The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-21

main body. The front part of the
building had never been completed, anu
was partially boarded mp with rough
boards and very unsightly. | had this
completed and greatly improved. Most
Of the work was done With convict la
Dor and with very little expense to the
State. except for material. / also con-
structcd the Criminal Insane Depart
ment / found only small garden near
the building. | enlarged the garden
and it was of great assistance In feed
ing the convicts ut the Central Prison.
| found most Of the machinery badly
out of repair. and the engine ut the WA
ter supply tank in Il dangerous con
dition. 1t was worthless and a new en-
CINE had to he put in to supply the
building with the necessary water.
The State had in charge Ave farms, one
known as the Halifax farm, near Wei
don. one known MS the Northampton
! farm. near Halifax, n. c., two known
i the Caledonia, Nos. ] and =, but virtual
| ly one farm. All Of these farms are
on Roanoke River; also one farm in
| Arson county near WadeSb0ro. ON al
! these farms there were a number of
worn out horses and mules. Some of
| them badly crippled and useless, al
| though they had been valued on the
| 1st Of January, 1897, from SD to 500
| per head. They were condemned as
useless by the Supervisors in charge at
| the time | took control. ] transferred
seventeen of those that could be moved
: to Castle Haync and succeeded in max
| ing n partial crop with them. After
| the crops were made. the chairman Of
| the executive committee ordered them
| M Jyn1Ji1 h1Na tHnm
to kill them. They were sold to Mr. ID.
A. Grantham at a nominal price. There
| were a number of others so worthless
that the Supervisors were directed to
get rid of them to the best advantage.
/ Three of these mules were traded by
one Of the Supervisors for one horse.
| one at Arson for a cow, one at Halifax
was such mass of sores that he could
not be sold, and was given away to
avoid having him killed At the Hall
fax farm there was Il thirty horse pow
or engine and saw mill in almost n
| worthless condition. / found n large
per cent of all the tools, ana farming
implements broken and useless, and
badly scattered over the farms. Few
wagons even in fairly good condition
and most of the machinery in like bad
order. The cotton gins were so out of
. repair, that new gins had TO be sup
piled.
There was scarcely weeks supply
Of provisions on hand anywhere and on
some Of the farms no corn and fodder
or other forage.
, You gentlemen will remember Hat
the Legislature Of 1897 had made ne
appropriation for the pcnitcntiary an(
with only $1,TS3.10 in the treasury anc
S12TT2 in the drawer, and as shown
= by Mr. LcaZer's report on pages ~ and
50 for year 1896, his figures. we started
! the 1st of January with S2O,0G127 less
in farm products on hand than the pen
, itcntiary started with the LIST of Jan
uary, 1896 In his estimate Of farm pro
ducts on hand the LIST Of January 1891
he puts the total value of the cottOT
, on hand rs a part Of the farm products
, Mt $77,111.00. when in fact the cottoI
= actually sold for $71 .533. Is. He dcducts
, $4,000 from the Still thc amount
drawn on the cotton and thus the pen
, itontiary was charged with having OF
, hand in cotton the LIST Of January, 1897
= SSH. On January 9Th. Mr.. Lcazc
, drew $4,000 more on the cotton, leayin.