The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-01
ANOTHER BOND ISSUE
CHAIRMAN TRAVIS is OPPOSED
TO PURCHASE.
MEETING OF DIRECTORS ON THE l7IH
They are Called to Attend to Some Matters De-
manding Immediate Ac ion. Sum-
merel Wants Another
Fearing.

CdiHiSs
North Carolina is to have another bond
issue. FITS bonded debt is to be increase
about $4,000.
The Executive Board of the peniten-
tiary directors have decided to purchase
the Arson State farm; at least two o.
the members OF the committee have
Newland and Osborne-Trayis voting
against it. TO pay for it bonds will
have to be issued.
Thus farm comprises about 2,200 acres.
on which the State has an option at SO
an acre. 1t Us owned principally Ds
Judge X. L. Bennett and others of his
family. 1t is fertile we'll drained and adj
lnirably adapted to cotton, corn and
other grain.
The waiter supply on it is deficient,
but its health record is very fine; and
it is as much this as any other considera-
ton that influenced the committee to
decide to buy the farm. Messrs. New
land and Osborne Thought there ought
to be an up-country farm to which con-
victs from the west can be sent. They
very often suffer ON the Roanoke farms,
being more susceptible to feyers and ma
laa.ia when sent There than the eastern
men who are acclimated
Mr.. Travis opposed the purchase on
three grounds:
/. That the State does not need the
faTm. The counties are rapidly estab-
fishing county chain gangs and keeping
their conyicts at home to awork the
roads. For this reason the number Of
new convicts brought to the penitentiary
shows constant falling off, and the de-
crease will after the next Legislature be
more marked than ever before.
?. That the Arson farm is too far
from the Caledonia farm, already bought
by THE State. The transfer of prisoners
from one to the other or to and from
the penitentiaTy Will be very costly.
Many thousands of dollars are yearly
paid out by the State to railroads for
the transportation of conyicts.
3. That the price paid for the land
is too high.
1--WE paid only $3.50 an acre for the
Caledonia lands he Said, land they are
exceedingly fertile. But for the AIson
lands, which i'm point of fertility do not
compare with the Caledonia lands, we
pay SO an acre. If the Anson farm is
worth SO an acre the Caledonia farm is
easily worth $40 am acre. Altogether
think it grave mistake to buy this
Anson FARM
'.Will all the other farms be aban-
doned?'
Yes, think so,' said Mr.. Travis.
"We'n put plenty of conyicts ON these
two farms, and for such as are left in
the central prison We viii be able to
find profitable employment-morep rofita
bile in fact than they have been on some
of the farns-on the rice farm for in
stance. Do you know that the gross re-
ceipts from that farm last year Were
only $500 =
How are the crops on the farms this
year,"
"Very good-ttTning out better than
we at one time expected. The cotton
crop lis short. but not SO short as We
once thought"
"Have you plenty of hands ON all the
farms to harvest the crops!"
"On all hat the Northampton farm.
They are little short of help there
The board of directors is called to
meet here on October 18th. The meet
ing is called. Chairman Travis says, to
look over the work of the past year
and make plans for the future.
There are several matters" he add
ed, that ought to be attended to be-
fore the regular meeting in January,
and the meeting is called for this pur-
pose
Among the matters demanding inn
mediate attention is the question of the
removal of Summerell as supervisor
of Northampton farm, for cruelty TO
conyicts. The charges We're ordered
investigated by the board of directors
some six months ago. The committee
to whom the investigation was intrust-
ed consisted of Messrs. Travis, New
land, Osborn and Day. AS Osborn
usually sticks to Day it was seen early
in the investigation that it was not
likely that any decision would ne reach
ed. The matter has dragged its slow
length along for months until the awful
disclosures made by the evidence be-
fore the committee appointed by the
Legislature compelled some action
Some two weeks ago a resolution was
introduced by Mr.. Newland for the
removal of Summerell. Osborn and
Day objected. Day declaring absolute
enmity to such a resolution and Os-
born temporizing by finding fault with
its phraseology and finally asking per-
mission to take it home, that he might
frame it in such way as to overcome
his objections. This, it seems, he has
never been able to do, for he has never
proposed a substitute. 1t has there
fore been decided to refer the whole
question back to the full board.
When this is done Summerell asks
a hearing, and the executive committee
has told him it will be granted. His
letter asking it is as follows:
Jackson, y. c., Sept. &c. 1899.
Dear Sir: ! feel great injustice has
been done me by the manner in which
the Investigation into the affairs Of the
Pententiary has been conducted by the
Committee appointed by the General
Assembly. Conyicts have been exam
ined as to my cruelty In my absence