The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-26
FROM THE SOUTH.
Letter from n wheeling Man So
ionrning ut Columbia, south
Carolina.

readers would be interested in q few lines
from this famous place-the capital OF
South Carolina-the centre Of old time
treason and secession-the hot bed Of
John c. Calhounism before the war.
The place, the people and tho times
have changed. And yet not enough to
remove all traces Of the old regime. But
passing events are telling on even these,
and the traces that We still sec are bound
to grow fainter and fainter. Tho litera-
ulre and civilization OF the upper coun-
try arc bound to occupy the land here at
no distant day.
have been here about four weeks and
nv health is much improved. am able
TO walk out every day from three to four
miles, and my breathing machine is great
" improved. The climate is really de-
Iiphtful. Columbia is charming south
ern city, and presents many attractions to
the Northern traveller, DO he sick or vel,
1t is situated on plain and regularly
laid out, with wide streets, which arc we'll
shaded, and has beautiful gardens. II
borders on the east bank OF the Congarec
river, Immediately below the confluence
Of the Saluda and Broad rivers, and is
l24miles N. n. w. Of Charleston and 500
miles from Washington City. Nothing
can be more delightful than its walks and
drives in the neighborhood. The Capitol
building when complete will be one Of the
handsomest structures in the United
States. It's cost up to the close OF the war
had reached three millions and since then
the floors have been put in and the roof
put on. II is built on the plan OF the
National Capitol at Washington.
The city ii about finished unless they
can start some manufactures whercwith
to employ their SURPLUS labor of which
there Is plenty. The city has good man.
utacturing facilities. There is n canal
water power, now useless, that would run
hundreds Of thousands Of cotton spindCs,
This canal is several miles in length and
is owned by the Spragues OF Rhode Island
The State sold tito them for the small
sum Of two hundred thousand dollars,
and vet it stands unemployed and useless
to the community.
The city is well supplied with churches,
there being Presbyterian, Methodist,
Episcopal, Baptist and Catholic, church
ca. NJ experience leads me to say that
those who run these churches do not pay
tina. attention to strangers in seating
them, that strangers meet with in your
good old smoky city. The colored sexton
Is prone from the force of habit to show
YOU to back seat.
In social way the population is di-
vided into two classes, the men and the
women. The former are kind and COM
panionable, while tho latter stand on
their Southern dignity. You know that
it was long ago said that the Southern
preachers and women, and other nom
combatants, protracted the war. The
preachers dwhooped" up the women, md
Inc women "whooped" up the "boys in
gray" and they "whooped" up the fight.
The women may be classed as the "irrec'
oncilables" in the South, II there is such
class. For some reason they have
never yet secured the rights that were
coming to them.
The two most prominent institutions
are the Legislature and the Penitentiary
Some people suppose they are convcrti-
Ule lHbtltutlOlsI hhu tlub ~ - about go
much Of reproach 70 belong to one as
10 the other. The latter has $50 inmates
and the way things are going on in this
State the accommodations will have Ia
be enlarged before long. In regard to
the Legislature, may send YOU an ac'
count Of it at another time, If you care
to receive one.
For persons afflicted with pulmonary
or asthmatic ailments l am persuaded
that this is good climate. The location
is high $3.50 fect above tide water), thu
air Is dry, and the aroma Of the pine.y
woods by which the city is surrounded i
medicinal for persons thus afflicted
Some Of those who have stayed here five
or six months have been much benc'
fted.
There aresix companies Of Uncle Sans
bows in blue here, and from all | can see
and learn 1t would DO unhealthy for
both whites and blacks il they were re-
moved. Their presence represents tho
idea Of law and order, and also keeps
constantly before the remembrance Of the
old time population that the Southern
ConicdCracy is no longer government IL
their midst. This is salutary reminder
Some Of the Southern people seem to for
get this fact every now and then.
A great change has occurred in tho
condition OF the blacks. lsee but little
intoxication among them, and they are
for the most part, kind and polite. Be
fore the war they could own no real
estate, but now there are about 800 oil
them here who own their little homes.
Its still disputed question rs to who
burned this city on the 10th Of February
1865. But ali agree on one point, that
the city was cilectually burned by some
body, friend or foe. About 200 build,
ings were destroyed, extending over SAC
acres Of ground. That fire was part oil
the price that this people paid for seces
sion and rebellion. 4 large portion o.
the city is rebuilt with fine buildings
To that extent their calamity has been q
blessing in disguise.
! enclose you daily record that shows
the state Of the thermometer, by which
you can judge TO some extent OF ouI
climate. You will notice that it ranges
from ~ to 10 degrees mornings and
afternoons. For instance, it will be iC
in the morning and IS in the afternoon
and then again 60 in the morning and 70
in the afternoon. This will, ut times, b.
tho difference between A. N, and . r. n
On January 2nd tho thermometer stood O.
in tho morning and 72 in the afternoon
On the 10th it stood as low as 40 in the
morning and as high US go in the after
noon.
They burn wood here very largely, ant
am put in mind Of old friend Bruc,
when l see the little OK carts on which il
/, brought to market. They haul q LOAD
that good stout Irishman would picI
up and walk of with on his shoulder. A
little OK is harncsSCd in little old cart
and it looks to mo like the old regime
moving along. And yet presume tina
agood many Of these people would turl
up their noses at the idea OF a change.
Il hear that Capt. Mcclure and wife
MF. 0. c, Dewey and wife, and some 9th
cFS, are coming this way to spend tho re
m9inder Of the winter. They will b
welcomed by the inhabitants both, 10
their society and their ducats. l hop