The Savannah morning news., 1902-10-30
WANTS NO CONVICTS
CITY COUNCIL so DECLARED AT
ITS MEETING LAST NIGHT.
APPEALED TO LEGISLATURE.
TO PREVENT THEIR EMPLOYMENT
WITHIN TWO MILES OF CITY.

ment of COnVicts Submitted-~Ah ey
Were Aimed at the MiII-HaVen
Lumber COmPany-COunciI Calls
Upon Senator From This District
and the Representative From
This County to Pass PrOhibito-y
northumberland in Caucus,
Sustained the Mayor i'm His Ar
rangement for Switchboard for
the City Exchange.
The City Council has declared against
convict labor. At its meeting last night
the employment of convicts within two
miles of the corporate limits was con-
demned, and steps were taken looking
toward the passage of a law by the
Legislature rendering il impossible for
state convicts to be employed within
that distance of a town or city, with
out the consent of the municipal au-
thorities.
The following resolution was intro
duced by the Committee Of the Whole
and unanimously adopted:
whereas. it has come to the knowl-
edge of the City Council of Savannah
that the Mill Haven Company has leas-
ed a large number of state cOnvicts and
propose employing them at it's mill
on the boundary of this city; and
Whereas, the use of such convicts is
ininical to the best interests of the
people of this community; therefore.
be it
Resolved, by the Mayor and Alder
men of the city of Savannah. in Coun-
ell assembled, That protest be, and
it is hereby. made against the leasing
and using Of such convict labor within
two miles of the jurisdictional limits
of this city. The use of such convict
IA Dor displaces free and better cOmpen-
stated laborers, who are citizens and
residents of Savannah, and who spend
their money here The use of cOnvicts
is of little or no value to the business
interests of the city and is an opening
whereby other manufacturing estab-
lishments may be encouraged to SINH
lar steps to the detriment of honest Ia
Dor and the community at large In
addition, there is a well-defined fear
that on the expiration of the terms of
these convicts they will make SaVan-
nah their abiding place, throwing a lot
of desperate criminals on the commu-
nifty.
Resolved, further, That the Senator
from this district and the Representa-
tives from this county in the General
Assembly are respectfully and urgent
ly requested to introduce, advocate and
press to passage such legislation as
may be necessary in the premises to
prevent the employment of such con-
Wet labor within at least two miles
of the jurisdictional limits of any city
or town in Georgia, unless the consent
nf he MN fafrA mol Ttl Of afa
city or town be first obtained"
-Four Petitions Against IL.
The meeting was prolific of petitions
urging Council to take some action to
prevent the employment of convicts by
the Mill Haven Company. The
petitions were filed by the Re
tail Merchants Association, the
Savannah Trades and Labor As
sembly, business men of the city and
laborers of the city.
Most comprehensive in it's expression
of objections was the petition of the
Merchants Association. This was pre-
sented by the committee consisting of
Messrs. Charles Garfunkel, b. H.
a recent meeting of the association.
This petition was as follows:
The undersigned, being a commit
tee appointed in behalf of the Retail
Merchants Association of this city,
call your attention to the fact that the
Mill Haven Company has contracted
for and propose to work about $50 con-
victs within a very few feet of the
city limits.
This is especially Objectionable. 1t
deprives free labor of the opportunity
of employment. 1t puts on the out
skirts of populous city $50 of the most
undesirable characters. The term of
service of these men expires from time
to time. They will scarcely leave this
city. 1t will dump into our population
a criminal class that will undoubtedly
give us great trouble. We call your
attention to the fact that the employ
ment of convicts so close to our city
is establishing an unfortunate prece-
dent. 1t viii be but a short time, in
our opinion, before other firms will
seek to secure the same kind of labor
1t will mean the employment of hun
dreds of convicts here, and the dis
placement of just so many free men.
This cannot do a community good it
must do it harm. We feel that it must
be prevented.
the matter of the employment of these
convicts with a view of taking steps
looking to the prevention of their en-
ployment. We suggest that Council
call on the representatives in the Cen
eral Assembly and our senator to pro-
cure the passage of a bill prohibiting
the employment of these convicts with
in two miles of a city of this state.
We will heartily cooperate with you
in securing the passage of such a meas
ure."
The petitions of the business men
and the laborers bore many signatures
1t was evident that many want to
prevent the employment of the con-
Wet labor. The Merchants Commit
tee requested immediate consideration
by Council, as the Legislature is now
in session, and it is desired to secure
the enactment of a law as speedily as
possible.
Paving for Thirty-sixth Street.
Thirty-sixth street, from Bull to
Jefferson, will be paved with vitrified
brick. An ordinance providing for such
a pavement was introduced by Alder
man Watson, chairman of the Commit
tee on Streets and Lanes. 1t is prob
able that this ordinance win be adopt
ed at the next meeting of Council.
Present at the meeting were Mayor
Myers Aldermen Holland Thomas
Horrigan, Schroeder, Frank Dixon,
Watson, Garfunkel Jones and Canty
Accounts amounting to $1S,03721 We're
passed for payment.
The petition of Mr.. J. II. H Entel-
man of the Park and Tree Commits
sion, asking a special appropriation of
5000 for the Improvement of Laurel
Grove Cemetery, was referred to the
Park and Tree Commission, the Com
mittee Of the Whole having recon-