Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-03-08
TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 1910.
ABOUT THE CHAlNGANG.
Another Correspondent Is Anxious to
Know About That Contract.
Editor Yorkville Enquirer:

OEhNIle
Some weeks ago l noticed an article
in your paper from a citizen of Glover,
asking for certain information regard
ing a so-called contract between the
county commissioners and the city Of
Rock Hill, by which Catawba township
receives credit for all convicts sent up
from the city of Rock Hill. l have
anXiously watched for some eXplana-
ton from the county supervisor or
county commissioners, but thus far ]
have seen nothing explaining the mat
ter and in justice to the other eight
townships in the county | suggest tnat
the grand jury look into this matter.
If there is contract and made ac-
cOrdins to law, there should be no Sc
cret about the matter, but let other
towns in the county enjoy the same
privileges as Rock Hill, and work their
own convicts at home. If there is
such a contract in force not according
To law, il strikes me that 1t is the duty
of the supervisor to annul said contract
at once l have heard a great deal of
comment and criticism on this matter,
but no one seems to clearly understand
how Rock Hill gets such favors.
Unless there is some way to equalize
the working of the chainganS, / think
ii should be done away with as quickly
as possible or else relieve the northern
and western part of the county from
further expense in connection with
same as we certainly have not during
the twenty years that it has been in
existence gotten anything like our pro-
portion of the work.
Taking the Supervisors report for
last year, we find the expense for
maintaining and operating the chain
gang amounted in round numbers to
an nn 4. 4 = - n
tain township get? Not a single days
work. How much was our proportion
IF this expense? There are nine town.
ships in the county and while l have
no means for ascertaining the exact
figures, / feel quite safe in saying that
Kings Mountain townships proportion
OF this expense. would be not less than
$500 per year, and for the eighteen
years that the gang has been in exist
ence our proportion of the expenses
would amount to say $l2,600. and have
We received $4,000 worth of work for
our $12600 expenses. / dare say no
and / don't believe a single man in
Kings Mountain township will claim
that we have received over $4,000
worth of work from the gang since 1t
was started.
Supervisor Gordon's report Is the first
that / nave seen showing the cost to
the county for operating the chaingang,
and l have no doubt 1t has been as
economically managed as by any Of his
predecessors, still with the most favor
able year for outdoor work it was
shown that the cost was about equal
to day !aborers at 81 per day, and that
about IS per cent of the work for one
year was done in one township.
have no criticism to make of
Supervisor Gordon'S work, the fact is.
/ don't know that l have ever seen any
Of it, but l do claim there is some
thing unfair in the system" and l
claim that each township should be
treated equally or give each township
a number of days work. equal to the
amount of their part of the expenses.
If Kings Mountains part of the eX-
penses is $500 or 500 per year, give US
900 or 700 days work, and likewise
with the other townships.
Fair Play"
Glover. s. c., March 5, 1910.