The Anderson Intelligencer

The annual excursion over the Greenville road of stockholders and their families, together with the Agricultural Convention, threw a larger number of strangers in Columbia last week than on any other occasion since the war. The hotels were filled to repletion; and private houses were kindly opened for the accommodation of the immense crowd.

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the city seemed alive, and the merchants and business men were made to rejoice at the prosperity of the up-country. The visitors occupied themselves at sight-seeing among the ruins of the city, and many for the first time beheld the work of vandalism and looked upon the desolation of that terrible night in February, 1865.

The principal points of interest, however, seemed to be the New State House, the Penitentiary and the Lunatic Asylum. Of course, numbers had visited the first and last named heretofore, but few had ever looked upon that model institution kept solely for the benefit of evil-doers. Permits were granted, we believe, to all desirous of visiting the Penitentiary, and the officials in charge treated every person with courtesy and kindness.

The opening of the new Columbia Hotel, a magnificent building on Main street, handsomely furnished and with all the modern appurtenances, was an event of decided interest to citizens and strangers.

That favorite resort known as the Nickerson House, and kept by mine host Wright, had its full quota of guests, and its pleasant attractions were highly extolled by those fortunate to obtain a place within its spacious walls. The other hotels, as we said before, were alike crowded.