The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-05-05
Convicts in
cozy Camp
Recital Of a Visit to a Texas Con-
xict Farm and How it is
Conducted.

About fifteen years ago | was in
vited to visit convict farm in Texas.
| suggested that.a house party be Civ
en-. so about a half-dozen were ask
ed to 90. We went on the train,
though the distance was only seven
miles. 1t was remote and quaint
part of Texas we were in and few
people visited that ion. This
convict farm was situated a mile from
the depot, the town of A being i'll
Brazos County, on the Brazos river.
The town. was very small, in fact
only about eight houses were near
the depot, including the store and
boarding house which was called The
Rocky Mountain Hotel kept by ne
proes. 1t was most u n n v in g
place for travellers to stop. Very
few of the population were white.
TO look toward the convict camp
from the depot was most pleasing
sight. Broad fields of alfalfa and
cotton were on either side of the road
and beyond we could see the little
White City, the convict camp. 1t is
large tract of prairie land, level as
a floor. and in the distance could be
seen the hills in old Washington
County, where the remains of the old
town of Washington still ST a n d,
which was originally the Capital of
the Republic. 1t did not seem to a
person who was ignorant of the fact,
that that small White City was a
State institution where scores of men
were at work.
In this farm were 5000 acres, which
was private property. The owner
furnished the land and machinery,
while the State provided the convicts,
food and clothes. AT the time Wis
tied the place there were one hun
dred and fifty convicts. All the con
victs were colored men. There were
many TRUSTEES about the place. L con-
sidered it bit of good fortune to re-
ceive a cordial invitation to spend a
couple of days in the camp and we
chose Saturday to go as on that day
the convicts are allowed to spend the
night according to their own inclina-
tions. OF course they were compell-
ed to remain in the prison. 1t was
rare occurrence to have women IL
the camp, but Judging from the hos
pitality and cordial manner of ou
host and the officials in the camp
they were quite as pleased to receive
ais as we were to be there.
After we had given glance to th'
station and surroundings we wer
escorted to the conveyance that wa
to take us to the camp. 1t was
generous threeseated affair, which w
were told had been made by the con
victs at the prison at Huntsville. Th
drive to the camp was most delight
full. The road led us through cotto
fields, when at the end Of the mil
we arrived at the camp. The builo
ings were grouped together un d e
numerous and stately pecan tree
which are the most common trees
that locality. As we drove up W
could see men going hither and thitl
.er and it seemed as though it wei
indeed busy spot. All OF the whi
men ON the premises are guards
officials and all the colored me
about. wore the brand of the convic
the suit of stripes.
Wereached the camp just as the me
were coming in from the fields The
marched ahead in squads of eight
ten, followed by armed guards. II
squads filed by us slowly, one aft
the other, over into the main priso
In front of the prison sat three arr
ed guards all the while the convit
were passing in or out. ALI OF t
convicts I noticed seemed to be IL
happy frame of mind, for they we
laughing and talking with one a
other as they marched to the prise
Neatness, order and dispatch seem
to be chief characteristics. Althou