The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-10-06
NEW ASYLUM SITE.
Commission Decides on 1900 Acres
Near Columbia.

Near Columbia.
Columbia, Sept. 30.-The new
asylum to be erected for negroes,
giving in South Carolina for the first
time the segregation Of the races, will
be built in Richland county. To-
night Dr.. James W. Babcock, chair
man of the asylum commission, an
nounced that the commission at a
lengthy session to-day, had unani-
mously decided to make the purchase
OF the new site in this county,
Fifteen hundred acres, or there
abouts, will be secured, the land ly-
ing a few miles from the present site
of the old asylum. The location has
not yet been made public. The pre-
liminary arrangements looking to the
purchase of the land have been
made and at a meeting OF the COM
mission. to be held next Friday after
noon at o'clock, the commission
will complete arrangements and viii
announce the exact location OF the
land.
Out OF more than GU sites that
we're offered, the Richland land was
selected unanimously by the members
OF the commission. Dr.. Babcock re-
marked tonight that the action OF
the committee throughout has been
unanimous. Sites were offered from
many counties in tie State and a
number were included in the list of
those offered in this county. NO
Charleston sites were offered, but
Charleston men were interested in
some of the sites offered.
The commission has been at work
several months in the matter and
have given careful thought to the
work of selecting site. When the
commission met to-day there was a
trip out into the country and more
land was looked over. In addition
to this new sites were offered from
other parts of the State. The list
had been cut down to few sites at
the last meeting.
The commission was not limited to
any particular number of acres, as
had been enormously represented
from time to time.
The resolution passed at the last
session of the general assembly says
the commission shall purchase lands,
but does not say how much. The Sc
lection of a site in this county will
eliminate the necessity of an abso-
lutte division of the State Hospital
for the Insane. There will be two
asylums, it is true, the old one for
the white and the new asylum for
the negroes, but both will be in this
county. At former meeting the
commission decided it would be i'm
practicable to move the present
asylum and the buildings thereon are
being improved and two new ones
erected. This relieves for the time
being the overcrowded condition of
the asylum.
At another meeting also the COM
mission decided that the new site
should be utilized for the negroes,
so that there would be segregation
of the races. This has been one of
DR.. Babcock's efforts for many years.
The segregation of the whites and
negroes has been aimed at for long
time. 1t will now be accomplished.
The commission has 100000 avail
able under the resolution. The land,
although no purchase price has yet
been given out for publication, prob
ably cost in the neighborhood of
$4,000. That would leave about
$4,000 for the erection of the build
ings. The purchase price mentioned
here is only speculation, to show the
amount available for the new build
ings to be erected on the site.
When the commission meets next
week more definite details with re-
gard to the purchase will be given
out. All members of commission
we're present to-day as follows: DR..
James w. Babcock, chairman; DR..
Robert Wilson, Jr., of Charleston;
Col. Leroy Springs, of Lancaster;
Judge R. O. Purdy, Of Sumter, and
DR.. George B. Cromer, of Newberry.