The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-12-06
VOLUME XIX.---NO. 2l.

buildings be provided otherwise, it will
be necessary to continue the plan Of hir-
ing portion Of the convicts to contrac.
tors outside of the walls. I have given
this matter much attention, and cannot
too strongly urge upon the members OF
the General Assembly tho Importance of
making such provision as will at an early
day permit the working Of all Of the
convicts under tho immediate supervis.
ion of tho officers Of tho Pcntentinry.
The proper care Of large bodies Of
prisoners requires vigilance, judgment
and experience. am convinced that ii
is to the want Of these qualifications on
the part of contractors. rather than to
deliberate cruelty or willful neglect, that
such evils rs now exist in the system of
leasing convicts in this State are to be
ascribed. To whatever causes these
evils are du,, the results are the same.
The great object Of prison discipline
the reformation Of criminals cannot be
accomplished when convicts arc hired to
contractors who fail, either from igno-
rance or neglect, to perform their duties
both III the spirit and the letter of the
law.
The Penitentiary is not only sclEsus.
tanning, but n source of revenue to the
State. With proper management II can
and will be made so in the future. But
the institution is designed to prevent and
punish crime, not to swell the public
revenue. The increase Of revenue sinks
into insigniicance in comparison with
the abuses which believe will continue
to exist while the convcts are hired to
work beyond the control of the officers
of the I'enitentisry.
The Report OF tho Board Of Dirccto.s IL
will furnish in detail statements of the
management Of the institution during
the last fiscal year. The earnings during
that time were less than the amount re-.
ported for the preceding fiscal year.
This decrease is due chiefly to the fact
that near the close of tho last year the
Board Of Directors reduced the hire Of
hands OH the phosphate works $50 per
capita per annum, the estimated decrease
from ndn this cause being from $4,000 to
$4,000 year. The balance of the earn
ings on hand October 81. 1883, in cash
} and bankabls notes was $l2, ,499.3l.
J The "Act to provide for the more
speedy development Of tho Columbia
Canal" approved December 90, 1882,
required the Directors to put the hands
at work on the Canal under the direction
and control Of some suitable and discreet
} manager.
In accordance with this provision of
said Act the Board Of Directors on the
J 7th of March last selected the Supcrin.
tcndcnt Of the Pcnitcntary rs such man
ager.
} In the discharge Of tho additional
duties thus imposed upon him the Super.
intendent has displayed the zeal, energy
and discretion which have marked Ills
administration Of the affairs of the Peni-
tcntiary.
The report of the Engineer will show
tho large amount of work which has
been done upon the Canal and the salts
factory progress which has been made.
The original estimate of the Engineer
was that it would require the labor of
: 225 able bodied hands for three years
and an expenditure of $4,000 to COM
pleto the work. He reports that the
correctness of this estimate is confirmed
by his calculation based upon the work
already done. TO continue the work
, during the present year according to the
plan already pursued will require an ap-
preparation of $l7,050.
The Engineer and the Manager Of tho
Canal Recommend an additional aparo-
pliation OF about $4,000 For the pur.
chase OF steam excavator, which will
DO the work of 100 hands and will COM
piete the Canal one year sooner than
can be done without it. This RECON-.
; mendation, which is approved by the
Directors Of tho Penitentiary, is well
worthy of your consideration
The report Of the Engineer gives full
details of the cost of the excavator and
OF the expense of working it..
DEPARTMEHT OF AGRICULTURE.
The report of the Commissioner of
J Agriculture embodies those of tho
Chemist of the Department, of the
Special Assistant in the Phosphate De.
} partmcnt and Of the Superintendent of
Fisheries
The Commissioner has collected and
paid into the State Treasury for the last
} fiscal year $25, ,09l 80, paid by the manu-.
!. facturers of and dealers in commercial
manures.
In April last the Board of Agriculture
purchased for fifteen thousand dollars
the building in Columbia known as the
Parker Block. The titles to the proper.
ty were made to the State. The upper
floors are devoted TO the use Of chemi-
cal laboratory, which is now being fitted
up under the direction of the Chemist.
The other portions Of tho building will
be used for tho displaying of the miner
al, agricultural and other products OF the
State. the exhibition of improved agri
cultural machinery, and for the various
purposes of the Department. The pur-
chase of this building has enabled the
Board to carry into effect plan which
has long been in View-the appointment
Of chemist to the Department of Az.
riculture. The Chemist was elected In
! April last and entered at once upon his
duties. In addition to the chemical work
} which he will have to perform, the Chem.
ist will be required to do such geoIogi.
cal, neurological and other scientific
work, either in the laboratory or the field,
} as may be required of him by the Do.
parlment Of Agriculture.
The royalty on phosphate rock mined
during !he last year amounts to $13l,-
l57.4l; OF this amount $l25,793.41 has
been paid into the State Treasury, leav-
ing balance due to the State of IS. 1854.
The reports of the Commissioner and the
Special Assistant treat fully of the min.
} ing operations during the last year.
The report of the Superintendent of
Fisheries shows the number of fish dis.
tributed during the year in the ponds
and rivers III the State. He has succeed.
ed in having tish.ways constructed over
the factory dams in the Savannah River
Mt Augusta, and the Saluda River near
Columbia, and he reports that these
.. openings will permit the passage of mi
gEatory fish to their natural spawning
grounds and enable the Department to