The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-02-03
CONVICT FARMS ON SHARES.
The Plan Adopted by the Penifentiary
Directors---Details of tho Leases Recent.
ly Made.
(F1om the News and Courisr.)

Directors--.DetaiIs of the Leases Recent.
ly Made.
(Ffom the Netcs and Courier.)
CoLUBMIA January 27.-It will DO
remembered that the terms upon
which the board of directors of the |
penitcntiary, at their meetings held in
the early part of this month, leased
three plantations for convict residence
labor were not made public because
the contract had not been committed
to writing. Much interest hns been
exhibited in the matter, and it seemed
desirable that the public should be in
formed of the details of the contracts.
Inquiry was made this morning at the
Office of the Clerk of Court for this
county, and it was foumd that the
Secgers and Sims contracts had been
signed and were in the Clerks hands
awaiting record.
The lease Of the Seegers plantation
contains the following provisions:
John &. Seegcrs leases to the board Of
directors of the ~penitcntiary for a
term of five years from January /,
1886, his "Big Lake" plantation, locat-
cd in Richland county, some miles
below Columbia. He ngLces to fur
nish all the farm utensils, implements
md machinery required by the dircc-
tors, and to furnish also such mules
us may be required by the directors
for farm work and Il horse for the use
of the manager ofthe farm. He furth-
CT agrees to furnish all the lumber
necessary for the maintenance aud re-
pair of the convict stockadc and such
land as may be required for vegetable
gardens. He agrees to pay zach year
during the term of the agreement and
lease One-half Of amounts which shall
be required for the purchase of COM
mercinl fertilizers and cotton bngging
and ties.
The directors agree to occupy and
use the farms solely for the employ
mcnt of convicts, the convicts to be
managed by officers and guards of the
pcnitentiary. They agree to furnish,
such a number of convicts as NAV be-
necessary for the proper cultivation OF
the farm, and to maintain these con-
victs and their guards at the expense
OF the penitcntiary. They agree TO
properly care for the mules and horses
furnished, the said animals to be main-
tanned and fed Mr.. SeegerS. Thcv
agree to pay onc-half the mount re-
quircd for the purchase Of commercial
fertilizers and cotton bagging and ties;
to return to Mr.. Secger>, hen the
crops shall be gathered, the seed corn
aud other seed brains and cotton seed
furnished by him for planting such
crops. The cotton seed raised on the
farm 10 be used as q fertilizer; and nj
the expiration of the lease, after the
deduction of the amount of seed adj
vanced by Mr.. Secgers, the remainder
is to be equally divided between the
two parties to the agreement. The
hoard oTrnns IN "a, Mr. SrN,fI.c 90
rent ofthe farm onc-lalf Of the net
proceeds Of sales Of crops made on the
farm.
This arrangement and lease is signed
Dv John G.. Sccgcrs and II. j. Lips
comb, superintendent of the pcniten-
tiary.
The lease of the plantation Of j. c.
r. Sims, about ten miles below the
city, is couched in the same terms.
This plantation has l,400 acres. OF
course the maintenance Of such a large
force Of convicts without return until
the crops are made will be expensive ;
but If this arrangement were not eff
fecied the prisoners would have to be
supported in idleness at the peniten-
tiary. So that there is 10 risk on the
part of the State, but a certainly, one
would judge, of making the convicts
by harvest time pay for their sup
port during the year and yield a mr.
plus, more or less large.
About one hundred convicts are al
ready on the leased Seegers, Sims and
Aughtry farms, and others will be
sent out next Monday. They have
completed, except Oh the Seegers
place, the building Of comfortable log
houses and stockades and are now
ditching fields, clearing fallow lands,
&c.