The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-13
The State Prison.
Annual Report Shows It to
be in Fine Condition.

be in Fine Condition.
The annual meeting Of the board
of directors of the State penitentiary
was held on Tuesday. The board
prepared It's annual report and by
afternoon it was in the hands of Gov
ernor Evans. As will be seen the
institution makes an admirable show
ing for the year. rejecting much
credit upon Superintendent Neal
1t starts of the new year with hand.
some surplus after paying for the
State farms
TO His Excellency. John Gary Evans,
Governor of South Carolina.
Dear Sir The board of directors
Of the South Carolina State peniten-
tiary have the honor to submit here
with for consideration this an
nual report for the fiscal year com
mencing January l, 1896, and end
ing December 31st, 1896, accom-
panied by reports of the superintend
ent, captain Of the guards, physician
and chaplain
The board of directors commenced
the years work with only four mem
bers, the vacancy having been made
by death previous to the commence
mont 0f tho vear's work
The board was made complete in
March by the election of Messrs.
Blackwell and Tatum in the places of
Mr.. T. c.. Willoughby, former
member, and Dr. Sprott, whose va
cany was caused by death.
Appended to this report is state
ment embracing the receipts and dis
bursements for the fiscal year ending
December 31st. 1896 The aggre-
gate receipts and disbursements are
as follows:
Disbursements, s63,57G SO
Receipts, 62, ,l25, II
Account overdrawn: S AS 66
Cash value of crop on
hand. $50, ,O25.46
Amt due for convict hire
and other sources 5,l08.46
Total s58,oa3 80
Account overdrawn l,445 66
Leaving $56,578 26
Liabilities. including Reed
farm purchase money 1S.370.93
Leaving on hand, $38,270 SO
We beg to call your special atten-
ton to the report of the special com
mittee appointed by your excellency
as chairman ex officio to take stock
of the institutions effects, which we
have appended as a part OF our re-
port. Everything has been put at
cash value aud shows that the in
situ.ion has been managed by careful
and competent officers.
We also beg to call your attention
to the condition of the real estate
as well as personal property of the
institution, which we are sure has
been increased in value by improve
ments and good management at least
A25 per cent.
When the purchase money for the
Reed farm is paid, which will be in a
few days, the institution will have
Epaid for all the property under our
Fdirectorship and two of the farms,
(DeSaussure and Reed, containing
about 400 acres. which have been
bought and stocked in the last six
years. are worth. in our opinion,
with their stock of mules, horses,
cattle, hogs aud crop provisions on
hand and machinery, together with
the improvements in the way of dam.
ing, ditching, terracing. clearing
building and otherwise improving
the lands by system of rotating
crops and fertilizing, sl01 ,565 40
Ii addition to the above mentioned
farms the State owns small farm in
Lexington county. containing 4o4
acres, in good state Of cultivation,
we'll stocked and provided with other
plantation supplies
These three farms constitute all
the real estate owned by the State
for farm purposes. We are pleased
to say that each department in the
State prison shows efficient and
painstaking care having been rem
dered by each officer in charge. In
the last few years considerable sum
of money has been spent on a system
of sewerage and various other sani
tary improvements. which has been
money we'll spent, as the report OF