Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-13
THE COTTON KING.
How {. NJ. Neil. OF Pine Rlun, Ark
Manages Convict Labor.

u
Manages Convict Labor.
From TIE Ne,o Orleans STATES.
While riding on the Mississippi Vale
route en- route for Baton Rouge, a feV
days ago, staff correspondent OF tn
States was the only passenger in the Pull
man sleeper, "Siebests," who was no
bound for Pine Bluff, Ark. Among th'
large complement OF passengers was
plainly dressed and unassumng genJlt
man, sitting in the corner of the coach
who, Notwithstanding his unassumlns
manner, attracted general attention. ne
appeared to be from 50 TO 40 years Oh aye
Judging from his looks he would be taken
Tor man who had labored hard through
life. ....ou. Of
Entering the smoking compartment oI
the coach the States man inquired OF one
of the gentlemen what the name OF bue
gentleman was who attracted so III icu q u
tentiOn. The reply was: "IhaI 10 VI
&. NJ. Neil, of Pine Bun, seH-hlaue
man. who started life as a pennlIess Doy'
grew up with the country ana ~ the
same time helped the country 10 grow up'
and is stIll helping it. ~,
.sHe is the cotton king, now that Col.
Ed. Richardson is dead. Io-day ne Is Tue
largest cotton shipper and planter IN the
world. No one can tell exactly how mucn
that man is worth. | estimate him as be-
ing worth, at the lowest figure, S2,5OO,OOO.
Not many weeks ago he advanced TO one
person $4,000. The moment he heard
of the Hot Springs fire he forwarded 300
barrels OF -four, 200 barrels OF corn meal,
20. 600 pounds of beef, besides clothing,
etc, for the benefit OF the sufferers.
Mr.. Neil being introduced to the writer,
expressed himself as pleased to meet any
pne from New Orleans.
Chow old are you Mr.. Neil"
"Just SO years Of age"
'Were you born in Pine BlufP
ono, sir. l went there in 1860"
Glow much money had your
81 was penniless. l came from Tusca-
lOosa, Ala. l was a boy and went to
work on a farm"
"What business do you follow nowp
$50 many of them that it's hard to say.
am IN the banking business-president
oil the First National Bank Of Pine Bluff.
l am a planter, and have about 1900
acres OF cotton in cultivation"
''Y GU are the largest cotton planter in
the worid2"
ooh, no! The estate of Richardson Is
the largest. ] make between ten and
twelve thousand bales of cotton on my
own plantation. / am also merchanting.
i have three stores in the country on my
places. l am also railroading. l have a
railroad, the Pine Bluff and Swan Lake
road which runs from Rob Roy station on
the line OF the Texas and st. Louis rail-
road, seven miles from Pine Bluff. 1t is
twenty-siX and one-twenty-siXth miles in
length, of which all but One-quarter Of
mile runs through one of my plantations,
Rob Roy. | am at present engaged in
building another road from Rob Roy,
opposite Little Rock, which when COM
pleted Will be fOrty-two miles in length,
and will connect with my other road.
''When do you expect to complete this
qoadp'
"One-half this summer and one-half
next summer with my convict labor"
Chow many convicts do you workp'
IL have $50, and fifty or sixty who have
served their time and remained with me
rs free land owners"
"From whom do you obtain these con-
Victs?'
From the lessee of the Arkansas
State penitentiary."
allow much do you pay for them?"
'',Ien dollars apiece per month and pro-
vide them with all the necessaries of
Ife.'
"Planters In Louisiana have not been
successful with convict labor. WHAT has
been your eXperienceY
''My experience is that they have proved
success. l have no trouble with con-
vlcts. / have worked them for three
years. l have a fine house built for them
and q bed for each man to sleep in.
have enclosed a stockade around my pri-
son specially for them to exercise in on
Sunday. l have them to bath and change
under and over clothing every Sunday.
Further than that, l give them cards,
checkers, dice, Bibles, Testaments, news
papers to use on Sunday, all free. l feed
them three times day. Al each meal
give them coffee, -four bread, meat and
managers OF nay places, who eat at tn g
same table with them, and l also eat
with them, at the same liable, once a
week, when pay them visit.
II grow all sorts Of vegetables and give
them to the c0nVicts, sweet and Irish
potatoes, turnips, onions, radishes, ETC.,
with which the table is supplied three
times day.
''My first idea of convicts was thatcruel
treatment would not control them and
make good labor, and this was demon
strated TO be so IN one year. / was told
that i could not get them TO weed a stand
Of cotton or corn at a time when the
plant was young. My experience is that
my cotton looks as If it had been planted
by hand for the past two years. ] allow
the cOnvicts to sing on their way to the
fields and in camp, and when not in labor,
allow them TO play ball, marbles, craps,
preach, in fact, anything they desire FOR
amusement. My idea OF cODYicts is, kind
treatment and no punishment TO make
good laborers out OF them and also to feed
and clOthe them we'll. If the planters oil
Louisiana do this, they will experience a
different state of affairs with convict
abOr."