The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-13
Quarterly Report Transmitted
to the Governor.
There Are Now 1896 convicts in
Alabama, 500 Of Whom are on
State Farms, or Worked
by the State.

fhe quarterly report OF the State Con-
Wet Department transmitted YESTERDAY
to Governor jerks by President -. M.
CArmichael of the Board Of Inspectors,
ssaws that the department Is in excellent
financial condition. and that the vari-
o,,s convict camps of the State have been
vastly improved within the past few
months.
The report is for the quarter ending
June 80, and President Carmichael ex-
plains its delay by calling attention to
his illness Of nearly a months duration.
It is shown thy the report THAT there
are 1856 convicts In Alabama. OF this
number 1,476 are leased to contractors.
and 800 are either worked ON the State
farms. or are at prisons conducted by the
state.
President Carmichael dwells with a de-
eree of pride upon the condition of the
State farms, and goes into detail cori%
cerning the acreage and the growing
crops.
Governor Jelks is advised by the report
that the bad sanitary condition of the
convict camp at Coalburg has been inn
proved according to the promise of the
contractors, and that the convicts leased
to the Sioss-Sheffield Steel and Railroad
Company at that point. have been re-
moved to Flap Top another mime con-
Quoted by the company.
The report of the President of the Board
was accompanied by sub-rep from
Dr. Shirley Bragg, Physician Inspector,
and Judge Thomas Bradford. Associate
Inspector. They have visited the con-
Wet camps OF the State. and declare that
the contractors are taking good care of
these wards of Alabama.
II regert to say" says Judge t.armj5
- L.. ~ 4x.e To- ron
more than a month past l have, been
unable to be In my office, but three days,
hut II have done little official work at
my room. Nevertheless the work of the
once has gone along smoothly with the
aid of an efficient clerical force and Of
my associates upon the Board of lns
spectors.
when assumed the duties of the de-
partment / did so with full purpose to
give to every detail of official work my
personal attention which purpose 1 kept
continually in view untils interrupted, by
physical inability Now. however. ]
hope to be able to bring ali my erarRtes
into play. in eonnection with nay asso-
ciates upon the Board, In making the de-
partment. from humanitarian and flian-
eial standpoints. as fuzzy success as it
is possible to do. Ns.-a
''it will be remembered that sons
months since, we had trouble In relation
TO the condition of the eoRvicts at Coal
burg and am now pleased To say tbat
in consequence OF the removal to another
prison, Flat Top, of large per cent OF
the conyicts at Coalburg and the erection
of a new temporary prison for The re-
mainder conditions are SO much, improv-
ed that here is no longer any compliant
hana-that the men are now In fair health
and properly cared for and will soon,
every one, be removed from Coalburg,
1.-THE. eonvicts at all other points, where
they are kept, Including the three state
FARMS are in good health. and large
per centage of them, well contended. Inc
mortality among convicts, as pelieve
I have remarked heretofore. is largely
due to the fact that many of them come
to prison greatly enervated by diseases
which have been preying upon their vital
forces for years. Again. many of them
before reaching prison have spent months
in fails, conducted more with reference to
the safe keeping of prisoners than the
preservation of health, to say nothing OF
the Indifferent manner in which we some
times keep our county Jails.
II may remark here that there seems to
be a willingness upon the part ofsall per-
sons who have leased convicts. Is, comply
in all respects with the requirements of
the Board. looking to the comfort and
health of convicts. .5aS
tSince my last report, three months
ago, three favorable contracts for the hire
OF convicts have been made. One with
w. w. Van & Co, Sanford. Ala, and
, one with the Henderson Lumber Com
pany and one with the Union Naval
stores Company, Wallace. Ala These
contracts are regarded as favorable be-
cause made at good prices and because
the men are leased to timber and turpen-
tine work, a thing which has never
operated against theirshealth.
while the success of the department,
from a sanitary and reformatory stand
point Is of the first importance. it's imam
eial features cannot be, overlooked. Yd'he
fiscal, year. so to speak, Terminated. on
the 31st day of August, while the iiseal
year of the Auditors and Treasury De-
partments,r with which this is closely con-
nected. terminates on the 3Oth day of
September. This fact makes it little
more difficult to understand conditions
than il they were each governed Dy the
same date. a thing which, by the way,
ought to receive the attention of the legis-
lature Nevertheless, herewith submit
the statement in such form that 1t is
easy to understand.
'aThat is to say the net profits of the
department for the year ending August
81, 1901. were $50, S4S 50. }3,s
THE net profits for the tenth month
from August 81. 1901 and ending with this
day are S79.211.6S.
met profit from September 30, 1900 to
September 80, 1901, S92, 545, So
met profit from September 80, 1900 to
Junep 30 1902 81 sO7.62.
Add to the Departments hseal year
two more months and their net profits or
to the treasury's fiscal year three months
and their net profits, and it will be seen