Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-09-03
A GEORGIA PRISON CAMP.
A PECULIAR INSTITUTION IN SOME OF
THE SOUTHERN STATES.
TUEpRISONFR LOOKED UPON FROM
A FINANCIAL. POINT OF
VIEW ONLY.

A FINANCIAL POINT OF
VIEW ONLY.
Few people have an idea OF the
real nature of the Georgia prsion
camps where several hundred pris-
oners were recently in a state OF
mutiny for alleged mistreatment.-
The following description from the
pen of a gentleman who has visited
them. and who has made study
OF the prison system of this coun'
trv. will be of interest: On the
northwest corner of Georgia lies
the county of Dade. This is known
to the nelghbOring regions as the
free State OF Dade, owing not only
to the wild and mountainous charac-
ter OF the region, whose few ana
scattered inhabitants are IN keep
ing with their surroundings, but
because during the war of the re-
bellion they openly seeded from
the State of Georgia and the Con
federacy, and managed to secure a
freedom which they virtually main
tain today. Through this county
extends the southern prolOngation
of the Allegheny coal fields, tue
workable beds of which are near
the summit of the high and al
most inaccessible mountains. In
this wild region are situated the
camps where the convlcts are EN-
ployed in mining and cOking the
coal.
These prison camps are peculiar
| in themselves, there being nothing
/ like them in civilized countries, ex-
cepting Siberia, save in one or two
of the neighbOring States. They
are the worst form OF the Southern
prison system, which is undoubted-
/ lv the most inhuman and barbarous
/ in America. This system is re-
suit of impOverishment of the
/ Southern States and the inability
of the newly freed and degraded
negroes to accustom themselves to
the blessings of freedom; is dis
/ tinguished from the other three
systems of the United States chiefly
in this, that the entire personal
control of the prisoner is relln-
quished to the contractor, who, IN
consideration OF so much a year for
the entire convict body, takes
them, feeds, clothes, guards and
maintains them, and IN return
makes all he can make out OF chem.
The only real responsibility to the
State is to pay the amout annually
agreed upon. In no other prison
system in the United States is the
States control over the food, cloth
ing. nSeSlcal attention, and dicip-
line of the prisoner so completely
relinquished. No prisoner is ever
turned over for a days labor to the
contractor except with the sanction
of the States immediate agents,
who at all times have his bOdidly
care in their hands. Such is the
theory of the Southern lease sys-
TEN of convict labor. 1t is readily
seen that the margin for abuse is
enormous but what are the facts 7
Without exaggeratiOn, these abuses
are the most outrag geOus that ever
blackened a peoples history. The
lessees, usually men of great infiu'
ence IN political life, have within
their hands, with no real response
bility, the entire control of the life
and death of any wretch whatever
who may be confded to their keep
ing.
The prisoner is looked upon and
treated merely as a source of money
making, and he is worked to hi'
utmost, upon the cheapest and mos'
unsanitary food, scantily and i'm
properly clothed and housed, chain
ed fifty in a gang, in the most
unhygienlc manner, mentally ant
3 physically, that can be imagined
The death rate seldom is less thar
ten per cent. of the population, ant
II often exceeds twenty. The death
! are usually from chronic dysentery
J the result of improper sanitation
typhoid fever, the result of i'm
, proper sanitation; consumption
and other pulmonary complaints
the result of improper raimenl
shelter and ventilation.
The Dade County mines pract
cally consist of three prison camp'
two upon the mountain top, a
Castle Rock and Cole City respe'
lively, and one in the valley. Thes
camps consist of a huge stOckad
p" of logs stood side by side around
" square, in which are numerou
log houses wherein the prisoner
sleep. Stationed around the clea
ing are little boxes, in each
which stands a brutal guard wit
, heavily loaded shotgun, who tt
often murders some vile wretC
while seeking the freedom of IL
woods so temptingly near him.
,. The convicts are mostly ign
rant negroes and low whites. Up(
their entrance to the camp each oil
:" is given a striped suit and a shack
is riveted around his ankle. A
tached to this is trance chain,