The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-06-10

Columbia, June THE hosiery
mill will be abolished. Following
the session Of the Peni,entiary board
Of directors. with members of the
State board Of health and Governor
Blease present, this afternoon, late
tonight the announcement was made
that the recommendation of the
board of health will be carried out.
In these recommendations was the
finding that the hosiery mill should
be abolished.
While all the details have not yet
been worked out, the fact that the
hosiery mill will be no more is an
aboslute fact now, and thus is ended
the discussion over a proposition that
has stirred the State from one end to
the other.
The rumors as to tubercular condi-
tions at the Pententiary were called
to the attention Of the Legislature by
Governor Blease, who asked that an
investigation be ordered. The investi-
cation was ordered, the work being
done by the State board Of health.
The State board of health made a
number Of recommendations as to
sanitary conditions at the Peniten-
tiary and, among other things, recon-
mended that the hosiery mill, where
are worked 800 convicts, be abolish
ed.
In response to a request from The
News and Courier correspondent, Mr.
A. K. Sanders the chairman of the
borad. explained the action Of the
board today as follows:
'The hosiery mill matter has not
been fully adjusted yet. Will say
however, that the recommendations
Of the State board Of health will be
carried out The board will hold a
special meeting on June 81 to try and
adjust the matter satisfactorily to
Capt. Graham as t. the time of clos
ing the mill.
THE meeting today was very
harmonious, Governor Blease and the
committee from the State board Of
health meeting without board"
Chairman Robert Wilson, Jr. Of the
State board Of health, of Charleston,
was present at the mccti7r IN re-
ply 20 question, it L. stated, DR.. VIII
son said that the one remedy as TO
the hosiery mill was to do away with
this form Of labor.
Tne following are the members Of
the board Of directors OF the PEN
itentiary: A. X. Sanders chairman
Hagood; John G. Mobley, Winnsboro;
w. II. Glenn. Anderson; ]. D. Deas,
Summerton; Jasper Nj. Smith
Smoaks; John Taylor, secretary, CO.
lumbia.
The Capt. Graham referred to in Mr..
Sanders statement above is Capt.
John Graham, of this city, who holds
the hosiery mill contract with the
state. The contract was to run for
five years, from January of this wear.
The previous contract was for twenty
years. Under the new contract the
State did not have the right to with
draw. 1t is understo ID, however.
that, upon proper settlement, Capt.
Graham will not stand in the way of
the abolishing OF the hosiery mill.
Under the State board of health's
recommendation, the convicts in the
hosiery mill will have to be given
outdoor work Of some kind
Governor Blease, when informed
late tonight of the announcement
made by Mr.. Sanders, said he was
pleased that the board had agreed to
adopt the recommendations.
At the joint meeting this afternoon
in connection with the hosiery mill
proposition, Governor Blease told the
toard that in accordance with his
letter, he first called upon the Pen
itentiary board to annul the hosiery
mill contract; that If the board did
not do so, he would ask the State
board Of health to pass a resolution
condemning the mill that if the
state board Of health would not act,
he would ask the Legislature to an
nul the contract; that if the COM
ing Legislature did rot act, he would
go before the people and ask them
to elect a Legislature that wouId act
In This matter. "The hosiery mill
must co. the Governor explained.