The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-14
CONY|CTS YIELD
 STATE B|G RETURN Department Promises to 0utdo
 Former Records. CAMPS IN GOOD CONDITION Report of President Carmichael Shows Net Returns for the Quarter
 Just Ended of
 $el,232.32.
CAMPS IN GOOD CONDITION

Montgomery, April 1S.-(speciaL)-Th convict department bids fair to outdo itself in a financial way Tor the present fiscal year, the report of President Car michael showing a net return for the quarter just ended of $97,232 .32 Not only is the department showing up well fnan- eially, but the report shows the general condition of the convict department to be
 much better.
 The only camp where the department has recently had trouble was Vinegar Bend and since this camp has recently been placed under state control it is now reported as one of the best in the state The full text of the report Is as follows:
 '1 beg to say that at no time during my administration has the condition of the convicts been better than at the pres ent-perhaps not as good. The continued purpose of the board of inspectors is to improve as much as may be the condi- ton of the eonvicts. The death rate IS unusually small With upwards of 1S0O convicts we are obliged to suffer some losses from mortality
 With the approval of your excellency we employed the Rev. J. ]. D. Hall as all instructor and chaplain for the convicts employed in the mining, and it affords me pleasure to say that he has been reg ularly installed and Is doing a good work, one which will be beneficial to the depart ment even from financial standpoint, to say nothing of the question of morals and religion which are involved
 Each of the inspectors, during the quarter has performed the usual duties. 1 The president has given attention to a general supervision of the department and discharging the duties In detail of the office. The physician inspector, Dr. Shir- ley Bragg has given attention to the classification, inspection and health of the conviots, and the Hon. Thomas Brad ford has inspected the several posts where the convicts are kept and looked after their interest in that way
 The Vinegar Bend Camp.
 Tt will be remembered that some time since considerable trouble was encount- cred at Vinegar Bend with the Vinegar Bend Lumber company. Your excellency at the instance of the board, set aside the contract between the company and Mobile county A stay of the proceeding was prayed for and obtained from your excellency and the board and negotiations were opened looking to the retention of the convicts by the company. The nego- tiations resulted in giving the board the absolute control of the saw milling camps of the Vinegar Bend Lumber company, ana lOuaN the cD1NlcIS dI that pOlnl are well cared for under the management of MT. J. J. Meadors, who has appointed q warden at that point responsible for his conduct alone to the board. I am safe in saying that no convicts in the state are better cared for than those at Vinegar Bend.
 "The new contract at Durham made with the Durham Lumber company, Is proceeding satisfactorily. The men are healthy, are doing good work and realig- ing good profit in money to the state. In fact, every contract made by the board since the last quarter Is an improvement upon any of like character hereto fore made.
 The agricultural operations are fairly inaugurated, and seem to bid fair to be as successful as at any time heretofore
 While not specially called upon by law to submit anything in relation to the financial operations of the department. l have yielded to the inclination to furnish figures showing results of the operations during the quarter. The next quarter I may say, will not show as great results. by few thousand dollars, perhaps, as the present figures embrace the cotton crop and a few thousand dollars collected which came from the last calendar year. The total receipts from January 1. 190t to March 31, 1904, are $13S, 344 37. Of that sum there has been disbursed $41 112. o. leaving the balance of net receipts of the department for the three months to be s97. z32. .32.''