The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, 1886-12-25
sAVANNAH,GA., Dec'ber %, 1886
REPORT ON TIE PENITENTL
AIRY.

The Joint Committee of the SEN
ate and House of Reprcsen atives
on the Penitentiary beg leave to
submit the following report:
The committee left Atlantis on
the goth day of November for the
purpose of visiting convict camps
Coal City and Rising Fawn iu
Dade county. Your committee
reached Coal City on the morning
Of December |, at Z a. NJ; and be-
gnn imo Q lately the inspection OF
the stock .des. hospitals and other
buildings of the camp, They also
inspected the condition and treat
ment Of the convicts and the con-
dition of the several places where
said cOnvicts are required to labor,
and during their short stay made
the best possible investigation. We
find at this camp 465 convicts, OF
which belong to PenitentIary
Company No. ], and-to Peniten-
tiary Companies Nos. 2 and 3
The cohvicts ut THU camp are EN-
ployed in mining coal and burning
coke. We find vt this camp three
rtocksdes, e.ch having such other
buildings As are necessary. The
main buildings at this camp are
ample in a;Ee. subsi aniiaIIy Quilt,
and snpplied with all the necessary
heating apparatus to insure the
comfort OF the inmates thereof.
The arrangements for sleeping are
As follows: hunk il constructed
OH either aide of The building, on
which are placed Rtraw mattresses
and blankets of sufficient number
TO make the convicts comfortable,
We find great many of these
hunks and blankets to be very
black and dirty, having AN exceed
ingly filthy appearance. No doubt
II said blankets were washed Snd
changed oftener it would in ore
the better health of the inmates.
During each day the convicts are
required to work in the mines dig
ging, loading and shipping coal,
from which they become very
black and dirty, and in many cases
work, in damp place., from which
their clothes become wet and dis.
agreeable, aud in which condition
they are required to sleep at night
without any change of clothing 1t
is in this way that the said bunks
and blankets become in the above
stated filthy condition.
The convlcts are fasteped 10
q main chain NJ night, and space
of three or four feet allowed each
man The clothing furnished is
the striped suit required by law.
The convicts are required to wash
their persons, put on clean clothes
svery Sunday morning, but little
or no attention is paid to cleanli-
ness of body at any other time.
The committee think that if the
bed clothing was served more fire.
quently and the co1victs required
TO change their clio hing at night, n
much more healthy condition of
affairs would prevail at the camp.
The clothing, in the opinion OF the
committee, is of sufficient quantity
and quality to keep the persons of
the convicts warm and comfortable
although a great many of them
complain Of suffering from cold
while going from the mines to
stocksdes.
The committee are of opinion
that the convicts are fed upon
good, Wholesome food, well cooked
and prepared, and dealt to each in
sufficient quantity There 10 but
little comp, amt of insuficieney or
quality of TODD. and in the opinion
Of tho committee, this complaint 10
without reason. We find the water
facilities good, and the supply
abundant for all purpOses.-Con-
tinued next week.