The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-12-27
THE STATE CAPITOL,
Facts Abaus the Build'ng Now
N.arlng csmplstIon.
OF lM TERE8T TO MANY.
Whan and New tho Work Vas
negun. The War Period.
The Resumption Of

BfGun. Tha War Period
The Resumption 4 Of
OpaYaslon.
ThN splendid granite edilco which 10
tho oiioial domioilo Of sho State Of
Soutf Chrolins, after having boon 90
ychrt in building, is at laat neesing
cempletion. Designed originally to
ooss 50, 900 900 aod intended, 90 sy,no Of
tho political patriarohs os tho 9sste
aver, to aeryo as tho capitol Of tno
southern Confsdersoy. it is today bus .
nsmolanoo Of the conception Of John
H. Niernsoe, who designed it. AsiS
hssuoa, is hae oost sha State OF South
Uasoliaa $2, 600, 600. Ii Is intimately as.
boosasad with faaiy tragic inoljcnss in
tho Btsto'n hiat0rS, aud has beoo,ne al.
re&dy ono Of the historic ntruoSuros Of
sho country.
At tba nppsion Of tho general ausem-
bly, OF 1850, whila the glats s,es in shn
tbroea OF tho first gfsSt agitation Of
tho secession quetti tion, whioh ondod in
the ffirmation Of tho right Of o State
TO eoocde, the Legislative committee on
tho bate hoQsc reported that tho State
records wsro in dsngpr OF destruction
by tEo, snd recommended that d lre
proof building bo <rso.ad for thpir
safe. keeping. LIN conss qasnop u this
report, she appropriation Diil that yoar
contained olauso authorizing the uao
OF th0 proceeds OF the sale Of lois in
the oity Of Columbia for this purpose.
No bill authorizing the erection Of 8
now Stase house was passed, although
it 10 olsar That it was the intention Of
tho leaders at that ti,aa 70 provide for
the orootion Of a oreditsbls public
building. Judge O'Naal gavo tho cred-
it to Hon. Benjamin Hunt Of loading
tho Legislature imporoop,ibly into the
ncheme Of building new State bouae."
The oornsratono Of q two story bui.d.
ing weg isid Dscyubor is, 1851. This
building WAa erected ON tho square
thoa occupied by tho old Ssata house,
fronting on Main street, tho old build
ing then standing attho oorner OF Sol-
ate and Assembly streets. 1t was o
modest structure, intsndea to servo as
| a wing Of tho projected capitol. It wsp
about completed az G cost Of $3.50, 600
and aomo of tho rsoordg had besn re.
moved 50 is,in chs summer OF 1854,
Whtn tho commissioners in ohaYge no.
tiood orsokD in tho door and wiadogl
sroheg. Those d6fec,s, becoming moro
pronounced, tho oonmisaion6rg slas
ployed ] Ohm u, u N isgnRs ., thSn5tasilipg
lsln lti ha0y ooisalll 81 b u HIS
inatitute and many oshsri Yam ous sil0iiiV;1
ings. sndA ono Of tho forsmobt arohiss
tsc!u Of hib lime. ArohissSt Niornaso
absolutely condemned she structure,
and under his adviue, ii Was raasd to
tho ground, only portion Of the forln-
dations being left, which now remein
! under tho west wall Of khe proaont
capitol. IT waS thon that Niernaeo de-
ksigned Che structure which now stsnde,
the general asaomsly giving sanction to
IN insuo of bonds for the "oontinua-
ton Of the construction Of q now Sts.e
capitol. Tao adjoining square waa
purchased, and the building loosto
upon ita preRoht site.
1n anticipation OF tho approaching
great conhiot tho work was foveriehly
puBhed until tho war practically
ntopped it, A tramWay was consSruot-
cd 70 tho granito qiarriss on the rlvtr,
AID hundreds of laborofs wero en-
pioycd qaarrying and dressing the
hugo p'eceH OF granite required. When
the ,work OF building Mas thus rudely
stopped, tho talented arohi.cot OK
iobalyed hiO draaing iusturmlats for
tho saoYa, and did valiant eo1yics ia
the army Of tho sout horn Comic dtrsoy.
On that momentouS day so tho nso
plo Of this Ssaso, February IL, 1865,
when tho army commanded by Con.
| w. i. Sherman reached the hsigata
across the. Oongareo river overlooking
| OoluAbia--at OAsoy s. Mayor Good min
surrendered tho CITY, 90 il waa abso.
l4hteiy dofonaeless. Notwlthstsndins
thls defonsoloss condition tho Gity wan
sholled and the new capitol, With iti
white walip completed TO tho fseizo
Eho, Waa Tho marx OF every guRRc..
Several shvtlsG6sat5a kho baro Siindow
openlnts, nd5fiya ysraok tho bualdlnH,
but made Assie improaHl0n upon lis
massive walls,
Tho old 5tato hoaaa wsa ons OF tho
]. 40 buildings deAoroyed By Con, Bhar.
nan l y army, and inc granite at The
aou' heass coruor Of tho now oapisol
aas laked of by the fro which do.
SisoYed tho old building. AT siie timo
thoro waD o largo quaA,ityof araasad
marble and Sother material for the
bulldog on the ground. The architect
estimated sho value Of that destroyed