The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-01-09
Clash of Words Between Mr..
Travis and Mr.. LIE Grand
ABOUT THE ANSON FARM
Mr.. Travis Opposed Buying That
Farm at Option Price.
DIRECTORS AGAINST BOARDS ACTION
There is Feeling on the Part Of Four or Five
Directors That The Executive Board
Doesn't Give Directors Enough
Detailed Information.

Detailed Information.
| There was a hot time al the meeting
of the penitentiary board yesterday.
Four members of the Board-Messrs.
Young, lie Grand, Ballard and Cotton
declared that the majority had rushed
| through report approving the report Of
| the Superintendent and Executive Board
without giving time for investigation
and discussion, and had taken SNAP
Judgment by adopting it when they were
unavoidably detained in the city. The
| majority members of the Board say that
ample time was given for full considera-
lions, and that all day Monday and Mon
day night had been given to consideration
OF the reports, and that the minority
were flibustering in order to prevent ac-
ton.
At the meeting yesterday morning there
was a warm time of it for while, which
eliminated in Mr.. James T. lie Grand,
making a severe criticism upon Mr.. r. L.
Travis for his action in preventing the
purchase of the Arson county farm. He
was very severe and very rasping charg-
ing that Mr.. Travis had been influenced in
his opposition to the purchase of the An
son farm because of his hostility to him
lie Grand. He read a letter scoring
Mr. Travis, and when Mr.. Travis demand
ed to know the name Of the writer Mr..
lie Grand said it was written by Judge
Bennett.
"He is the owner of part of the
Mr.. Travis.
Mr. lie Grand said that he was. and
Mr.. Travis said that the letter confirmed
him in his opinion that the land was not
worth the option price ($23,OOO) and that
the State ought not to buy it.
Mr. lie Grand was severe In his criti
cism Mr. Travis plain and vigorous in
mis- answer For a long time there has
been a GOODNESS between them growing
out of the Arson county farm matter, and
it eliminated yesterday in the attack by
Mr.. lie Grand.
The last Legislature empowered the
Executive Board to issue bonds and pur-
chase such land as the penitentiary had
options on that was needed The direc-
tors soon thereafter recommended the
purchase of the farm in Halifax and in
Arson counties. The Executive Board
issued bonds and purchased the farm in
Halifax county at the option price (sixty
thousand dollars), if we are not mistaken
n the amount Two of the Executive
Board Mr.. Newland and Col. Osborne,
favored issuing bonds and purchasing the
Arson farm at the option price, twenty
three thousand dollars. Mr.. Travis OPP
posed buying the Arson farm, giving as
his reason hat it was not worth any
thing like the option price and that it
could not be made profitable. He held
the matter up for a time Then Col. Os-
borne resigned from the Board, and when
the order to issue bonds to buy the Arson
darn was taken to the State Treasurer
he refused to issue the bonds because
Col. Osborne was not then an officer of
the pententiary. Mr.. ]. w. Perry, who
succeeded Col. Osborne on the Executive
Board, agreed with Mr.. Travis that the
Arson farm was not desirable at the
option price. and declined to sign the
order for it's purchase with bonds. And
so the farm was not purchased.
Monday afternoon, a motion was carried
to meet that night to consider the re-
ports of the special committee which was
instructed to be ready to pass upon the
report of the superintendent and execu
tive board at o'clock Mr.. Ballard and
others protested against the night meeting
demanding more time to go into the
affairs of the penitentiary before passing
Eo1 M a
Grand and Mr.. Young, who had been
named on the special committee, refused
to serve if required to make a report
at s o'clock They were therefore ex-
| cused and the committee was constituted
as follows. NJ F. Morphew chairman;
]. l.. Gwaltney, Edward T. Clark, l.. NJ.
Bryan, Heenan Hughes. At the night
meeting this committee was ready with
it's report, but it was not presented until
just before adjournment. There were
many questions asked of the Executive
Board and Capt. Day about the farms,
inventories. and certain items in his ac-
count. Mr. Ballard insisted upon more
light upon this particular point: The
| Superintendent report stated that there
had been expended for permanent i'm
provements $40, 33248. Mr.. Ballard asked
Capt. Day to give bill OF particulars OF
| the permanent improvements. Capt. Day
| said that included horses, mules, plows.
as we'll as the electric plant. peanut
| buildings and stables. etc. This answer
did not satisfy Mr. Ballard, who said the
{ report would mislead the people, and that
all the improvements were not visible.
| After much other discussion, with the re-
port of the special committee commend
! ing the superintendent and executive
board pending, the board adjourned at a
/ late hour. The vote on adjournment
showed the line of division in the board.
! Adjournment was had by vote of { to )
until 8 o'clock yesterday morning.
| When o'clock arrived yesterday morn
| ing the following directors were present:
4 Messrs. Travis, Newland, Perry. Nor
phew. Davis. Clark, Bryan and GwaItney.
These members waited half an hour for
the other members of the Board, and