The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-09-16
hosiery MILL SANITARY.
RICIILAND COUNTY GRAND JURY
DENIES THAT TT Is A NUS.
ANCE.
Thorough Investigation Made OF Pen-
itentiary Mill and Number of
Witnesses Examined-Isctter evnu-
lation Of Third Floor Only I'M
provement Recommended.


The only matter of general interest
was the refort on the Penitentiary
hosiery mill which was investigated
at the request of Solicitor Cobb.
The report follows:
AT the beginning of this term Of
the court We were instructed by your
honor. at the request of the solicitor.
TO make an immediate and thorough
investigation OF the alleged nuisance
at the State penitentiary caused by
reason Of the operation at said peni-
tentiary Of the hosiery mill by use Of
convict labor thsrein;' by reason Of
which employment and confinement
Of said convicts. and the unsanitary
conditions Of the mill AID the class
OF work carried on. the helath OF said
convicts was impaired and tire health
and welfare not only of said convicts.
but Of the public at large. were Sc
riously endangered by reason of the
fact that the class OF convicts, after
their release from the penitentiary,
returned to their various homes In a
diseased state OF health and trans
mitted diseases contracted therein.
Understanding that II the class Of
work carried on at said hosiery mill,
and the unsanitary conditions therein.
were such az to be Injurious to the
health Of the public, that an irdict-
ment against the party operating 1t
could be maintained ap5 Its further
continuance abated we undertook
this investigation In order to ascertain
II probable case could be made out
charging the m aintenance Of said
nuisance. expecting. IL We so found,
TO call upon the solicitor to prepare
q bill Of indictment charging the
maintenance Of the same so that It's
further continuance and existence
might be properly abated.
In accordance with your honor's
instruction. and In the performance
Of what we conceived to be our
general duties and within the author
ity invested In us. We have made
most careful and exhaustive investi-
cation AMI examination OF the ailcg-
cd nuisance existing at the hosiery
mlli. devoting much OF our time at
this session OF tho court TO this par
tlcular matter.
We bes to report that we first
made q personal examination of the
hosiery mill. inspecting each Of the
departments therein. and also the
hospitals and other buildings at the
pcni entiary. Thereafter. we sum-
moned before us and examined the
following witnesses: Col. ID. ]. Grif-
nth. superintendent State peniten-
tiary; DIR. Robert Wilson. Jr.. chair
man state medical board; DR. w. NJ.
Lester. member State medical board;
DIR. jennings. present physician at the
penitentiary; Rev. Mr.. Abney. chap.
lain OF the penitentiary; J. NJ. Gra-
ham. who operated the hosiery mill:
DIR. Boyd. the health Office Of the City
OF Columbia: Drs. Pope. Harmon and
Butler. former physicians ut the PEN
itentiary.
I'VE find that many Of the convicts
worked In the hosiery mill are those
who can rot be worked either upon
the public highways or upon the
State farms. and We also find that
quite a number Of convicts are sent
to the penitentiary from the county
jaiis and chaingangs who are sick
and frequently horribly diseased and
are unit for work on the county
chaingangs q. elsewhere.
I'VE made especial inquiry as TO
the number OF deaths from consump-
tion and were agreeable surprised TO
md that the mortality from this
dreaded disease had greatly decreas-
ed. We found that the number OF
deaths from consumption from 1900
to 1905. inclusive. was 5s. from 1905
to- 1910. II was 22: and during the
year 191i aud to the present time
oniy three had died OF consumption,
and two OF these had the disease
when they were brought to the PEN
itentlary this year.
We beg further to report that in
our opinion the sanitary conditions OF
the hosiery mill are good and just as
nearly perfect as possible: the floors,
machinery. fixtures and other depart
ments being neatly and cleaniy kept.
and We do not find any conditions ex-
isting which are injurious. either to
the health OF the convicts OF, to the
public at large. or any facts warrant
Ing us In finding a true bill charging
the maintenance OF n nulsonca nj said