The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-05-28
COLUMBIA LETTER.
Notes from the State Capital-Pro
gress of Improvement Current
Topics-Ofices and Officers.


Topics-0fices and Officers.
COLUMBIA, S. c.,
May 22d, 1873.
This city at the present time /
wearing it's most beautiful dress; tn
streets arc arched. and nearly all tn
residences hidden from view by tn
luxuriant growing shade trees
amongst the leaves and branches o
which the birds make merry witt
their songs, in keeping with the mirtI
of throngs Of happy children whf
daily pass beneath them on their way
to tho picnic groves; the numerous
fower-ga,dens have hoisted thell
many colored petals in honor OF tht
victory of Simmer, which send fortf
their perfume into every nook ane
corner, while in the business part O
the city the windows of the stores
dispute in splendor with the rays o
the morning sun and the evening
rainbow. Observation-Disclosures
circumstances, heavy taxes and th'
like, calculated to discourage and no
to add to the prosperity Of this place
it may be justly ranked among th'
most enterprising in the South, with
much to brighten the field in the neal
future, in the way of manufactures
and other enterprises of which moro
will be said further on in this letter
Situated almost in the centre of the
State, with means Of communication
with nearly every part of it, rapidly
being enlarged, it is not surprising al
all that South Carolinians take a par
tieular pride in the prosperity of the
city; and. from their appearance here
from all quarters, every day bringing
its number of strange faces, it can be
seen that they note carefully the pro
gress made; nor is this all; for those
who heretofore have sought climes
further South for benefits of health,
year after year, now halt in their
journey and find pleasant retreat.
either here or in the counties above
where they can obtain larger scope
of mountain scenery, and larger
draughts Of the pure mountain air.
Having said but this, of the much
that can be said Of Columb bia, and the
adjacent counties; we will now take Il
look at some of the enterprises with
in her bounds.
BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS.
Ono of the most substantial evi-
dences of prosperity is the number of
b uildings: that have been erected
within a year, and are now being
built. Many of these are of the
most permanent kind Last year, ]
am told, by one who has every op-
portunity of knowing, the average
number ofnew dwellings was more
than one day; basidcs these. q large
of stores and other structures
have arisen from the ashes, as it we're.
Yet. with them all, rents are high
and the demand is greater than the
supply. Among the most notewor-
thy Of the new. structures are, the
Central National Bank building on
the corner Of Richardson and Plain
streets, Wcarn & Hix Art Gallery
farther south on the first. named
street; Parker's Block on the same
street near the Court House; the
new Methodist Church. corner Of
Washington and Marion streets, M:
B. Berry's furniture ware rooms near
the Wheeler House; and others OF
two and three stories, brick, too nu-
merous to even call attention to AT
this time. The Bank building is Il
magnificent structure, made after the
latest style, even to the famous Man
sard roof which the Club" Of the
universe has had such, q wholesome
dread of since the great Boston fire
last November john b. Palmer,
Esq is the president of this Bank,
which is now located in Irwin's Block
opposite the Columbia hotel, "a build
ing erected three years ago, and be-
sides being used for stores and the
Bank, it is the only place where the
sbowmen could find room until re-
Gently and which is not adopted to
the wants of the increasing business
of the Central National. Wearn &
Hix, the artists whose reputation
reach nearly as far as the art Of pho.
Biography is known, have block in
keeping with their profession IA
vorite resort for connoissieurs in art.
1t was built for the prettiest building
in the city, and yet has to be rivaled.
The front and ornamental work is Of
galvanized iron, made to last forever.
Whatever may have been the egg
laie by the late State treasurer, in its
incipiency, the credit is due him Of
having hatched an enterprise in the
shape of the most substantial and
imposing block in the city. The
Board Of Insurance Underwriters
testify to this much. The building is
four stories, about two hundred and
fifty feet deep, and contains halls for
theatricals, above and below; the
offices of some of the county officials,
and the Internal Revenue, &c., &C.
a gaudily colored vaue above cupo-
Ia tells the people which way the
wind blows. In the rear Of the
main building and fronting on Ger.
vais street is another spacious. hall
devoted at present to the use of col,
ored gatherings; and, in rear of this
o block of thirty-two brick tene.
ments, said to be designed for tenn.
porary homes of the law makers dur