Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/324

 316 CHARLESTON and 120 foreign vessels, 48,726 tons ; entered in the coastwise trade, 485 vessels, 347,731 tons ; cleared, 430 vessels, 318,801 tons ; regis- tered, enrolled, and licensed, 160 vessels, 8,270 tons, of which 19 with a tonnage of 3,548 were steamers. During the year there were built 12 vessels of 308 tons. The total exports for the year ending Aug. 31, 1872, were valued at $10,927,986, and the imports at $734,471. The total number of merchant vessels belonging to the port was 152, of 6,006 tons. The most im- portant article of export is cotton. In the ex- tent of this trade Charleston ranks next to New York and New Orleans. Its amount for a series of years ending Aug. 31 is shown in the following statement : TEARS. Set itUnd, MM. Uplud, UlM. Total, tUt. 1866... 5,680 102,521 108,151 1867 16,441 158,418 169,859 1868 9,852 j:i.i:i 245,065 1869 7,840 195,280 202 570 1870 12,848 wr,.i-M 849,501 1871 11,684 842,811
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1872 11,789 270,565 J-J.1M Between a third and a half of the total exports are shipped to foreign ports, chiefly those of England and France, and the remainder to northern ports of the United States. Rice also enters largely into the commerce of the city, the exports in 1872 amounting to 42,574 tierces; 1871, 43,917; 1870, 38,688; 1869, 35,609; 1867, 22,333. In 1872, 18,460,839ft. of lumber were shipped, 15,728,467 in 1871, 13,205,066 in 1870, and 18,558,652 in 1869. Naval stores form a leading article of com- merce, the exports in 1872 amounting to 147,910 barrels. The wholesale trade of Charleston has greatly increased since the war. In 1872 the sales of dry goods amounted to $3,000,000 ; boots and shoes, $1,200,000; clothing, $400,- 000 ; drugs and medicines, $375,000 ; hats and caps, $175,000. In 1873 Charleston had 3 na- tional banks and 4 state banks, with an aggre- gate paid-up capital of $2,930,000, and current deposits amounting to $1,590,000 ; and 4 sav- ings banks, with deposits to the amount of $1,155,990. The manufacture of fertilizers from the valuable beds of marl and phosphate rocks in the vicinity has since 1868 been developed into one of the most important industries in the city. In 1873 there were 6 factories in and near the city, employing a capital of $400,000. The shipments of fertilizers have advanced from 3 tons in 1867 to 27,355 tons in 1871, and 30,- 646 tons in the first six months of 1872. In connection with this business the manufacture of sulphuric acid is extensively carried on. Five of the establishments mentioned above have acid chambers, and from 1869 to July 1, 1872, manufactured 10,614 tons of sulphuric acid, valued at $350,200. The exports of crude phosphate rock from Charleston and Beaufort from Jan. 1, 1867, to July 1, 1872, amounted to 206,305 tons, valued at $1,450,000; of this amount 90,225 tons were shipped to foreign and 116,080 tons to domestic ports. The amount consumed by local companies during this period was 36,110 tons, valued at $250,000. According to the census of 1870, the total num- ber of manufacturing establishments in Charles- ton county, wjiich were chiefly in the city, was 224, using 54 steam engines of 1,140 horse power, and employing 2,579 hands. The capi- tal invested amounted to $1,538,539 ; wages paid during the year, $616,962; value of ma- terials consumed, $1,264,731 ; of products, $2,431,763. The chief establishments were 13 bakeries, 13 manufactories of carriages and wagons, 2 of fertilizers, 8 of flour, 15 of sawed lumber, 7 of machinery, 13 of tar and turpen- tine, and 7 establishments for ship building and repairing. Among the most important industrial establishments in Charleston are the capacious mills for removing the husk from rice and pre- paring the grain for market. A large proportion of the rice crop of South Carolina and Georgia is cleaned at these mills, which turn out about 80,000 tierces per annum. There are 3 of these mills, employing a capital of about $500,- 000. The city is divided into 8 wards. The government is vested in a mayor and 18 alder- men. The fire department comprises 14 en- gine companies, 6 having steam fire engines, and one hook and ladder company. Among the charitable institutions are an almshouse, dispensaries, the orphan house for both sexes, which usually has about 200 inmates, Shaw's orphan asylum, and the Roper hospital. The schools of the city are under the control of 8 commissioners elected by the people and a superintendent chosen by the commissioners. In 1872 the number of children of school age was 12,727, of whom 5,068 were enrolled in the public schools. There were 8 public schools (5 grammar and 3 primary), with 64 male and 4 female teachers, and 2,620 pupils in attend- ance, and a high school with 65 pupils. The total school expenditures amounted to $40,453, of which $36,813 was for teachers' wages. There are also several private schools and a school connected with the Catholic convent. Charleston college, founded in 1787, in 1872 had 5 instructors, 50 students, and a library of 8,000 volumes. The medical college of the state of South Carolina had 9 professors. The Charleston library society, founded in 1748, has 14,000 volumes, and the apprentices' library is a valuable collection. There are 3 daily, 2 tri-weekly, 2 semi-weekly, and 6 weekly news- papers, and 3 monthly periodicals. The city has a literary and a scientific society, and several social organizations. The chamber of commerce and the board of trade are influ- ential bodies. There are 14 lodges and 6 chapters of freemasons, and 6 lodges and 5 encampments of odd fellows. The total num- ber of churches is 39, embracing the following denominations: 10 Episcopal, of which 2 are for colored persons ; 7 Methodist, of which 4 are colored; 7 Roman Catholic; 6 Presby- terian, including 1 colored; 4 Baptist, of which