The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-08-12
ANOTHER SUGGESTION.


Delinquent Taxpayers.
Editors of Sentinel.
Your correspondent in Tuesdays
issue suggests a plan by which the
county may save expenses by renting
the market house and utilizing the
spare rooms in the court house for
Jail purposes.
While we are always in favor of
saving the county any useless ex-
pense, and while we believe in any
move in the direction of economy,
yet we cannot agree with your cor
respondent. First, because we do
not believe the city fathers would
agree to renting the market house,
for the reason that if all the men in
the county were put into Jail it would
follow as a result that the women
and children would have to be fed,
and how could that be done if we had
no market house?
And, second, as to the court house
and the rooms occupied by the
county officials, we all know too we'll
that these men are poorly paid, and
being county officials they have a
right to use as many rooms as they
please and for any purpose they may
see fit.
And, third, as to the basement of
the court house, it would be imprac.
ticaole to confine prisoners there, as
it would only prove an annoyance as
we'll as a very great inconvenience to
the county officials because the bed
rooms would be of no use without
the basement.
1t is true that at one time one of
the most worthy officials we ever
had occupied a room in the court
house as bedchamber, when there
was no basement to it. He made
his own bed, carried his own water,
made his own fires, and paid for the
wood and tallow candles he burned.
But that was before Winston became
a great city, and when it only re-
qulred his old blazed-faced mare and
an old fashioned buggy to carry him
to his home twelve miles in the
country after twelve O'Clock on
Saturday night, back again on Mon
day morning ready for business,
long before the official gentry OF
these days think of getting out OF
bed. Ofcourse we were not a rich
and intelligent people then, able to
supply our officials with electric
lights, steam heated rooms, and a
negro to black their boots, and all
that sort of thing.
We think we have a better plan for
keeping these prisoners than the one
\ suggested by your correspondent Ito
apply only to delinquent tax paying
criminals
"n -f l.
town officials, and probably the city,
own some very fertile lands near the
city, or perhaps will be fertile by the
time another crop is to be raised
Let the city of Winston agree to
thoroughly enrich every foot of these
lands, then make some arrangement
by which sentence shall not be passed
on these unfortunate Delinquent tax
payers until the time to plant large
crop of onions and market vege-
tables. Then get the town to feed
and guard the prisoners, and pay
some competent city official who is
thoroughly conversant with the
culture of onions, ETC., a fair salary
to superintend the work. Then
| when the crop is marketed let those
whose sentences have not expired
return to their homes during the
winter months and come back in
time to plant another crop of onions
in the spring.
1t being specially agreed between
the county commissioners and the
city officials and all the parties in
terested IN the lands, that the county
| OF Forsyth shall be at no expense fol
the keep or guarding of the prisoners
but shall pay to the city attorney g
liberal fee for his services in drawing
| up suitable contract and one that
will insure to the owners of the lands
the entire crop or crops Of all onions
| and vegetables raised thereon as also
all improvements made on the same
This strikes us as the most profit
able as well as the most economical
way to handle delinquent tax paying
criminals, provided the women and
children are made to furnish the
prisoners with clothing and do al
washing as a part payment of Their
board, the balance to be worked out
by their husbands and other relatives
after they have served their respec-
tive terms.
ANOTHER Who WANTS TO SAVE THE
COUNTY EXPENSE.