074 TOWNS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 



credit of the City of (Charleston lias once more gained the high rank it 

 formerly held. While only one-eighteenth of the aggregate municipal 

 indebtedness of the United States bears so low a rate of interest as four 

 per cent., more than three-fourths of tlie debt of Charleston is placed at 

 that figure. 



STREETS. 



Charleston has seventy miles of streets. Cobblestone roadways extend 

 nine and one-eighth miles, and there is a shell road for one and three- 

 eighth miles. There were five and one-eighth miles of plank roadway, 

 but this has been reduced, and will be entirely done away with. The 

 remainder of the streets are much in the condition in which they were 

 two hundred years ago, a state of things that would have been impossible 

 but for the dry and porous nature of the soil: For the thirteen years pre- 

 vious to 18S0, about $100,000 were annually expended b}'' the city on 

 the streets ; in that year, two and one-eighth miles of stone roadway was 

 laid, at a cost of $70,000 ; in 1881, of stone roadway, cobblestone, and 

 ^facadam roadway, about 1.4 miles was laid. The city is also charged 

 with the sidewalks. The cost of paving with flagstone is estimated at 

 tAvo dollars, and with brick at one dollar per square yard. In 1881, 

 besides resetting and repairs, 4,257 square yards of flagstone, and 3,811 

 scjuare yards of brick pavement were laid, together with 2,534 feet of 

 curbstone. Charleston has five miles of street railway. The early 

 settlers obtained an abundant supply of excellent 



WATER 



by sinking wells, twelve to fifteen feet in depth, through the loose sands: 

 with the growth of the city this water lost its purit}^ and recourse was 

 had to cisterns supplied by rains. Many plans were proposed to remedy 

 this evil. As early as 1803, Mr. Longstreet attempted to bore an artesian 

 well, but did not succeed. From time to time other similar attempts 

 were made, with like results. At length, in 1876, Mr. Spangler bored a 

 Avell on Citadel Green, to the depth of 1,970 feet, and obtained an abundant 

 supph^ of water. The delivery, tested at four feet above the surface of the 

 earth, was found to be 250 gallons a minute, or 360,000 gallons a day. The 

 water has a temperature of 99.5° Fahr. It is pleasant and healthful for 

 drinking and culinary purposes, it is delightful for bathing, and sui)erior 

 even to cistern water for washing. This demonstrates the practicability 

 of furnishing an unlimited supply of excellent water for the city. Mr. 

 Spangler is working at another well, and others will be constructed as 

 occasion requires. 



