE PINE FOREST INN, SUMMERVILLE, S. C. 78 Fresh fish and other supplies of suita¬ ble nature are brought from Charles¬ ton markets, as that city is only forty minutes distant by frequent trains. The water supply for bathing is furnished by an Artesian well of great depth. The water is mineral. It is pure ana excellent for drinking, though, besides this, there is cistern water for drinking and cooking purposes. A spring also fur¬ nishes a big supply of good water. The Artesian well on Pinehurst Farm has a depth of 960 feet. It is uninterrupt¬ edly piped to the depth of 910 feet. The water rises to within seven feet of the surface; but as the supply is feeble at shallow depths a lifting pump has been introduced at 297 feet from the surface, whereby the capacity of the well has been increased to over 3,000 gallons per diem, which is the limit of the pump. The water has a decidedly mineral flavor, is clear and wholesome. It has apparently averted malarial troubles in those fami¬ lies that regularly use it^nd it has proved efficacious in the treatment of various stomachic and renal disorders. The well is free to the use of whomsoever will pump up the water, except on Sundays and holi¬ days, from sunrise to sunset. One United States gallon contains: Sulphate of potash grains.. 0.113 Chloride of potassium 1.474 Chloride of sodium 2.960 Bicarbonate of iron 0.487 Bicarbonate of lime 1.519 Bicarbonate of magnesia 0.956 Bicarbonate of soda 51.908 Carbonate of soda 31,694 Silica 1.225 Organic matter 2.041 Total 94.377 THE BLOCKADE OF CHARLESTON. Naval Manoeuvres which Attracted Wide Spread Attention and Brought Many People to the City. In February last Charleston was honored with a visit of the famous White Squadron. Some dozen or more of the finest ships of the United States navy came down to this port, under the command of Admiral Fran¬ cis M. Bunce, and for several weeks were going through the practice of the art of war at the entrance to Charleston harbor. The occasion was one of the most notable in the history of the years since the war. The fact that the fleet of vessels, for it included more than the Squadron, was coming to Charleston for manoeuvres was known but a short time before the event, but this did not prevent Charleston from making preparations suitable for the re¬ ception of the officers, nor did it check the inflow of visitors that would naturally come to the city on such an occasion. The city was crowded with visitors during the stay of the war ships, and the officers of the navy were entertained in splendid style, both by the city and commercial bodies and the citizens. The war ships began to arrive off Charleston during the first week in Feb¬ ruary, and almost at once began their op¬ erations. They had come for practice at "blockading," and their chief work was in making a blockade across the wide en¬ trance to Charleston harbor and endeavor¬ ing to detect vessels passing through the line of search lights. This was more or less successful. In the clear weather there was no trouble in detecting the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius, which was playing at "blockade runner," but on a very foggy night the Vesuvius got through the line once or twice without being detected. The war ships also had some splendid practice with their big guns and had all kinds of drills and manoeuvres. Several of ffhe ships came into Charleston harbor after the regular exercises were over, and the monitors Puritan, Amphitrite, and