The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-12-27
THE STATE CAPITOL.
Facts About she BuiIding Now
N .aflng Gsmplstlon.
OF IN rERE8T TO MANY.

BtSuns ne war T&ftOQs
Tha Resumption Of
Operation.
The splendid granite edi1oo which ia
tho Official domioile Of sho State Of
South Oarolina, after having boon go
yesrs in building, is at last neesing
completion. Designed originally to
ooss 20, 600 900 and intended, 90 sy,na Of
tho politicsl patriarohs og the S.sto
aver, to aesyo as the capitol Of tno
southern ConfsderAoy, 1t is today but g.
psm olanoo Of the conception Of John
Il. Niernsoc, who designed it. Asis
| staDos, is hao oGrt tho State OF South
Oaro!ins $2, 900, 900. Isiaintimately as.
soo'ased With laany lragie inolJcnss in
SbA States historS, and hes beuoiae al
req S one OF the historic atruoSurou Of
sho country.
At tba ppasion Of sha goneraI aasem-
bly, OF 1850, whilo tho Blato asa In sha
tbroea OF tho fIst great ssitation OF
tho secession que.tion, which ohdod in
the sfirmatlon Of tho right Of q State
to soocde, she legislative committee on
tho s.ase house reported that the State
| records Toro in danger OF dessruetiop
by tifo, and recommended that flro
proof building be sgao.ed for thsir
ssfo- -kooping. In conseqaanco Of this
report, the Appropriated bill shat year
contained olausa authorizing tho use
Of tho proceeds Of tho sale Of lots in
the city Of Oolumbia fox thip purpose.
No ball authorizing the oraotion Of 6
now State house was psauod, eithoagh
1t tn olegr that it waa tho intention Of
tho leaders ut that tiLao to provide for
the erection OF oroditable public
building. Judge O'Noal gevo tho cred-
it to Hon. Benjamin Hunt OF loading
tho loSiDlatnre imperooptibly into the
sohomo Of building now State house,
The eornsratono OF o two- o-uaory buiid.
Ing was laid December Is, 1851. This
| building .Haa erected on tho sausre
thcn occupied by tho old Ssato house,
fronting on Main ssrsot, tho old build
ing thon standing st tho oorner Of Sou
ate and Assembly a.roeta. Itwas 8
modcat ssrueture, intsndod to servo an
.. wing Of tho projected capitol. It twap
about completed az g cost Of $3.50, 900
aad aomo Of the rooords had bsan ro.
moved 80 III, in she summer Of 1854,
Wnan tho commissioners in charge no.
tioad cracks In tho door and WindoY
aroheD. Those dofeotg, becoming m ore
pronounced, the commissioners anas
ipioysdS y Ohm sR isFngeo thsn;rosidiBs
s.pgs u Y IsI Aissas
institute and many oshers o2sS i|aifS I:
inga, Snd was ono Of tho foremost ayohiis
tects Of hig time. ArohitsUt Nisrnseo
absolutely condemned sho structure,
and under his advice, il was raasd to
tho ground, only q portion OF the foun+
dations beisg lofs, whioh now remain
under the west wall Of she praaont
capitol. IT waB thon that Niernaee de-.
bSlgned the structure which now stands,
Rthe. general assomaly giving pancsion to
an insue OF bonds for the "o5ntinus-
tion'of the construction Of now Ste.e
capitol. 1na adjoiping square waD
purchased, and the building locate
upon ita pregont sito.
LII anticipation Of tho approaching
gtoat conhlot tic work was foyerish)y
puohsd, until tho war practically
ptopped it. A tramway was oopsiruot.
cd 70 the gcanito qlarrlsB on the rlytr,
ala hundreds Of laborofs wero en-.
pioycd qaarrying and dreaOiag the
hugo pisces Of sraniso required. Whun
Tho work OF building aas thuy sudoly
| stopped, the talented srohitoot OK
cbniiBad his draaing iuSturmIi.ts for
she sword, and did valiant eorvicS Ia
the arny of tho southern Conf<dsraoy.
| On that momentous day SO the mo
pie Of this Ssaso, February 16, 1865,
when tho army oommsndod by Gen.
| W. L. sherman reached the hejgats
hcrogb the Oongsree RIVER oyeriookiag
Uoi1 Abih--at y asey g. May or Good rim
surrendered tho olty, as itSwaa abso.
iahteiy dcfonaelees. Notwithstanding
this dofohsoloGs condition tho Gisy WaD
sholled and the nsW capitol, With itt
white waliD completed TO tho fsejza
nho, WaI tho marx OF f.6very guency,
SaVersl sheilE.s0!srou she baro 8inaow
opanlnts, end hya ysruok tho building,
| Dat maao lisyie lnp1esulon upon iss
MASSIVE walls.
Thc ola State house wsa ono OF tho
| !. 4NO buildings destroyed by Con. Bhsr
Man srmy, aud the granite as the
Rousheass coraor OF tho now capitol
wss faxed off by the fro Which de-
ptroYed the old building. AT she timo
thore war = largo quaA,ity Of droaaad
marble and osher material TOR tho
buildidg ON the ground. Tho architect
Gaslmatod the value Of shat dsssrosod
By Gen. Sherman at 81, 90, 900, besides
l tho mdtirati0n OF tho basutlful mArblo
Ia the plaoo on the front aud rear BOZ .
sioos which is still apparent. a mlno
wan prepared under the building to
completely destroy IL, whom o report
reached tas city shat q wing OF the
army above Columbia had been as.
tacEcd by Hamptons cavalry. Gen,
Sherman ordered tho powder removed,
with tho remark that IL Wouldbo q
useless wante Of hmmupition, aid thas
no would "lsavo tho psoplo 90 ---r-- poor
thas they would never complete it,"
haateniRg his departure from the city,
thsh Ia smoking ruinD.
Work continued ia 3 ,daspltory man
nas until 1880, whom Is was entlroly
discontinued, aRt3l the session OF tho
general assembly Of 1900, vhiet sppro.
priasad e1Yb,000 fer sho oaS ,laou
being Haado, snndsrs splaaa Of Afaali4ci
1 Frank p. Milburn. A ds"}u Weg adopt