The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-20
SAY REPORTS UNJUST
Investigating Committee on
Camp at Dover.
Superintendent Mann Of States Prison GOES
ln.o Details ard Poin's out Considered
Unjust Criticism,

The report of the Investigating Com
mittee, appointed by the Governor to
examine into all the State institutions,
published exclusively in the News and
Observer yesterday morning, is likely
to provoke much discussion. There were
plenty of criticisms heard of it yester-
day.
The report with reference to the peni-
Tertiary did not please superintendent
Mann with regard to the criticism upon
the camp at Dover. The following is the
abstract Of part of the report that the
penitentiary authorities declare to be
unjust to them:
"All the convicts' camps are in
satisfactory condition except Camp
No. 4, situated in Jones county,
about eight miles south of Dover.
The force of SO convicts is hired to
the Goldsboro Lumber Company, and
employed in extending their railroad
from Dover southwark. The food is
insufficient and unsuited TO laboring
men. the bedding is very bad, the
sleeping house is badly designed,
and the roof leaks badly. The lessees
are permitted to sublet a portion of
the men to another company"
Talking about this last night to a
News and Observer reporter, Mr.. Mann
said:
with reference to the bedding, it
should be stated that this is the season
of the year when the camp supplies are
replenished. Requisition for mattresses,
III nj FIR
ishings have come to the penitentiary
authorities, and are being sent to that
camp They would have been sent at
this season whether the Investigating
Committee had visited the camp or not.
GAS to the leaking in the roof
have no information. Mr.. Kicks, of Nash
who is in charge of that camp, is an cx-
cellent man, careful, kind and thought
full, and prefer to hear from him before
making any comment upon that criti-
cism. OF course, if the roof leaks badly
the committee will be thanked by us for
making the criticism and the public may
be assured that there will he no delay
in making any needed repairs.
THE statement that the lessees sub
let portion of the conVicts' conveys a
wrong impression. The Goldsboro Lum-
Der Company, which leased the convicts
did not not have enough work to do &c
keep the full force busy all the time
BY consent of all parties the peniten-
tiary has been using some of the con-
victs at Dover part of the time in doing
! work for the Hines Lumber Company
The Hines Lumber Companys work is
nearer the camp than the GoldsborC
Companys. At all times the cOnVicts
whether working for the GOldsborC
Lumber Company or the Hines Lumber
Company, have been under the control
Of the penitentiary authorities. There
has been no subletting of convicts, in
the accepted sense of the word 'sublet
"The convict camp at Dover was es-
tablished July, 1901; from that date there
has been an average of 40 convicts each
month. The total supplies furnished
during the past 16 months has been as
follows Dried apples, 100 pounds; but
ter, 2251b pounds; beef, 1,06S pounds;
coffee, 651 pounds fish, 900 pounds; flour
19, 600 pounds; meal, 1860 pounds, meat
27,978 pounds: pepper, SO pounds; peas
300 pounds: rice, 244 pounds; SALT 400
pounds; sugar, l ,403 pounds; hams, SSl
pounds; grits, 230 pounds; molasses, 43!
gallons; potatoes, Is bushels; chickens
$1765; vegetables, $145.67; vinegar, 81
gallons.
Average number of pounds Of meat
each month for each convict. 80 2-3t
meal, 20 pounds, and flour, % pounds
with over one-half gallon of molasses
each month to each man. besides beef
fish, grits, rice, potatoes, dried apples
peas. and an average expenditure eacf
month for vegetables of 800"