The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-02-17
Anniversary OF tho Burning OF Co
lumblR.


Since the last anniversary of Sher
mans burning OF Columbia, it's progress
has not been SO rapid as in the years i'm
mediately preceding it. The genera
financial stringency has effected it's busi
ncss, and merchants havo found it {
hard struggle to hold their own. Bank
ing has yielded its usual returns, bu
these have been at heavy expense to thu
people, owing to the extremely high and
ruinous rate of interest which they have
to pay for accommodation. No legiti
mate business can prosper and pay the
per centage for money that is exacted
here. One of the principal banks o!
deposit has succumbed to the pressure,
and been compelled to so into bank
ruptcy. Perhaps it might have been
saved this finale but for certain peculiar
circumstances. We trust it may make a
fair showing at last, aud guard its cre-
ditors and depositors from every loss
that can be avoided. Building goes Oh
slowly. The Court House is gradually
rising; the City Hall approaches com
pletion; tho Washington Street Metho-
dist Church is nearly finished. The
United States Post Office building will
be on ornament to the city when COM
pleted. The Central Bank building is
nov occupied by the bank, md it's com.
modious rooms are ready for occupa-
tion. 1t is tho best situation and the
most elegant public building in Colum-
blu.
Among recent Improvements, wo no.
tico the Schillinger pavement laid down
by the Southern Artificial Stone Com
pany. It is becoming quite common,
and gives entire satisfaction. The COM
pany have also just completed al Gle
giant front-facing to the drug store OF
". G. Fisher and the bookstore of w.
j. Dallie, aud are ready to contract for
buildings as we'll as pavemonta and
fronts.
Manufacturing, we are sorry to say, is
u. IL standstill. All the arguments OF
facts and figures mako but small impress
sion. It is the very thing we need to
make our waste places in town and
country blossom as tho rose, and to cre-
ato aud give activity to new depart
mcnts md classes of trade. Why may
We not rival the splendid manufacturing
achievements of Columbus and Augusta,
Ga, having such magnificent water
power at our doors? We are tired of
the continued idleness to which it is
condemned. We trust that those who
have the measure in hand to develop IL
water power Oh tho Western aide of the
river, by means Of dam jast above
Nengle's bridge, will push it forward
rapidly. We wish also to see paper
mills, woolen mills, cotton yarn mills,
in operation on the many fine streams
in tho ncighborhood, on the lines of our
railroads. BY establishing this great
Interest, We eau almost double iIo ,Aiu.
OF the cotton crop, and provide q re-
spectacle and profitable field Of EN-
ployment to many deserving persons.
Upon the whole, wo cannot chronicle
much progress during the last year, cx-
cept in the wrong direction. Sherman
burnt Columbia, and it is hard for it to
rise successfully from the ashes. But
greater than Sherman in atrocity has
come, siezed the State and sent tho
miserable poison of its opinions and
PRACTICES from centre to circumference.
Corruption grows apuco. State indcbt-
edness is piled up mountain high, cx-
travagance runs riot, taxes approach
confiscation OF property. the sense OF re-
sponsibiiity is lost and education end
progress are elfectually stopped. At
last, and it is tho only good thing VIC
signalize. the people who suffer these
evils have resolved TO look into them,
and, if possible, to check them The
convention which is to represent them
meets to-day, and, if it be wise, this
day. known as ono Of disaster and
suffering to the people Of city, may
become the harbinger Of deliverauco to
q whole people, from even moro intolo-
r bla WrOnUa md Outrnppa