The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-12-25

The ,ll State house was one uf lib
1,400 buildings destroyed by G"n She
mans army, aj,d The S'nnitc ~ th
southeast cVrher a the "cw cnpiL'
was faxed off Shy the ii e which de-
stroyed the old buisdiAS. AT The tin
there was II lyuSc qna"tuy of drcs q
marble and other material Tor tn
building OH 'hH GROUND II" "'ch'' e'
es'lna.'t 1, ,tn s,i" ~ o.a' "'s'r"ye
oy zen. oh'r'hau u S'o'"", "'S'nS
the ,hu'i'a''nh on 'h' ''c'" &" i ma! u
III plcc Oh 'le ON i,"'' re'" i'"'t'eo
Which Is Sui 'nhfT'" ~ a. ~ w"
prepared ur''r INC ." c"n'
wS.I'! I" "r'J ! "h POI i'"c'
.eI nc c"3 tn' Z" W =" -" am
80 We '. ,'''''''" n"u pro'' "'.'he" =
""''. "hs 90" n' "n", ma
'"fco - t""''e, III ''"' WIN 'n
cha lnat u ''''l "T ma 7" VAS
o' "'n'"uh'''"h' ana "l u" ""ui'
~ AVG III '"l'' y" T." .h'
.hey "ou'u never u'""p''!ie ~ h"'l'i'
ing MS departure from 'ho c''', th"'' IL
e"loNi''S ru'"s'
Work continued III dcsultory man
ner until 1890, when il was entirely
discontinued, until the session of the
General Assembly by 1900, which ap-
propriated $l75,OOO for the additions
now being made, under plans of Archi-
tect Frank z. Milburn. "A dome was
adopted in lieu Of the granite tower
originally intended 10 surmount the
structure.
The granite work upon the old build
ing is pronounced by experts to be
without exception the finest in the
United States, not excepting the splen.
did buildings of the national govern
ment at Washington. The massive
square pillars in the lower corridor are
hewn from single block of granite,
and are finished in the best manner
known TO stone cutters. 1t was in-
tended that the entablature of the
front pediment should be cut from a
single stoue, which was actually quar-.
ried and on the ground at the close of
the war, but was never dressed, and
during the reconstruction period the
Legislature donated a portion of it for
monument to negro politician, when
it was cut in two. This is said to have
been the largest piece of granite at
that time ever quarried in the United
States. During the disgraceful period
which followed the war, when the peo-
pie of the North were endeavoring to
secure the political rights OF the negro
by overriding those of the intelligent
and property owning people of this
State, all material on the ground small |
enough 10 be moved was - appropria-
Led," with all other property of the |
State, by the scalawags and thieves |
Then in control of the government.
One hundred thousand dollars was ex.
pended in " furnishing" the State
house with desks, etc., that would
have been exhorbitant at one-quarter
Of the prices charged, aud included
such items as silver plated water
pitcher for the Governors office at
81 800, cuspidors at $18 each, and
other articles in proportion. A Amajori-
y of the members Of the House of
representatives could not write their
lames, while a majority of the men,
>ers of the Senate were in the habit of
settling their personal accounts by Or
lers upon the contingent fund of the
senate. Included in necessary sup
'lies " for the General Assembly were
enormous quantities of champagne
'nd whlskey, which was freely dis
'ensed In the little room on the right
IS you enter the gallery of the Senate.