The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-28
THE GRAND JuRY's REPORT.
An Inspection of the Convict Camps
The City's Health.

The City'S Health.
The final report of the grand jury of the
city court shows some new departures, and
some pertinent suggestions. The grand
jurors pay their attentions to the method
of revising the jury lists They were par
ticularly severe on the convict camps, They
say Of Camp Lawton:
The camp generally was in good order, with
some exceptions. The drinking water was taken
from an open we'll, 25 to 30 feet deep. This
water had bad smell, and we suggest the use
of driven wells as being more conducive to
health. The ticking of the mattresses, was,
with very few exceptions, quite dirty, and we
suggest more systematic Cleanliness and that
fresh straw be supplied at least once month
1t is the opinion of the visiting committee that
motives of common humanity would call for
greater cleanliness, especially with regard to
the earth closets for the use OF prisoners at
night. For details about this matter we refer
to the special report of the committee.
They report five sick at Camp Lawton
Referring to Camp Walker the report
says: "At this camp five men were SICK
and it was the opinion Of the committee
visiting these camps that there should be
more frequent medical attention. The beds
at Camp Walker were in the same condition
as those at Camp Lawton, and we would
recommend that the same measures be used
for their renovation as was suggested for
those at Camp Lawton. The buildings and
grounds at Camp Walker were not so well
kept as those at Camp Lawton. The priso-
ner's corn bread shown us was only par
TALLY cooked, and was unfit for food"
The jury also pays it's compliment to the
city pumps; 1--WE earnestly recommend that
the old opeS. pumps be discontinued in those
parts of the town where artesiau water is
to be obtained and that the people living in
those quarters be given the benefit of the
best water.n They also recomend public
baths, upon which subject they say: 1T is
also the sentiment of the jury that this city
of about 5000 inhabitants, with six months
or more of warm weather, should be sup
Piled with public bath houses, and that
charge be made only sufficient to meet the
expenses necessary for their maintenance.
The special committee visiting the camps,
which was composed of Messrs. Clayton r.
Woods. Charles r. Heron and S. Quicken
heimer, were much more severe in their
structures than the grand jurys report.
Abiding to the filthy condition of the
mattresses, they say: 1--WE know no reason
for treating convicts, or those sentenced to
the chain-gang, worse than you would treat
dogs in their kennels. The prisoners on
getting to camp in the afternoons, which is
from $50 o'clock to o'clock, are at once
put into the building where they sleep, and
are secured by passing a chain through
ring on the chain that is attached
to the leg of each prisoner, and the ends of
this chain are locked together. If any pris-
oner has to use either of the two earth
closets, no matter how early in the night, it
is not removed until morning, although
they are uncovered boxes
The report is very complimentary to all
the officers of the city court, judge, solicitor
general, sheriff and clerk, and they report
that the defects in the county Jail, hereto
fore reported, are being corrected.