Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-16
GOVERNOR DEMANDS ACTION.
Consumption Incubator Should Be
Done Away With.

Done Away With.
Columbia, May 12.-Governor Blease
today called upon the board Of direc-
tors Of the state penitentiary to meet
and declare null and void the hosiery
mill contract. IF you do not give re-
lief, WILL" writes the governor, in a
communication directed to the board
and to Col. D. ]. Griffith, the superin-
tendent of the penitentiary.
This letter follows the report of the
state board of health, condemning the
hosiery mill and recommending that
it be abolished, and the convicts en-
ployed therein given outdoor work.
The tubercular conditions at the peni-
tentiary are the basis for the recon-
mendation.
Not only are the inmates made 20
suffer-" writes the governor" but when
one with this disease leaves there and
goes out into the world he spreads the
disease among our citizenship and
thereby causes the innocent to suffer-"
The Governors Letter.
Governor Blease's letter in full, CIV
en- to the press and mailed out is as
follows:
To the Board Of Directors Of the State
Penitentiary, and Col. d. ]. Griffith.
Superintendent.
Gentlemen: In view Of the report
made to you by the state board Of
health, through its chairman, in re-
gard to the serious and dangerous
conditions at the state penitentiary,
respectfully request that you meet ct
your very earliest convenience and de-
clare absolutely null and void the con.
tract for furnishing labor to the hn-
slery mill, within the walls Of the PEN
itentiary, as the operation of the
mill is a nuisance and destructive Of
the health and lives Of the operatives
as 1t is now conducted.
l also beg of you to compel the i'm
mediate removal of all of the ma
chinery in said mill, and that the
building either be torn away, or II ad-
vised by the proper competent author
in order to remove from 1t and from
within the walls of the institution all
traces of that most dreadful and loath-
some disease, tuberculosis. You may
be threatened with a lawsuit. In my
opinion, there Is no danger. The state
can take care Of herself, and you have
the legal right (and it Is your moral
duty), to bring to an end any contract
the conditions of which causes and
maintains a nuisance, and in my opin-
ion, the courts would not force you
to fulfill an agreement that produces
disease and causes death, but on the
contrary would sustain your refusal
when the cause Is shown them.
Gentlemen, one mans life Is worth
more than all the money the hosiery
mill will ever make for South Carolina.
1t may be said, wait until the legis-
lature meets" but this should not be.
We have a right to punish for crime;
we have right to correct, but we
have absolutely no right in the sight
ings and force them to work in places
where their health Is. endangered, and
where often death is the result. AL
ready too many graves have been filled
by the bones and flesh Of our people
to make money for outsiders. Not
only are the inmates made to suffer,
but when one with this disease leaves
there and goes out into the state, he
spreads the disease among our citizen
ship, and thereby causes the innocent
to suffer.
l beg of you gentlemen to give this
your immediate consideration and not
to permit any other individual to suf-
fer because of having to work in this
nuisance and abominable filth. No
excuse will be accepted by the people
of South Carolina If it is continued.
The time for action has come and you
are the ones to act; so, please proceed
to act, like men, your part. If you
do not give relief, l will.
Very respectfully,
Cole L. Blease, Governor.