Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-07-17
THE STATE REFORMArORY.
The New Institution on tho State Farm Is Well
Equipped and Managed.

Columbia, July 12.-Just about q
month ago the building of the long
needed and much desired State
Ireformatory for youthful convicts
was completed and the boys hereto
fore confined in the State peniten-
tiary were removed from that insti-
tuition and contact with the elder
and hardened criminals and placed
in the new reformatory all by them
selves. The new institution is To-
Gated upon the States Lexington
farm, about five miles from the city,
in The "Dutch Fork" near the banks
of the Broad river. While the
building is not a costly one, it is
most conveniently arranged, and the
boys arc more comfortable there
than they would be in the State
prison itself. The surroundings are
far more conducive Of real rcforma-
ton.
The farm is one containing 400
acres and it's location is excellent.
The crops thereon, despite the un-
favorable weather, are in very good
condition-in much better shape,
indeed, than those of surrounding
farms. A new gin house is now
being built.
The farm and the reformatory arc
in charge Of Sergt. S. M. Miller, a
very capable and experienced officer,
and a farmer who knows his bust
ness. lie lives with his family in
neat cottage not far from the reform
atory building. Just now he is blue
about the weather, but is proud of
the fine garden he has near the
rcformatory, from which all kinds of
vegetables arc taken for feeding the
prisoners.
AT present the heavy work of the
farm is done by force of sixteen
grown convicts, who are kept in
stout timber, long -bolted stockade,
entirely separated from the rcforma
tory premises. These fellows arc
chiefly good prisoners and are even
allowed banjos within the quarters.
The guards quarters adjoin. All
are equipped with neat iron bed
steads.
The kitchen is in charge of an old
negro convict, large range, ovens,
etc, are fitted therein.
AS to the new juvenile reforma-
tory. 1t is two-story wooden build
ing well constructed, with barred
windows, thoroughly ceilcd, and
having closet arrangements. The
main floor is divided. The grand
room is in the center. From this
room opens steel door leading into
the room about 80 by SO feet in
which arc the sleeping quarters of
the negro boys. There arc eighteen
single iron bcdsteads, each equipped
with clean sheets, pillows and pillow
cases and blankets. Provision is
made for heating.
The corresponding room for the
white boys is entered in the same
way and equipped in like manner.
There are no white boys confined
there now and the room is used as n
bath room for the present prisoners,
each being required to bathc every
evening.
Each of the boys is supplied with
a clean night shirt at night.
There are now only eighteen OF
these Juvenile convicts in the insti-
tuition and they seem to be con
tented.
On the wing of the same floor is
the dining room, where the boys arc
supplied with good wholesome food
Up stairs is chapel, where rcli-
gous services are conducted every
Sunday afternoon by the chaplain
the Rev. J. G. Abncy, and adjoining
over the dining room is the hospital,
which is cool and comfortable
There is splendid we'll of water
on the place, and the prisoners arc
well supplied with fresh and pure
water.
-Four guards are kept at the farm
all careful and experienced men.