The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-29
CHATHAM COUNTY'SFA
TIA FOOD SUPPLY STATION FOR
TEE Convict CAMP.

The Location of the Farm and How
it lie OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the Crops it
| SGrows-Ths Purchase of the Farm
a Big Investment for the County.
The poor farm is one of the successful in
stitutions of Chatham county Of which little
is known by the people. No douot COM
paratively few sven know It's location. The
farm is between four aud five miles from
the city on Waters road. 1t consists of 400
acres and has two entrances, one on the
Montgomery cross-road and the other on the
Waters road.
10 1887 the county purchased the Pritch-
ard tract OF 400 acres for S14,cO0. The
purchase was made forsdrainage purposes,
DIR. Pritohard having refused to allow the
county to run its drainage system through
his tract To avoid all difficulties the
county purchased the place.
-Four hundred acres were set aside for a
poor farm, and it has turned out to be a
most successful investment The crops
raised consist OF corn, oats, potatoes. pease OF
dinerent varieties, principally COW pease,
turnips, sugar cane and vegetables of all
kinds. 1t Is worked by the short term con-
victs, and the women and children who are
sent 70 the chain-gang. The crops now are
In the mos tpromising condition, and large
yields are expected.
SUPPLIES THE CONVICT CAMPS.
The product Of the farm is used to feed
the chain-gang. As soon as the crop is
| harvested it is distributed TO the two camps
| and kept under guard. This precautionary
measure has been taken because some of
the product that was allowed to remain on
1xyaya sell
peared. The surplus crop Of pease will be
sold, and will no doubt pay the greater
portion OF the provision account OF the
chain-gaug. The farm is under charge Of
Joel Dickerson, a thorough farmer, who
has brought the place up to such
a. high state OF cultivation
mat it promises ere long to
The purchase of the tract has proven a
big investment for the county. The 1000
acres, besides what is under cultivation,
were offered for sale last summer, and an
offer Of $4,000 was made for 900 acres
This is just double the price paid by the
county for the entire place.
A PROFITABLE INVESTMENT.
1t purchased the 400 acres at the rate Of
$40 per acre. and the offer of $500 for
900 acres was at the rate Of $50 per acre.
The county refused the offer, as the place is
~Onehucteu WOEtu luuCA aoI0.
The place is not on the market now. The
county Is waiting TO see what the City and
Suburban railway proposes to do with its
old Isle Of Hope and Montgomery line,
which was practically abandoned last sum-
mer.
The road passes the county's property,
and its operation, of course, enhances the
value Of the land. There was some talk of
declaring the road forfeited and taking 1t
away from the City and Suburban and
giving it to some company which would
operate it, but nothing definite was done.
One train a day Is now being run over the
road, and the City and Suburban may
operate it regularly again.
AN AID TO DRAINAGE.
Aside from the money value Of the tract
the improved drainage secured by its pur-
chase more than compensates che county for
the money expended. Before getting con-
troll of the Pritchard place system of
syphons had to be used there for drainage.
This was quite expensive. Canals have
been dug through it, and lands in that vi
cinity which. few years ago, were practi-
cally worthless swamps, have been re-
claimed and put in good condition for
farming purposes