Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-09-24
RALEIGH, N. c.. Sent. 10, 1876

RALEIGH, N. c., Sept. 10, 1862
Deer JoornaI: 1t is so long since have
written you line that both my pen and
my brain have grown rusty as those of q
correspondent but, as the Great Butcher
is popularity supposed to have once said,
"Ili fight it ont on this line" if it takes
me all day.
For the capital of State, in the Sum,
mer season and during the absence of q
Legislative session, Raleigh is. think, the
liveliest place that L wot of. The appear,
ance of the fall and winter season has
been anticipated and the merchants are
already busy opening their thousand and
one attractions, both of neGessaries and
Injuries and every indication points to a
prosperous trade here during the incom-
ing business season.
There are many improvements going on
here now and upper Fayetteville street
appears as one confused mass of bricks
ana mortar The merchants seem to have
been infected with some of the enterprise
Of their Norfolk neighbors and huge ar
rangements are being made to acoommo-
date the large trade that 10 expected to
seek an outlet in Raleigh this winter
Some one or two of the new buildings now
IN course of erection are absolutely superb
and will equal, IT they do not excel, the far
famed structure of the fuckers, which has
heretofore been Justly pronounced one OF
the largest and most elegant places of bust
ness to be found i'll the entire South. OF
the g one or two - referred to above, the
large iron front building of Mr., B. 2, Viii
hanson, on Fayetteville street, just below
the Market Square, bids fair to prove,
IN the country. 1t Is to be large double
building, tour stories high, and bnilt upon
the plan of the new French, or Mansart
style. The first floor, which is to have a
pitch of Is feet, will be occupied by Mr..
Williamson as salesroom ; the second
floor as offices and the third as store
room, while the upper floor, with its beauti
fnl adornments, is to be leased as IL Mason
ic Lodge Room.
Messrs John q. Williams Il Co. are
also completing now n fine iron front
binding, four stories high on Fayetteville
street. near the Capitol Grounds. which
will be used by that firm as q banking
house. There are several other buildings
just completed, which add much to the
outward adornment and to the business
convenience Of this city, and which reflect
great credit upon the enterprise Of the
merchants here.
But the new Market House, City Hall,
&C., now being erected here, will prove,
when completed, ono of the grandest bur-
lesqucs upon architectural beauty and
symmetry that this or any other country
has over witnessed. Tho first, or Market
floor, is ridiculously disproportioned to
those above it. as though tho larger body
over it had forced the lower ono to circum
scribe its limits, per force of the compress.
sion above.
Let us leave this radically reconstructed
Market House and City Hall, and passing
through the Capitol Square, stop in front
of the new structure just north OF the
State House and built upon the site
of the old Guion Hotel. The impo
ed by Judge Fowle, and will be occu-
pied as soon as completed by Mr.. J. M.
Blair, of the Marlborough House, who will
give it his own name and who will dis
pense here the same genial hospitality to the
travelling public that has already gained him
IS a name and fame" extending far be-
yOnd the limits of this city. The Blair
House will contain some sixty rooms,
all of them fitted up comfortably and with
fire place in each. The suites of apart
ments apportioned off for families have
almost every convenience that modern i'm
provements have suggested. When COM
pleted the rooms will be furnished through
out with new and handsome furniture,
and Mr.. Blair, the proprietor, can then
challenge the country to produce the
equals of the Marlborough and Blair Hou-
ses.
yesterday drove over to the Fair
Grounds, taking in my route the Confeder-
ate Cemetery. L had never before visited.
this last named and holy spot, and as ap-
preached it and saw the white tombstones,
like faithful sentinels. rising above the sa-
cred dust they guard, there swept over
me many and bitter memories of the past
but far more terrible and more bitter were
the memories of the present, and when /
afterwards passed men in the city who
once fought by the sides of those dead
men, but who. betraying them in death,
had now joined hands with their own and
their country's enemies, words are made
quate to express the bitter scorn and loath
ing Of my heart. Tell this to yonr judges
Cantweil and Russell, and others of that
tribe, and tell them how utterly mean and
contemplate do all good men hold them,
and how themselves and their names will
stink forever in the nostrils of all decent
men.
The Confederate Cemetery here Is a
beautiful spot and the carefully guarded