The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-05-17
5C0Ipns,ag,in.

business; everything about the town,
bears upon its face the mark of PRO
gress. The first thing that struck our
eye on riding up from the depot was
the New State House, which under the
hands of its present active supcrintend-
ant is now rearing its massive, and ele-
giant granite walls some twenty feet in
the air, and the number of the work
men engaged, which hasty glance
caused us to estimate at about two
hundred give promise Of q speedy com
pletion. We were much pleased also
to learn that al the granite used on the
building, which is of very superior
quality, is taken from a quarry, within
mile and.a-half of the town; we had
no idea before that the soil of Carroll
na covered such stone. The new State
House, the cost Of which is estimated
at one million dollars, will be when
completed, according to the plan, which
We were permitted to view, ono Of the
grandest structures in the State. At
some future day we may give minute
description oft.
Our next stopping place, was the
old Congarec House, kept now by that
prince Of hosts "JANaEY," whose large
number Of visitors we should have
thought, would leave him little time
to attend to the outward appearance of
his hotel, but not 50, JANNEY is here,
there and everywhere it seems; one
moment with broom in hand sweeping
tho dust from his floors, and the next
heading an army Of gratilied boarders,
and leading them to some new and
pleasant cheer: under his enterprising
hands the old Congaree is making a
new and beautiful appearance F; truly If
JANSEY does not make fortune, it
will be because visitors to Columbia,
do not know how to appreciate on es-
tiinable host-Hcrc's to his health
Leaving the Hotel We strollcd into the
Court of Appeals which is now in ses-
sion; we found here number Of dis
tingulshed lawyers from all parts ofthe
State in attendance, and were informed,
that the business before the Court was
large, the number of appeals having
considerably increased, particularly
from the upper Districts; a shrewed
old friend OF ours suggested that this
might be consequent apon the increas-.
ed facilities of travel by railway /; if his
.resnarlz be just, Ills the strongest ar,
gument we have yet heard advanced
against railroads. A Court room,
when you are not yourself.he anxious
client, or the well-fecd lawyer is per-
haps the dullest place in the world, so
soon tireing Of it, we walked into the
street, and meeting with an old friend
from Snmter gladly accepted his invi.
tation to pay q visit to the magnificent
gardens, and orchards of II. LYONS,
ESQ.,. where We spent profitable and
delighted hour in viewing his luxuriant
vineyards and grapcries, fine vegctabls,
luscious fruits, aud elegant hot-houses;
we found cherries growing in the yard,
ripe, and in full perfection, of these
there were three varieties, but the
Black Ok Heart was the only one we
recognized, the others being of new
species, with which we arc unacquaint-
ed. Columbia is at this season, GER
tainly the garden spot Of the South !;
the beautiful evergreens, which adorn
and shade almost every street have
just put on the new and bright livery
Of spring, and the air is rioh with the
perfume of thousand flowers; a
dwelling without garden, in this place,
is hardly to be met with, and this pas
sion for the beauties of nature must
certainly be viewed ms an evidence Of
the cultivated and refined taste of its
inhabitants. Why Columbia has not
been resortcd to more during summer
months, we cannot imagine, it certain
Iy presents all the advantages for such
a retreat; health, air, scenery and pol.
ished society, what more can be de.
sired, while however on this subject
we cannot but express our astonish-
ment that there is not public bathing
establishment in or near the town the
Congaree River presents many facili-
ties for such building, and we yet
hope to see one erected there. More
anon.
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The Cheraw Gazette states that ut