The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1909-12-29
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The nigh HGicc Of co.5oN, coupled
w::ccE, good r,8::&grmont generally and
with the furti; er ,.4I that tie in,tiLu-
t:uu p:uaut2t. d greater quantity Uf
lot,)i: l.lis year than usual, Will e.
abe Superintendent Griffith OF the
panirentiarv tD make q recOrdb">:.A-
ing financial report to the Legislature
this year.
The reDor: las ro5 vet been drafted
but it VIII 50oW Z surplus and net
profit for the years business Of $780,
900, which the superintendent has en-
hand to turn into tie State treasury.
1t is likely that about third Of the
amount will b. used to pat up mod
ern brick stockade FOR the DeSaussure
and Reid farms, which adjoin each
other and which together are located
partly in Sumter and partly in Ker-
shaw counties.
Since Superintendent Griffith as
sumed office practically the entire
penitentiary plant has been built.
These improvements include big
grant, building for the interior ar
rangement Of modern cells, costly
guards quarters, the finest tubercu-
losis hospital in the South and various
improvements around the ground and
on the three farms operated by the
penitentiary management. The Lex
ington farm has iine brick stockade
aAd boiler plant worth about 511 500.
Superintendent Griffith this year
produced oyer 900 bales Of cotton and
will get An average OF over $50 q ba.e
for it. His other money crops We're
% ,O1J bushels Of corn and 90, 900 bush
els 0; oats. The price Of oats this
year has been 40 out the same as last
year, but corn was much more valu-
able than it was last year.
1t is understood that the position Of
Superintendent Griffith and the board
of directors with respect to the legis-
lature is that the management will be
grateful to the law making body for
the privilege OF being allowed to con-
tinue the good work without any
change in the law as it now stands.
Superintendent Griffiths' report will
probably carry 70 recommendations
but will merely lay all the facts before
the legislature.
There has been some talk and there
we're some resolutions proposed at a
recent good roads gathering to the ef-
feet that the Legislature should be in.
duced to provide for road building by
the penitentiary convicts. The man
agemcnt does not look with favor on
this proposition. as it looks upon this
as a dangerous departure from the
present method of handling convicts
and would, as it is argued, lead to al
the abuses of tue lease system. Con
! victs would be poorly fed and carec
for in many cases, it is said. Though
Superintendent Griffith is firm and {
fine disciplinarian, those who have
watched his administration have beer
im1 ressed with the fact that his sue
cess has been due TO little to the fac
that he uses kindness and considera
tion whenever it can be used to ad
vantage. It is said there are at leas
1856 convicts who c>uld not safely be
allowed to work out in this way
Many cf these are dangerous men ant
not few Of them Gave to be kept il
chains even on the grounds and watch
cd with great care. Many Of these
are not now worked even on the farms
There are many objections, it is claim
ed, 10 the present law allowing thu
leasing of certain convicts to the
county authorities at the rate of s
a month for each convict. Less thar
200 are let out in this way.-TEe
! State.