Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-05-05
Comesponlence on tIlc Kiclmond pi.patch.

"hil"S' h""ly applause
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch
CnrvMBTA, S. c., April ll--Thc reputa-
ton of this city Of Gardens and shade trees
the capital of South Carolina, as ono of the
most beautiful cities on the American cont.
ncnt, has not been exaggerated. 1T is now,
with its immediate suburbs, a town of about
nine thousand inhabitants, the streets wide
aud lined on each side with trees, sometimes
rows of trees in the middle of the streets, and
flower gardens, now in their glory, in front of
all the private residences OF the public
buildings, the now and magnificent State
House, now in course Of erection, has advau-
ccd so far towards completion, chat the third
and last story is now being put up, and the
workmcn are engaged in preparing the cornice
This new editce is worthy OF particular notice,
and beg here to express my acknowledge
mcnts to ono of the accomplished architects
and gentlemen engaged upon this great work,
MIR. John \. Kay, for the information which
am enabled to lay before the public.
This noble structure designed by Mr.
John II. Nicmsee, an eminent architect, who
formerly conducted an extensive practice in
Baltimore, and it is being built under his i'm
mediate supervision The house is 260 feet
long, including the wings, and 80 feet wide
IN the centre portion; the wings are SO feet
in width, and the structure will stand upon !.
paved terrace five feet above the street There
arc to be -four entrances ON the first story,
that on the south being under porte cochcyc.
The entrance hall on the FIRST floor is 2S feet
wide, and leads from the north and south into
the central hall, which will form a splendid
apartment, lighted from the roof by two sky.
lights, each 20 feet square, and the stairs as
ccnding right and left in two flights, each
feet wide. Rooms for the Executive Depart
mcnt and for the Secretary of State, Surveyor
General, Treasurer, and Comptroller General,
ere also upon this floor, aud in addition, tho
Equity and Appeal Court rooms, with Law
and Equity Libraries, Clerks rooms and nu-
merouS committee rooms are provided. The
principal entrance to the building is by
broad and magnificent flight of steps, 95 feet
wide, leading up to portico projecting from
the building 20 feet, and supported by two
rows of Corinthian columns, ten in each row.
The main features on this floor are the en-
| trance Hall, Senate Chamber, Representative
! Hall and Library. The Library is 81 by 46
feet There are also Offices and private rooms
for the President and Clerk of tic Senate and
| Speaker and Clerk of the House, adjoining
the respective Houses. The Solicitors office
is % by 32 feet The Senate Chamber, Rep
rcscntatiyc Hall and Library, are to be 35
feet high, and the entrance to the galleries Of
these rooms is from tho Sd floor, by which is
avoided the necessity of cambcring up a mar
row stairway to hear discussions, MS is too fire.
| qucnty the case in Legislative buildings. The
material used Is granite, of very superior
! quality; it is quanicd within three miles of
! the State House and conveyed on railroad
constructed expressly for that purpose. The
quarry is one of the finest in America, as
blocks of any dimension can be obtained up
! to so feet in length, and it has the further adj
vantage of being destitute of pyritcs, so that
there is no apprehension of iron rust-it is of
an uniform light blush grey color, and at u
little distance can scarcely be distinguished
from marble. On each side of the grand en-
trance doorway, will be the Roman /i,$ccs or
emblem # authority, and over these will be
two eagles, then two medallion busts of Me
! Duihc and it"ync, executed BIZ Mr.. H. K
Brown, Of the T.. s. Art Commission; above
these again will be Two fcstoons, composed
very artisticolly of the cotton plGnt-tLis por-
ton Is executed in marble. Mr. Brown has,
likewise received n commission to fiji the tym.
| panum of thc North ifcGincut with altu-rclief
Statuary, and his design is happy conccp-
ton. The centre figure, which is thirteen
feet high, is n female, walking on the sea shore,
on her left hand a Palmetto tree, and on her
! right the rising SUN, with the anchor Of Iopu
beside hcr--this being the arms Of the State,
On one side is Justice with the sword and
scales, lion at her feet as the emblem OF
strength. On the other figure Of Liberty,
with the eagle of America rising beside her
TO the left of this central group. arc negroes
rolling cotton bales, and farther on cotton
field is represented, With the negroes gather
ing cotton. On the right hand rice field
IN harvest time, Thus the industry and com
mcrcc of the Palmetto State at the present
time will be faithfully represented to future
generations.
The cG.umns in the interior of the building
are to be of Tennessee marble, from the quar-
rcs belonging to McSsrs. VIM Doughorty &
Co. Mr. Doughcrt,' resides in Columbia,
having taken an extensive contract to furnisl,
and prepare the marble for columns door and
window dressings, etc, and has erected very
line marble mill to execute his contract it
is expected that the building will he compile
ted in about four years, and South Carolina
can then be proud of possessing the finest
capitol in the Union. As a symbol of art
alone, tor her rising generations, she will we'll
bc rcniuneratcd for her present expenditure,
ana IN addition her people will find that by
developing her own internal resources, they
are sowing the seed which will produce rich
and abundant harvest The commissioner of
the work is Gen. James Jones; architect,
Mr. John r. Niernsce assistant architect,
MIR. John a. Kay There are over five hun
~.