The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-10-16
Kic6land's Cain Gang.
It's Manager Presents an In
teresting Report.

Capt. w H. Sigh. in charge of the
Richland County chain gang, to the
county commissioners, shows what
the gang has accomplished in the
way of improving the roads OF the
county ]:
To the County Supervisor and Coun-
tv Commissioners of Rlchland
County
Gentlemen I have the honor to
make this, my first quarters report
as manager of the chain gang for
Richland County. | received from
the sheriff Of Richland County
eleven prisoners on the 18th of July
last, one of which was returned or
transferred to the South Carolina
penitentiary on account of permanent
physical disability Two days were
consumed in getting clothes,
shackles, provisions, tents and all
other things necessary for prison
camp commenced work ON the
18th with seven able-bodied men, one
sma!! boy and one man with one
arm, leaving one man in camp to
cook. The convicts were fresh from
jail and from long confinement tender
aud unable to do hard work in mid
Summer. The weather was intensely
hot and dry. The ground was pack
ed and hard from the travel in and
out of the city for more than CEN
tury. l found the roadbed irregular
in width, low in center and without
bitches After four weeks of dry
weather the rain set in, from which |
lost much time and the road5ed that
had been filled to the depth of from
II to Is inches with dry earth or
clay became saturated with water,
which made the road nearly impassa-
BILE. All this has been repaired aud
competent judges report the road in
good condition
The roadbed has been reduced to
a uniform width of 20 feet, with a
ditch on each side 5 feet wide. and
from to feet deep. The roadbed
is of oval shape and has been filled
generally from ditch excavations,
although: great deal of earth had to
be hauled from side streets and walks
of private citizens About 1000
wards of bitches have been dug IL
bridges across said bitches (the citl-
zens furnishing the Iumber). have
been built, and one bridge across
Smiths branch, 35 feet long and 70
feet wide In connection with this
piece of work, ] desire to make hon
orable mention OF Mr.. F. H Hyatt,
who. with much time and considera
BILE expense to himself, aided in max
ing fill of I feet in height on the
old roadbed on each side OF the
bridge, thereby making Geiger's hill
Into a pleasant drive, instead al
mud hole and barrier to the travel
ing public
My guard has done road or day
duty we'll, but I find it hard to g'.s
man for night watcnman who will
enforce camp or convict discipline
and keep faithful watch.
The convicts have given m" but
little trouble ; not a single case of in
subordination or attempt to escape.
| have been somewhat troubled with
TRUSTEES, and would respectfully
recommend that the trusty be abol-
ished-
The convicts are furnished without
stint, bacon, peas. hominy or grits and
vegetables of different kinds at the
small expense Of 10 cents per day.
Each convict has been furnished
with one coat. two pair pants, two
shirts, one cap, one pair shoes, one
mattress and one pair blankets.
The general health of the prison
ers has been good there were sew
eral cases of chills and fever at my
former camp; the cause must have
been local. as have no neW cases at
Marstcller's spring
CAMP AND ROAD EQUIppAGE.
One mule, ] cart, II shovels, Y
picks, 8 axes, l scraper | portable
blacksmith shop, 4 wheebarrows, l
grindstone, 2 steel and | rock ham,
mer, saw. hatchet, I auger,
brace and bits. kitchen stove, pots,
buckets. etc ] wall tent, | wedge
tent, fly for kitchen, | hy tor mule
| large fly for prisoners. This hy is
down for repairs. or to have the ends
enclosed The convicts are kept IN
one of Marsteller's houses until the
tent is finished.
Allow me to recommend that a
stove be purchased at an early day.
as the nights are getting cool, and
fire heat at night, especially in damp
weather, is in my Judgment lnde-
spensible to the health of the con.
J. 40 o~h;hik Nf tho