Terror remained for some time in the harbor. On the last day of the regular work of the fleet outside the harbor Secretary Hil¬ ary A. Herbert came to Charleston, and with the Governor of the State and half a hundred other dignitaries and as many ladies went out to the fleet on the revenue cutter Colfax, and reviewed the white bat¬ tle ships as they lay in a splendid line across the entrance to Charleston. The day was a gala one for Charleston. The members of the Legislature, and besides them thousands of visitors from the inte¬ rior, came to Charleston, and on tugs, ex¬ cursion steamers and sail boats went out to see the war ships and the review. Be¬ sides the usual ceremonies of the visit of the Secretary of the Navy to the fleet there was a medal presentation on the bat¬ tle ship Maine, the Secretary presenting a handsome gold medal to Seaman Creel- man for heroic conduct during the storm encountered by the Maine on her way to Charleston. On the evening of the day of the Sec¬ retary's visit a grand banquet was spread by the Charleston Chamber of Commerce, at which the Secretary spoke in response to the toast, "The Navy of the United States." The officers of all the ships were present, and this occasion was a memora¬ ble one on account of the elaborateness of the decorations in the banquet hall of the Charleston Hotel, the brilliant speakers and the distinguished guests present. On the night following a grand naval ball v as given in the German Artillery Hall. This was an extremely beautiful affair, and will long be remembered by all who were present. The admiral, in speaking of the visit of the fleet to this locality, said, after the work was done, that their object had been to test the search lights as a means of preventing blockade running, to test their 79 big guns in target practice and to have drills on the sea in all kinds of weather. The results obtained, he said, were most satisfactory. Two of the monitors, the Amphitrite and the Terror, remained in Charleston harbor for several weeks after the departure of the other vessels of the fleet. During their stay the usual routine of drills and work was continued, and the men on board seemed delighted to be in so salubrious a climate during the months so very dis¬ agreeable in Northern waters. It was sug¬ gested that the powers might see fit to station some ships in this harbor in winter hereafter, but it is not known yet whether such is the intention of the department now or not. The most pleasant relations were established between the citizens and the men of the war ships during their stay in this port, and there were many social functions at which the blue and gold dress uniforms of the officers were noticeable. The officers returned the coutesies extend¬ ed in every way possible, and the people of Charleston were welcomed at all times on the quarter deck of the good ships or in the ward rooms and the captain's quar¬ ters. While the monitors were in port they were frequently visited by schools and colleges, and the students were shown every attention by the officers. Among the ships that were in Charles¬ ton for the naval manoeuvres were the flag ship New York, the battle ship Indi¬ ana, the battle ship Massachusetts, the battle ship Maine, the cruiser Columbia, the monitors Puritan, Amphitrite and Ter¬ ror, the cruiser Marblehead, the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius, the dispatch boats Dol¬ phin and Fern. The fleet represented the "new navy," and formed one of the most formidable gatherings of vessels that could be gotten together in the United States. The battle ships were among the finest afloat, and the guns on board them were of the most approved pattern and of the largest calibre used in naval warfare. Sullivan's Island. The seaside suburb of Charleston, Moul- trieville, has been very gay during the sea¬ son now passing. The authorities say that during several months there was but a single cottage unoccupied along the car line, the beach or the shell road. The At¬ lantic Beach Hotel opened earlier than usual and enjoyed an excellent patronage up to the time of closing, a few weeks ago. There were hops and entertainments, horse and bicycle races, surf bathing, boating and fishing during the entire sea¬ son and nothing unpleasant seems to have occurred to mar the record. Thousands took in the splendid surf, and, although there were some instances where danger was threatened, not a casualty is to be recorded. There have been several new summer homes erected during the year and many improvements have been made upon the cottages already there. The Government work is progressing smoothly and quietly and one of the forts—the mortar battery near the hotel, is nearly completed. In this battery recently some of the mortars were tested by firing service charges and the foundations were found perfect. The fort near old Moultrie is assuming shape and by next season will likely be com¬ pleted. The speculation now goes further than a garrison, for the Government is thought to have it in mind to build a bridge to the mainland, at Mount Pleas¬ ant, and this idea is received most pleas¬ antly by Islanders. the weather J!V Cha rleston. Annual Summary of Meteorological Ob¬ servations. Made by the United States Department of Agriculture, Weather Bureau, (L. N. Jesunofsky, Local Forecast Official,) dur¬ ing the Charleston commercial year, end¬ ing August 31, 1897: (Compiled for The News and Courier.) p d CD cd (©=> 6 ^ jr w TfidJO? £d p B 2s p 5-" 2 B 25© ° ST cr® (—t ij.» fcC 'I w 05 o o CO oc* - 00 CO : CO CO 90 5" GC . --3. 05©. CO . • • • 05 * C3 05 05 W 00 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 oooooooooooo o © © *© I—' m "o i-» to is © © 0!Hr05OM»*l-1M5<^ o a fcd CO 8 A. M. 05 © © © 05 © © 00 C5tOtOZOOS03 03 05 05 055. 05 ©©CD©©© Z © © © © © O© CO CO ©*->© — ,— — o© _© 00 00 © © C O' © CO CO ts o 05 05 to"05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 OS ©0©©©©0©0©©0 © © CO © i-> i-" *© to © © >-» 1— H- © 8 P. M. M to to © © -3 C 05 tO Mean. > hJ 1-i w C *-s 05 C t0t0f0f0t0 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 ©©©©©©coo©©© 20-venr 0 1 © 05 ©©©©©©© — MOO© 000000—3©l—iO0O5f——305© Normal. >—i D O D- ® cd P 050505050505050505050505 OOOOOOOOOOOO i— 10 M05CrOn©rfi©kt»t005 •OO'ffi - 05 CH — © © M -3 Ol Highest. MtO"-*tO toostotototo ©'©©©'-"-GCOOOOS©^. Date. P Pj a Cu tr+ tr X • . to to to to to to <0 to (O to to to CO©©©©©©©©©©© -t 05 * Cu © -1 O 00 05*00 <1 -3 © © cj« © © co *-> to 0' te- os -i Lowest. : : : H M tO to tOM to to i-'co©M©o;to-tcn'*i^© Date. Vanor Pressure. O 00 Cloudiness, JOths 8 A. M., inch. 8 P. M., inch. Mean, inch. 8 A. M. • a p 00 ( Mean. 20-year Normal. Total. j 20-year Normal. 0 as •"* V P r„ ® ~i S°l Date. 2.50 Inches in 24 hours. 