The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-08-23
REPORT OF THR BOARD TRANS.
MIrTED TO THR GOVERNOR
By CHAIRMAN DoCRRRY,
RILEIaH, N. O, July Is. 1898

wa ~
SIR:-I have the honor to transmit
herewith, on behalf of the Board of
Directors, a report of Hon. John R
Smith covering the operations of the
State prison for the year 1897, nine
months Of which time he was super.
lntendent Of that institution succeed
ing Hon. A. Leazer, who surrendered
to him the practical management
thereof IN April 1st. F--.
Theoretically, the lew provides that
the report of the superintendent of
the States prison shall be made on the
lst day OF January Of each year. But
you will RECOGNIZES the im~possibility of
complying with that provision of the
law. The operations of the peniten-
tiary are on an extensive scale and the
report is supposed to cover all opera
tiOns up to midnight Of December 31st,
the day preceding. The property is
scattered on farms widely separated,
and the inventory is supposed to be an
enumeration Of all such property on
these farms and at the central peniten.
tlary at the beginning Of each fiscal
year Of the institution. The report for
last year was not complete for the
meeting OF Jul board in January,
which fact was caused largely by the
change on January Let of the superin
tendent of the prison. It had been
completed, however, and was presen
ted to the board at It's next meeting in
March. It seemed then, after a cur.
sorry examination, to be comprehen
sive and full, so much 80 that they felt
that they could not pass en- it intelli
gently without a more thorough ex am
ination than the time at their disposal
would permit. For this reason the
report was referred to q epecial com
mittee, with instructions to examine it
in detail and make a return at the the
next regular meeting of the board in
July. This was done, and the return
herewith transmit with all the accom-
panying papers.
The report seems TO. elaborate, and
to set forth fully the conditions Of the
prison. 1t shows, too, a highly credi-
table condition, notwithstanding the
serious obstacles the management had
to encounter during the year.
When he assumed control of the pen
itentiary April l, 1897, as superintend,
emit. Mr.. Smith found all the farms in
a very backward state Of preparation
and, indeed, upon some of them very
little at all had ben done toward max
ing the new crop.
There were scarcely provisions
enough to supply him two weeks
Many of the mules were old and
worthless, Notwithstanding they had
been valued January 1st proceeding at
an average of nearly 300. The tools
were largely worn out and practically
useless for a years service, notwith-
standing they had been inventoried as
il they were in a good and serviceable
condition. TIE corn was nearly
hausted by sale and consumption,
and the cotton on hand was not suth-
to pay the debt of the penitentiary
and aid to a very great extent in the
purchase of new stock and tools.
It has been charged that this cotton
was sold at a sacrifice by Superintend
emit Smith, the persons making the
charge intimating that it was done by
him intentialIy for the sake of m
proper personal gain. This charge Is
false, if not maliciOusly false. Your
board investigated the. 2mattsr when
the charge was first made. The cot
ton WIGS, sold in the open with the full
lest opportunity for competition by
purchasers and was Did for by several
BUYERS. Il was purchased IN different
quantities by Messrs. K. BAr0ee & 90
and Johnson & Thomson, Raleigh; A.
Borden, Golds0oro, and w. Q. HardI
son. Wadesboro. These gentleman
will furnish all the facts Of this sale, If
desired, by any who care to ascertain
the truth. They are honorable men,
business men of character, VINO would
lend themselves a party TO any trans
action tor the purpose OF ro0olng the
State.
You will perceive that in the face OF
all the obstacles enumerated OoV
there was not a cents appropriation
upon which the penitentIary could
draw 60 tide itself over, the first time,
so far as my knowledge goes, 1t has
occurred IN the history of tne penIten-
tiary, certainly n FIRST tima slnce
1888. From 1883 TO 1859 the approprl-
alton for the support Of the penIUen'
tiary averaged over 500, COO a year.
From 1859 70 1898 II averaged $37 5UO
a a From 1898 30 1895 &C averaged
1913 600 : year. Ia 1896 Al apProprla