The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-12-03

total income for the year. The disburse.
ments 10 October 81 were SCI ,G31.t5. To
this sum should be added $1,000 due in
bank, which will be paid from the
amounts to be collected from The con.
tractors, making the disbursements for
the year s72,631 .55. Nearly all of the
difference between the receipts and the
disbursements, S3,S1S.25, is now cue for
Indebtedness incurred in the purchase of
blankets and clothing for the prisoners
and of material necessary for the compile
ton Of the north wing of the prison. lu
the disbursements are included the
amounts expended OH the Canal and in
the enlargement of the main building of
the Penitentiary, as we'll as in other
permanent improvements within the
prison yard.
There are now but two contracts for
labor without the walls of the Peniten-
tiary. One of these contracts, upon
which re convicts are employed, will
expire December 81, 1885, and the other,
upon which 100 convicts are employed,
will expire June 30, 1856. There are
two contracts for labor within the walls
one employing 70 and the other 80
convicts. Unless other contracts can be
made, the whole number Of cotvicts
from whose labor revenue will be derived
after January /, 1886, will be $50. With
no other contracts in force, it will, ia the
opinion of the superintendent, require
100000 to maintain the prison TO-: the
present fiscal year. The work on the
North wing of the main building has
been pressed vigorously, and it will be
completed in about three months. There
will then be 500 cells for the acconmo-
dation Of prisoners. This will greatly
increase the facilities for the con6ne-
ment of prisoners, but the supply will be
unequal to the demands of the present,
and probably much below those of the
future. The surgeon of the Penitentiary
has repeatedly urged upon the attention
of the board of directors the importance
Of con6ning but one prisoner in cell.
While it is often necessary to assign two,
and sometimes three prisoners to one
cell, the board of directors recognize the
fact that this crowding of convicts in
violation of we'll -establi-hed sanitary laws
is most prejudicial to the health of the
prison. The death rate during the last
year has been greater than during any
previous year of the incumbency of the
present superintendent-a result which
is due in large measure to the crowded
condition of the Penitentiary, and to
The want of sufficient hospital accomnlo-
dations. The report of the State Board
of Health sets forth forcibly and clearly
the evils produced by these causes, and
makes important suggestions for the i'm.
provement of the sanitary condition Of
the institution. AS soon as possible Lhe
construction of another wing of the
prison should be begun. During the
last year the quarry has been extended,
and is now available for furnishing stone
to oe used in erecting additional build.
ings. From thirty to Fifty hands have
been employed on the farm, and hands
have been furnished as required for work
on the State. House.
The financial embarrassments of the
prison have been unusually great during
the last fiscal year. This has been due,
in part, to losses sustained by the explo-
sion of boiler in March last. The cost
Of repairs rendered necessary by this
explosion was about $1,000, and the loss
incurred in wages of the hands hired 10
contractors within the walls, while await
ing the repairs, was about the SAME
amount, making the total loss from this
source about $4,000. The diminished
Income Of the Penitenliary has been due
chiefly TO the fact that the board Of di-
rectors have not been able to make con'
tracts as heretofore for the hire of coil,
yicts. The amendment to the law gov
erning the hiring Of conyicts, passed at
the last session of the General Assembly,
which was intended to correct, as far as
possible, the abuses Of the lease system,
has had the effect designed, but it has
greatly reduced the income of the prison.
In some instances the board Of directors
have been compelled to refuse to lease
convicts because of the report of the
surgeon that the work was not safe aud
healthy; and in others, persons desiring
to employ hands have declined to comply
with the provisions of the Act. The
experience Of the last year gives no
reason to hope that under existing LAWS
it will be possible to hire out such g
number Of convicts as will make the
institution seif.sustaining. believe that
the revenues Of the prison Would be
considerably increased if the laws gov
erning the hiring OF convicts we're further
amended so as to permit the board OF
directors to take contracts for the per-
formance OF specific work, the work to DO
done entirely .under the control and
direction of the officers of the Peniten
tiary. If this authority were granted
many contracts, large and small, could
be secured on terms which would prove
remunerative, and with results more sat.
isfactory as to the care and supervision
Of the convicts than can be attained
when they are hired to contractors. If
This recommendation should meet the
approval of the General Assembly I
would further recommend that the sum
Of $25, 900 be appropriated to be used
SIS may be necessary for the support OF
the institution, the amount so used to be
returned to the State treasury from the
let earnings of the Penitentiary. Such
appropriation would provide for any
contingency by which the cash receipts
may at any time fall below the demands
of the prison. During the last year, in
consequence Of the failure OF some of
the contractors to paY promptly the
amounts due for the hire of convicts, ii
became necessary for the board of direc.
tors 10 negotiate loan Of $4,000. This
amount will be repaid when all the col
lections for tue last fiscal year are made,
but with the loss Of the interest charged
on the note. With continuance Of the
care and economy heretofore pract;ced
in the management of the prison, any
portion of the $4,000 which may be
used will be returned to the State treasu-
ry before the close of the fiscal year, but
the appropriation of the sum as recon-
mended will prevent the possibility of
recurrence of such embarrassment as may
reuder it necessary to effect loans for the
temporary maintenance of the prison.
would further suggest for the consid-
eration of the General Assembly the
expedioncy of purchasing land to be
cultivated BY the couvicts for agricultural
purposes The experiment. of working Il
few of the convicts on a small farm now
belonging to the State has been so Sue
cessful as to induce the beliof that the