0 712 0.693 0.702 4 4 4 5 2.75 6.09 1.66 22 .00 .44? .491 .469 5 4 5 4 1 38 4.36 0.88 12 .0u .434 .469 .452 4 4 5 4 1 77 3.21 1.10 1 .00 .236 .261 .248 4 4 4 4 5.76 3.49 3.40 1-2 3.40 .217 .247 .232 6 5 5 5 0.84 4.07 0.40 26-27 .00 .320 .324 .322 6 5 6 5 7.6l 3 46 2.32 11 00 .393 .432 .41- 6 7 6 4 4.38 4.01 1.79 12-13 .00 .443 .478 .460 5 4 4 4 1.89 4.06 0.48 26 .00 .511 .547 .529 3 3 3 4 1.20 4.06 0.52 30-1 .00 .737 .792 .764 5 6 5 5 5 47 5 29 1.50 22 .00 .748 .763 .756 5 6 5 5 9.42 7.40 3.29 26 27 3.29 .755 .811 .783 6 6 6 5 7.34 7.31 2.25 6.7 .00 .496 .526 .511 5 5 5 5 *49.81 *56.81 RaiDf all—Inches. © a P h. m. 22:17 6:16 - ® ■4P ce Q 1-2 26-27 u 0 o P P §3 o Q fl 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.00 1.54 1.97 ® a & h. m. ® cC p 0:25 1:00 1:00 Temperature— Degs., Fahr. • • .a a • p <5 p eg © 00 00 a 74 76 77i 61 66 6+' 58 62 60 44 50 47 43 48 45 51 55 53 58 6. 59 62 65 63 69 72 71 78 80 79 80 81 80 78 80 81 63 66 65 cd cd t- © C © Ot 58 51 50 53 57 65 73 80 82 81 66 +3 ® P bo w 94 85 80 68 71 74 84 82 92 96 99 94 eg p 17 1 11 9 4 18 21 6 24 25 ] 1 CC ® £ o p 59 50 40 29 39 38 41 49 53 68 71 71 « a3 Q 24 19 30 25 28 28 28 2 2 9 14 7 81 eg a a © 2 84 74 70 57 54 6! 68 72 79 87 87 87 73 a 2 a a5 © 71 60 56 42 40 49 54 60 60 74 76 76 60 © 61 P C6 £ * PP 22 24 26 27 23 22 22 17 22 23 17 19 © tut p P. . fo a • s& eg >50 PS © • © > cc c » O <-> cd *3 f*>,P >» CD aj © eg cdrQ P pp P P^ p 9 4 28 2 0 21 7 9 r 0 30 6 4 0 0 26 5 2 0 4 10 6 16 0 5 3 6 13 0 0 21 3 23 0 0 e-24 4 30 0 0 6 6 15 2 0 13 6 19 30 0 1 6 20 5 0 2 5 7 6 0 *25 *9 Devr-point. • a • a • p < p eg © oo 00 a 68 68 68 55 58 56 54 56 65 37 40 38 34 38 36 45 46 46 51 54 52 55 57 56 59 61 60 70 72 71 70 71 71 71 73 72 56 58 57 eg a # w 69 60 50 45 43 47 47 55 63 70 74 73 Humidity. j 8 A. M. • a P 00 | Mean. 'eg p a 7$ S-i 3, O o ot 82 76 79 78 81 76 78 76 87 80 84 76 78 70 7 * 76 72 69 70 77 82 74 "8 75 79 80 79 72 77 78 78 72 70 69 70 73 7? 79 78 75 74 72 73 76 78 79 78 78 78 75 77 75 00 Number of days> p ci o> t—* O 14 12 11 14 12 8 6 16 20 4 Pi ©x Pi >» 33 ©i g ,a T3 a 2 o • °33 «- p p aS O £* a a 07 p o o X Ok O D 10 14 10 2 10 14 11 10 8 7 12 12 10 7 8 13 9 10 8 9 9 13 11 6 10 11 10 9 10 8 13 14 11 11 8 13 10 11 4 6 12 10 13 1 6 8 23 13 3 8 9 23 15 2 7 9 18 13 6 . 9 *133 *167 *136 *68 *96 PI "3 Oh 4 7 10 8 7 12 15 11 5 14 16 15 *124 *120 o "3 x p as a x m C X p£ «S a a *39i *55, *i6 CO rH cd -u o EH * WiLd. a£ s ° a o S "53 62 S. a o *3 o 0) p 36 28 40 30 N.E. N. N. E. N. K. 56 S. E. 38 44 34 44 34 36 N.E N. E. W. N. W N. W S. E. Number of Times (->nd percentage) Blowing From. « i • . • • • a a a a a £3 c ff A1 Si • V Q fc Oh s? Oh w X n Oh X X CO X > X £ X 29 5 8 20 33 8 13 7 12 7 12 r* 4 12 3 5 3 5 10 7 11 21 34 4 6 6 10 2 3 9 15 8 1< 7 11 30 10 17 18 30 1, 20 5 8 4 7 7 12 i 2 3 5 2 22 35 10 16 10 16 3 5 0 0 5 8 4 6 8 13 31 12 19 14 23 5 8 3 5 2 3 7 11 9 15 10 16 6 9 16 9 16 5 9 3 5 1 2 14 25 10 18 5 9 13 8 13 13 21 4 6 4 6 5 8 15 24 10 16 3 5 1 7 12 9 15 10 17 6 1( 15 25 8 13 1 2 4 7 13 8 13 7 11 7 11 5 8 14 23 10 16 9 15 o X 25 4 r— 4 2 3 10 17 4 rp i 11 18 18 3(' 7 12 4 7 1 2 3 • 7 11 4 6 8 13 11 IK 10 16 15 24 5 8 2 4 6 2 3 5 8 8 13 9 15 15 24 16 26 3 5 *98 13 *132 18 *84 11 *62 8 *81 11 *125 17 *91 13 *57 8 | ai U *0 bfi . a a — X r- M o.5 N. E. N. E. N. E. N. N.E. S W. s. W. s. s. s.w S.W. 8.W. S.W. 33 34 30 35 23 24 23 19 23 ° 33 > j 280 RANGE SUMTER AND S1 PHILIP r Depth.? 7ess ,than/ 23 feet/ shonn/ thus ssssssss The-n foot curve/ f$ slioirrv thus The soundinps are/ fn/ feet/ and/.tenths referred, to memo ftipTv nrtter Drawn/ by Walter M~. Srruth/ V " j - , ■ „ - (utptazn/ Corps at Engineers IfS CLrmy