The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-12-27
THE STATE CAPITOL,
Facts Abous she Building Now
n. .arlng csmplstlon.
OF IN rERE8T TO MANY.

Bsgun. The War Period.
The Resumption Of
Operation.
The splendid granite edi0ao which 10
tho ofioisl domioile Of tho State Of
South Caroline, after having boon 30
years in building, is at last nearing
oompletion. Dqsignod originally to
ooss Sc, 600 900 and Intended, IS sg,so Of
tho political pasriarohs o9 The 9.sto
aver, to aoryo as the capitol Of tna
southern Confsderscy, IL iB today hui Q,
nemolanoo Of the conception Of John
H. Niernsoe, who designed it. AsiS
GsaE',e, it has onrt tho State OF South
OArolipa $2, b0U, 900. Ii Isiaintimately as.
soo,heed with aany tragic inoldcnss in
ebA Sta.c's hiatoT!, aud hes beooIne al.
ros'S one Of the historic structures Of
sha country.
At tba sepsiop Of tho goneral Assem-
bly, OF 1850, wbilo the Btate ass in sha
tbroeS OF tho first gtsst agitation OF
tho secession question, which endod in
the affirmation Of tho right OF State
to eoocde, the Legislative committee on
tho bsate house reported that tho State
records Hero in danger Of dessruattop
by tlfO, and recommended that Is gro
proof building bo eraosed for thoil
nafo-keoplng. III 0nssqasnoo Of this
report, che appropriation bill shat year
contained q oiausY authorizing tho use
Of tho proceeds Of tho sals Of lola in
the city OF Oolumbia for thiy purposo.
No bill authorizing she erection Of o
now State house vas passed, sithough
it 10 oleRr that il was tho intention Of
tho loSderc at that tiiae to provide FOR
tho erection OF q oreditable public
building. Judge O'Noal gavo tho ctod-
it TO Hon. Bepjamin Hunt Of Loading
tho Legislature imperooptibly into the
echeme Of building now State bouae."'
Tho oornSratono Of o two.etory build.
Ing vas laid Deqcmbor lb, 1861. This
building Waa ereot0d on tho gdusre
1 thca occupied by the old State house,
fronting on Main street, the old build.
Ing thon standing st tho corner Of San
alto and Assembly a!roeta. It Was q
modest structure, intsndoa to serve 90
q wing Of tho projected capitol. It wap
aboue completed as g cost OF $3.50, 600
AID homo OF tho raoordn had beon 70.
moved so il, in the summer OF 1854,
when tho commissioners in ohargo no.
tioad cracks In tho door and wiadoR
archeg. Tnere dofeoss, becoming NJ orc
pronounced, tho commissioners enla
II Ispioyed ~ Ohm RI N ieynseos sthan3raYilibP
ln9s iAal Aa SaJil ainA Af6s siissae
Il So R
inatitute and many 3 oshers lam mons lI|0iiIs !
ings, snd was ono OF tho foramopt arohis
tectD OF his time. Arohies0t NiSrnsao
absolutely condemned &ho ptrnosuro,
and under his advice, il vas raasd to
the ground, only q portion Of the foun.
dations being left, which now remain
under the west wall Of tho preaont
capitol. 1t wsS thon theS Niernuee de-.
kslgned the structure which now stsnds,
the. general asbomsly giving sanction to
IN ipsuo of bonds for the "oontinua-
ton Of the construction Of now Stale
capitol. Tho adjoibing square waD
purchased, aud the building looato
upon ita pregont Bito.
r. LII anticipation OF the approaching
goat conhaot The work was feyerishly
puahed until tho war practically
stopped 1t. A tramway vas oonsirucS.
ed 70 the granito qiarrlas on the raybr,
| AID hundreds OF laborors wero en-.
pioyed quarrying and dressing the
hugo pieces of granite required. Whom
the u0rk OF building WAS. thus ruaoIy
stopped, tho ialented sfohiecot az
'Icbalyed hiS drawing iusturmGAts for
the sword, and did valiant eorvics ia
the arIny Of tho southern Conis detaoy.
| On that momentous dey SO the pso
plo of.this Ssaso, February Is, 1865,
When tho army commanded by Con.
| w. i. Sherman roaohod the hoigass
acrogb the. Oongsroe riyer overlooking
Uolu Abia -at Oasoy Mayor Good 8in
surrendered sho city, ss IL 'was abso.
i adteIy dofonaeless. Notwithstanding
thls defonnoleas condition tho Giyy wsO
aheilod and the rev capitol, With ii,
White WaliD completed 10 she fsejaa
iine, Wan the marx OF every gunpc..
! Ssvernl shsllSeatsr5a tha bara Ainaom
opaninbs, and+hge Hruok tho building,
| but mAao ns.lo impression upon la
ma5slYe Walls.
| TIE ola State hcuas wsD one oil the
| ! 40 buildings destroyed by Gon. Bhor.
mAn .. army, and the granite al the
aoushsast coruer OF tho now oapisol
wss faxed of by the fre which dc.
ntroYed the old building, AT the simo
there vao o largo quaA,ity Of dranssd
msrbie and otner material for the
bulldog Oh the ground. The arohiseot
estimated the value Of that dsssroso cd
By Con. Sherman at 81, 90, 900, besidoa
i th6 mutifaslon Of thv beautful mArbls
In tho plaoo on the front and rear 20,
/ ticoD which IL still apparent. A minc
Wan prepared under tho building &c
completely destroy IL, whom rSpors
reashod the oisy shat wing Of She
erny above Columbia had been OF.
talked by HAmpton's cavalry. Cen
Sharman oYdarsd tho powder removed,
With hessmark that. IL would Bio
usologs uaste tf ammunition, and thaI
no would leave tho people 40 49, poor
thaS they would never complete it, :
hastening his departure erom the oisy,
then In smoking ruiag. 5f
Work continued In b ,dasaltory man
fer until 1890, whom IL was oAairoly
disooatinuad, ;HRsll tho Bossion eStht
general assembly OF 1900, whje' sppro
priatsd e17b, 900 for tko & s.Boy
bsing Hande, undar plaos Of Araait.c
Frank p. Mslbnrn. "A dome was ad0pt
cd In lieu OF tho granite toWsr; origin
hlly intended to eurmount tho gtruo