The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-03-06

struck by the perfect good order, system
and discipline everywhere discernable.
Even superficial examination of the
amount of work that has been done,
shows the amount of valuable property
that has been here acquired by the State
without expense to the people. The year
preceding Col. Lipscomb's admiDistra'
ton, the institution cost the State the
nice round sum of $4,000. 1t Is now
sustaining, and before the commence
ment of the canal work and the reduc.
tion in the price of leased labor, made
By the State a reduction amounting to
Sl5,OOO), it paid a handsome sum of
money into the State Treasury and
when we compare this record with that
of Radical rule, we stand astonished.
Under such favorable and progressive
self.sustaining management we may soon
look for an end to the lessee system and
the utilization of all convict labor within
the walls of the penitentiary; for it has
been abundantly demonstrated that all
can be efficiently managed there, for
Colonel Lipscomb is a good fnancier
and strict economist, and Captain Sigh,
under whose immediate supervision tho
conyicts are placed, is an indefatigable
worker and rigid disciplinarian, and both
of these gentlemen have evinced the
possession of rare skill in the manage.
ment of most important trust.
The garden inside the walls is one of
the most attractive features of the insti.
tuition. 1t comprises about six acres, and
is neatly laid off in large squares, bound.
ed with barley, and presents beautiful
and attractive appearance. The warm or
forcing beds are about; 800 feet long by
five feet in width, covered with glass, and
well stocked with flowers, lettuce, radish,
pepper, tomatoes and thousands of cab.
bage plants ready for transplanting.
There are also onions in abundance and
fine bed of strawberries, about 800
bushels of sweet potatoes in banks of
earth and straw and in 6ne state OF
preservation.
The stable and lot presents scene
equal to country barn yard. The stalls
of the mules and horses are we'll kept,
and the cow sheds, with separate apart.
ments for each COW, (ten in number),
gives an idea that milk and butter is
plentiful. These fine COWS cost compar-
atively small sums, as they are bought as
beef cattle. The hogs are beauties of
their kind, are some forty or fifty in
number and are fed principally from the
slaughter pens.
The slaughter pen is annexed to the
barn yard, and has all the necessary FIX
lures for butcheripg. The meat or cut.
ting room was we'll supplied with beef
aud pork on the occasion of our visit.
and there was spare.rib, backbone and
sausage in abundance, all of it peniten.
tiary raised.
The convicts, $50 in numbe:, present a
healthy and cheerful appearance. They
are we'll clothed and fed, and the odor
arising from the kitchen was exceeding
ly suggestive to hungry reporter, but
the company was almost too "select" for
US. So we were not offended by the ab-
sence of an invitation to dinner.
The guards number fifty privates, six
corporals, one sergeant and one captain.
They are armed with Smith & Wesson
improved pistols and the Lee repeating
rifle. This latter firearm is regarded by
as high an authority as General Sherman
as the finest weapon that is made, and
shoots sixty.four times in two minutes.
The guard is fine body of young men,
all of good families and wsll trained and
intelligent. Their uniform is neat
| Confederate gray cloth.
In walking through the grounds with
Captain Sigh we inquired as to whether
he experienced much trouble with them.
His reply was:
"Oh. no; they treat me with marked
respect, politeness and consideration, and
govern them more by moral suasion
than rigid discipline"
How about the convicts, Captain?
"They have humane treatment in every
respect. No pains is spared in instruct
ing them relative to their duty and to
prevent instead of detecting them in do.
ing wrong. Insubordination seldom oc.
ours, they yield humbly, if not willingly,
to prison discipline"
Have you many escapes?
"No; only four in nearly two years"
What is the average number of deaths ?
"Six for the fiscal year commencing
November 1st-two from the yard, two
from Jervey's and two from Pringle's."
As regards those under contract?
II hear of,no complaint. Those dis.
charged report good treatment and usual
ly look WE'LL"
What real estate has been purchased
by Colonel Lipscomb for the peniten-
tiary?
"Tbree and three.quarter acres in front
of the penitentiary for 1880. Twelve
and three quarter acres West of the ca
nal known as "Tickleberry," ior $1,000,
for grave yard, and 404 acres near the
canal for $4,250. All of these lands are
sown in oats. There is about fifty acres
between the canal and river that is pre-.
pared for corn CROP"
In reply to q complimentary remark
in regard to the management, Captain
Sligh responded that they had done no
more than their duty, but that they felt
grateful for public appreciation, and that
it was moreover q pleasure to be asso.
ciated in the performance of duty that
was fully discharged and we'll done, as it
most assuredly was by Colonel Lipscomb !;
and judging by our own observations, We
feel that is only well.merited praise to
say that Colonel Lipscomb is faithful
officer, who uses care and strict inquiry
as to the necessity of every expenditure,
and at the same time provides ample
means for carrying on all the work of the
institution. His wise business manage.
ment is evinced by the fact that, notwith-
standing, as previously mentioned, the
wages Of the leased convicts have been
reduced $4,000 per annum, and so much
has to 60 to the canal work, he has man.
aged to make the institution not only
selfsupporting, but has also managed to
acquire outlying lands for the State, to
purchase FIRE engine, and to arm and
equip the guards, and all this out of the
reduced earnings of the institution, and
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