The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-18
The State Prisons History
CONTINUED from 10th page.)

Short Cut Railroad and Fayetteville and
western Railroad. The appropriation
for the two years was 100000.
For 1870-S0 the Legislature appropri-
ated $150,000. The west wing of the
main building was completed, at cost
of $23,7S0, SO as to be ready for use in
case all the convicts on the railroads
were turned back on the prison. The
Legislature passed a bill limiting the
penitentiarys entire expenditure annu-
ally to $3.50, 900, and directed that the
penitentiary be made DEMONSTRATING.
December 1, 1900, there were 1902 con-
victs. Some were at work on the Egypt
Railroad and the Weldon canal. This
year the State made the lease of a farm
on the Roanoke river. 1t had convicts
at work on the Norfolk and Carolina
Railroad, the Hillboro Railroad, the
Roanoke and Southern Railroad and the
Mt. Airy Railroad.
December /, 1892, there were 1922 con-
victs. Most of these were on three
leased farms these being the Northamp-
ton. Caledonia and Halifax on the Roam
oke; Castle Hayne, near Wilmington.
where they farmed and mined phosphate,
and some were on the Washington and
Pactolus Railroad.
In 1893 there were on December list,
1852 convicts. A special statement was
made of State. appropriations to the PEN
itentiary for the past twelve years, these
being given as follows: 1883. $4,000;
1884, $4,000; 1885, $780, 1886, s121, 900;
1887, s1OO, 900; 1888. 100000; 1889, $4,000;
1890. SIS 0G0: 1901 nothing; 1892, nothing;
1893. s125OO; 1894, $12,5OO. That was the
of bo
December /. 1894, there were ,265 con-
victs and December 1. 1895, there We're
1,246. In 1895, great flood in the Roam
oke broke the dyke on the Caledonia
farm and made two breaks in the dyke
on the Northampton farm. 1t left only
Is per cent of the corn crop. The appro-
priation that year was $50, 900, but only
$1,000 of it was drawn. In 1894 the fiscal
year was so changed as to end Deem
Der 81.
The number of convicts at the end of
1896 was only Las, and at this reduc-
tion the authorities exIAcessed special
pleasure.
In April, 1897. John r. Smith became
superintendent or general manager. His
first report is dated July Is, 1893. He
sal" ''-~+ for 1897 there was no State APP
preparation. The criminal insane depart
ment was arranged in 1897, the west end
of the main building being taken. Smith
said there was only $22,24O available
when he took charge overdrew the
account s15,S27. December 81, 1897.
there were LIS convicts. Some were en-
ployed on the Elrod Railroad, some on
the Ham farm, near Goldsboro His re-
port gave the annual receipts of convicts
in past years as follows: 1888, 42S; 1884,
400; 1886, 500; 1886, 597; 1887, 6O2; 1888.
52S; 1889, 534; $780, 4S1; 1891 347; 1892
461; 1898, 542; 1894 500; 1895, 4SS; 1896
All; 1897, 453; 1898, 800.
In 1898 the United States convicts
from this State and a number of other
States were received. They proved
troublesome. The United States paid
% cents a day for them. stockade for
young criminals was put up at the An
son farm. Separate quarters for con-
sumptives were recommended There
were convicts at work on the Raleigh
and Cape Fear Railroad and on the
Lyrias rice farm near Wilmington, De-
cember 31st the number of conyicts was
1.091
In 1899 w. II. Day become superin
tendent. The administration buildings
interior was fitted up. Iron beds (3b5l
were put in cells. The Castle Hayne
and Lyrias farms were dropped. De-
cember 81, 1900. there were $50 conyicts
During the two years then ended 697
had been received, So recaptured; while
665 were discharged, 131 pardoned. AZ
died. Of the $50 prisoners les were
wnlte males. 4 white females; CIT ne
gro males, ~ negro females | Indian
Inc special appropriation for the two
years was $105 Al
The buildings are quite ornate. At
the east end of the main one is the hos
pltal and the chapel. At the west end
is the section devoted to the white Grim
mai insane. In the front are the Offices
and the living quarters wherein during
TIE last administration and the present
one the families of some officials have
resided.
There has been only one fire within
the prison. That was about Is years ago
ana company of troops was on dutv
all night, together with many CITY fire
men. 1t was at this fire that one of tho
buildings containing the original cells
was burned. There was a sensational
scene, but no convicts escaped.
There has been only one great mutinv
in the prison. That was in April 1887
and troops were sent there The mutt
neers, some so. were in the corridor of
one of the great cell blocks They tore
up bricks from the floor of the basement
and made the most awful threats. It was
proposed to shoot the ring-leaders II
was also proposed to drench them with
water, but neither of these things was
done The mutiny lasted many hours.
Another company of troops was kept in
the city, on waiting orders. There have
been some small mhtinies and one mutt
neer shot dead by the warden during
the Russell administration.
Various superintendent of the peni-
Tertiary under the directorate system
Rave been David NJ. Carter, E. r. Stamps,
Paul f. Faison, Augustus Leazar, John
X. Smith, James M. Mewborne, w. III.
Day and J. S. Mann.
The name of William J. Hicks will al
ways be inseparably connected with the
penitentiary. He began there in 1859
and served until 1897. He was always
jealous and broad gagged and did his
State great service.
For long time shoes were made in
the prison, then horse collars iron work