The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1886-02-27

He was sworn in the performance
of his work. He then measured
the wOrk-every brick and tim.
bers used in building blacksmith
shop and warehouse in 1884, and
figures that it should have cost
the State s55OS 50. The lessees
in settlement of December, 1884,
received for this work credit of
Sl2,54S 5S, aud the roof of same,
according to testimony of Super.
intendent MeQuiston, was put
on in summer of 1885. They say a
comparison of contracts will not
only show many articles charged
at exorbitant rates, but also items
charged that are not TO be found
on the building, and then cites one
instance of 1880 against the State.
The lessees received credit of
s3643 for building steps in tower
and putting up tower with so foot
wall, verbal contraet,) when the
expert architect estimates the
State should have paid only
sl705 80.
The lessees received in settle.
ment of December, 1885, for build.
dining.room and sewing room, a
credit of s7,0l7 "A, while the ex.
pert says il should have cost only
S24I4.
The lessees charged the State
for 257 ,575 brick laid in the walls,
whereas there are estimated by
expert to be only about 95,ISl
bricks in the wall and about %, ,S9G
In other portions of SAID buildings.
The heating apparatus for which
credit of 1926 was given was not
put up when the committee made
examination.
For building the northeast tower
aud wall credit of S6333 was
given; the old wall being torn
down was the only work done, the
new one being untouched in con.
struction, which should have cost
the State only 1850. A credit OF
$5539 "a was given for building a
wall on which not q lick Of work
has been done, and tho old wall is
not even torn down, and the com.
mittee recommend that it be not
torn down.
For building a central tower Q
credit of a3643 is given, when Il
I should have been sl705 80. Com
mittee did not have time to com
plete examination Of all improve
ments claimed to have been mad,
nor to examine the repairs bu
from such examination as the,
were able to make they are of tn,
: opinion that such repairs as wer,
made were charged at the sam,
exorbitant rates as were the i'm
, provements, and many repair
| were needlessly made, for in
/. stance, in January, 1884.
/ A credit of $3.50 was given TO
painting a building, and in August
a 1886, same amount was charge,
/. and credited for same painting
/, citing other items so as to make
total Of overcharge of s24,740 %
|. and report that many other item
8 charged as improvements ar
! equally outrageous. For instance
!. s2l10 80 is charged for sewers, al
a of which have not been complet
: cd, and if completed should no
, have cost more than one.third o
that amount.
In reference to the transfe
+ of lease to Gulf and Ship Islam,
, Railroad, they are of the oprn
ion that the road, by comply
ing with the law authorizing trans
, fers, can control the penitentiar.
, and convicts. On examination o
! the transfer they find a stipulation
that said transfer was not to in
terfere with any suitcase of con
victs in existence at the time o
r transfer.
The number of convicts so sub
leased are unknown to the com
i. mittee. The committee are Of th,
, opinion that legislative intent II
, act authorizing the transfer wa
that all of said convict labor with
, out reservation should be trans
ferred and not a part thereof t,
, said railroad company, and trans
fer of a part is eyasive and tn
|, State would not be bound by an,
such transfer.
Committee called on the Gov
ernor and Secretary of State 70
= the 100000 bond required in ac
of transfer to be given by the rail
road company. and it could not b
. produced. They find the railroa,
t. people in full charge of the pen
a tentiary and the convicts therein
and railroad company's Office sign
a placed on the building. Commit
tee were unable to obtain inyentt
7 ry of property of penitentiar
!. taken at expiration of last leas,
h amounting tv s63,OO6 81, which ii