The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-18
THE STATE PRISONS HISTORY
Colonel Olds Describes it's Establishment in Raleigh
and Gives Interesting Incidents in Lives
of it's Inmates.

tant, while of the 5000 acres of land
bought part was in Chatham, part in
Harnett, part in Moore; that $3.50 acres
of the 5000 were pine barrens, of no
marketable value, to 10 miles from
the river, probably not worth over 10
cents an acre, with the large pines
out and the smaller ones boxed that
the $3.50 acres was in fact SO worthless
that its former owner was about to
parcel it out in small lots and convey
it to freedmen as gift, in order to
save taxes, when it was bought for 65A
cents an acre by Pruyn and others who
sold it to the penitentiary commission;
that none of the penitentary commits
sioners was ever on this tract of $3.50
acres, for which they paid $50, 125. The
Legislative committee went on to say that
of all the land purchased only $50 yards
fronted on the river (the Cape Fear
and not the Deep); that there was no
granite on the land. no iron and no coal;
that of the 100000 of bonds the State
had paid $4,000 to the Deep River Man
ufacturing Company and $4,000 to D. j.
Pryun. In conclusion the Legislative COM
rittee said: 1--WE will permit the Senate
to draw its own conclusions. That the
fed; that the penitentiary commission
was supposed on by persons who cared
only to make a good thing out of the
State is equally true" Right after this
report appears letter from S. Adams,
the Richmond man afore mentioned. who
came here and offered to take the $4,000
acres of land at 100000. to buy all the
pig iron the penitentiary made and to
hire part of the convicts.
The result of all this was that the
lands and the site were thrown back
on the hands of the sellers To this
day part of the lands at least are in
the ownership of heirs of one of the
sellers. The State next went about get
ting a penitentiary in a more careful
way.
The present penitentiary was estab-
lished by an act of the Legislature rati-
fed April II, 1869, under article 2, sec
ton 3, of the Constitution of 1868. The
act provided that it should be erected at
cnce near Raleigh, on a site selected by
the commissioners, the stockade to
enclose not less than one or more than
six acres: the building to contain 500
cells, constructed on the most approved
plan; the outer wall of granite or sand
stone the exterior walls of the same, the
inner walls of brick The Legislature
named in the act Alfred Dockery, Cebern
Harris, T. F. Patterson, George w.
Welker and Alfred Howe as the commits
sion. The latter was clothed with
plenary power. 1t was authorized to Sc
lect and buy the site and lands amount
ing in all to no less than twelve nor
hnr nv five 70
Treasurer was authorized to expend not
over $4,000 upon warrant of the commits
sion, this to be for the land, for expenses
of the commission, and for the profitable
employment of the convicts; the commits
sion to use convict labor in quarrying
stone and building, as far as possible; to
appoint an architect, superintendent and
assistant and guards and fix their sal
aries until the Legislature again met and
approved the design; that as soon as
arrangements were made for the keeping
and support of convicts the commission
should apply to the Governor. who was to
place under the charge of the commits
sion as many convicts whose terms were
the longest as might be needed. The
concluding provision of the act showed
that such permanent work could not be
done quickly and so provided that until
the permanent cells were ready temper
airy ones could be constructed.
When it was found that the site was
to be near Raleigh a local land company
offered a tract of land adjoining the
stone quarry whence the stone used in
constructing the capitol was taken. The
company also offered $4,000 as gift.
In Governor Holden's message to the
Legislature in November 1869, he said:
THE commission for that purpose have
chosen site near Raleigh for peni-
tertiary which is believed to be in every
way fit and advantageous, and they arc
pressing the work 1t is believed the
stockade and the necessary buildings
will be ready by January LIST, next y
This penitentiary commission had its
first meeting May 4th, 1862 making
Dockery chairman and Welker, secretary.
The vacancies due to the resignation of
Patterson and Harris were filed by Gov
ernor Holden, who appointed John l..
Harrison and A. l.. Lougee. The COM
mission bought from Miss Boylan twenty
two acres of land for $4,468, with the
right to use a granite quarry outside.
The commission appointed Levi 7. Scho-
field. of Ohio, as architect and his design
of the great prison was carefully fol-
lowed and stands now complete. The
commission made its report to the Leg
islature in November, 1869, saying it had
elected w. Fl. Hicks superintendent and
assistant architect The cost of the
stockade and buildings was reported to
approximate $14 900.
The Legislature of 1901 made some
changes. The commissioners were I'M
der the act required to give bond for
the performance of their duties, but
the Governor and Treasurer took mere
ly their personal obligations. The Leg
islature abolished the commission and
elected board of directors, as follows:
Alfred Dockery Gather of the present
United States marshaD; William Boylan
(now dead; Moses A. Bledsoe, (now liv-
ing in Raleigh; George w. Thompson, OF
Chatham county (who died few years
ago.; and c. Fl. Coffield These were
elected for four years from January LIST
| 1871. The Legislature also levied spe-
! cial penitentiary tax of Il cents on the
! 500 of property. The Legislature ap'
F! propriated $4,000 to pay for guards, etc