The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1911-07-19
REFUSES TO CLOSE
THE HOSIERY MILL

Board Of Directors of the State Peni.
tentiary Decline to Comply with
Gov. Blease's Demands that Mill be
Abolished.
Following meeting of the Board
OF Directors OF the State Penitentiary
held Wednesday, letter was address
ed to Gov. Blease I'm which the Board
stated its determination not to inter
fere with the j. NJ Graham contract
for labor in the hosiery mill The
Board assumed all responsibility for
conditions there eXhonoratinc tile les
sees from all blame as to assumed
unsanitary conditions. The two prin-
cipal grounds assumed by the Board
for not complying with the Governors
demands were that the state could
not violate it's contract with the les
sees and that the working conditions
of the hosiery mill were no worse
than the working conditions of la
borers in like occupations. The Board
left the matter in the hands of the
Legislature.
Following is the letter to the Gov
ernor:
Letter to Governor.
The letter follows:
His EXcellency, Cole l.. Blease
Governor-Sir: Your communication
of some weeks ago demanding that
this board abolish the hosiery mill
contract with Mr.. j. NJ Graham, be-
cause of the alleged unsatisfactory. un-
sanitary and unhealthful condition in
the hosiery mill, was duly received
In compliance with your request. this
board held meeting on the 21st of
June to fully consider the matter, but
not being able to secure the advice of
the Attorney General at that time 1t
was continued until the meeting of
the board held on yesterday, July II.
AT this meeting the Attorney General
and the Assistant Attorney General
were both present. as were all men,
bers of the board. The matter was
considered In all of it's phases and the
conclusion of the board was finally
reached.
THE board would call 1t to your
attention that on the ADth day of An
tered into by the board with Mr.. j.
NJ. Graham, to continue for a period
of five years beginning February 1,
1911. Under this contract the board
let to Mr.. Graham, the labor and SER
vices OF from zoo to $50 convicts to be
used by Mr.. Graham in the manufac-
ture of hosiery and other knitted goods
of cotton and wool and in the manu-.
facture of the necessary cases and
bales for shipping the same
requirements OF Contract.
The contract specifies that these
conVicts are to be under the guard and
control of the board of directors, and
the building in which they are en-
ployed, which belor rs to, and is within
the walls of the penitentary, under
the same contract, is to be kept in re-
pairs by the board of directors. In
other words. the contract is one
whereby the board of directors agrees
to have convicts do certain work. they
being under the exclusive control and
supervision of the board of directors.
and the place in which they work be-
ing likewise under the exclusive con
troll and supervision of the board of
directors.
1T is clear, therefore. that if any
unsanitary conditions exists in the
hosiery mill it is the fault of the board
of directors, and not of Mr.. Graham
as the board of directors assumes the
duty of supervising the mill and keep
ing it in repairs, as we'll as controlling
the convicts that work therein.
1T has never been claimed that Mr.
Graham has in any wise failed to
strictly comply with his part of the
1Prppmpnt hn
from your EXcellency indicates your
opinion that we should rescind the
contract because of the unsatisfactory
and unsanitary condition supposed to
exist i'm the mill. chargeable to this
board, and not to Mr.. Graham.
Sanitary Conditions.
Strictly in reply to your sugges-
tion. we would respectfully call tC
your attention that the conditions i'm
and around the hosiery mill, as well
as those in all other departments OF
the Penltentiary ARE sanitary, clean
ana as healthful as is possible to make
them in so far as concerns the hos
lery mill all portions of the building
itself are Kept perfectly clean. the toll
ct arrangements are sanitary and the
conNictS arc given plenty of air space
In iact, in so far as concerns the
health of the laborers, the conditions
i'm the hosiery mills are as good. if not
better, than those of any knitting mill
or cotton mill.in this State or section
So true is this that the board of health
itself, in their recent inspection. no.
only found no fault with these con.
ditions, but declared that they were
as good as we had indicated. The
hosiery mill is brick building. con
structcd few years ago. 1T has lalst
windows close together on each side
Kept Onen at ton and hntInm for thl