Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-07-19
THE REPORT ON HOSIERY MILL.
Prison Board Assumes Full RESPONSE
bility--DeClare Plant Sanitary.

! full responsibility for conditions eX-
listing in the hosiery mill, and main
tanning that these conditions are as
sanitary, clean and healthful as it is
| possible to make them declaring
that convicts employed in the plant
| actually undergo less menace to
health than thousands of free citi-
zens working In cotton mills; as
| serting that the contract with Lessee
| Graham was entered into with the
| consent Of the Legislature, and is, in
the opinion of the directors, binding,
both in morals and in law, the board
Of directors of the South Carolina
penitentiary transmitted to Governor
Blease tonight formal communica-
ton, the result of sessions held yes
| terday and to-day, in which they say
they must stand by the Graham con-
tract, but will call the matter to the
! attention of the General Assembly,
and will, of course, follow that
body's instructions.
The letter follows:
His EXcellency Cole l.. Blease,
Governor-Dear Sir: Your commu-
nication Of some weeks ago demand
ing that this board abolish the hos
iery mill contract with j. NJ. Gra-
ham because Of alleged unsatisfac-
tory, unsanitary and unhealthful con-
ditions in the hosiery mill, was duly
received. In compliance with your
request this board held a 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 it was continued until the
meeting Of the board held Yesterday.
July 18th. At this meeting the at
torney general and the assistant at
torney general were both present, as
were all members 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 It to your
attention that on the 10th day of Au-
gust, 1910, formal contract was
entered into by this board with ]. NJ.
, Graham to continue for a period of
five years, beginning February 1st,
! 1911. Under this contract the board
let to Mr.. Graham the labor and SER
vices of from 200 to $50 convicts to
be used by Mr.. Graham in the man.
ufactnre of hosiery and other knitted
goods OF cotton and wool and in the
manufacture of necessary cases and
bales for shipping the same.
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
employed, which belongs to and is
within the walls Of the penitentiary,
under the same contract. is to be
kept in repairs by the board of di-
rectors. In other words, the contract
! Is one whereby the board of direc-
! tors agrees TO have cOnvictS do GER
tain work, they being under the ey-
elusive control and supervision of the
boa'd of directors. and the place in
VIII ch they work being likewise un-
! ",.' the exclusive control and supcr-
vision of the board of directors.
ut is clear therefore, that if any
unsanitary conditions exist in the
mill 1t Is the fault of the board of
directors and not of Mr. Graham, as
| 10 nf
duty of supervising the mill and
keeping it in repair, as well as con-
trolling the convicts that work
therein.
at has never been claimed that
Mr.. Graham has in anywise failed to
strictly comply with his part Of the
agreement, and the communication
from your EXcellency indicates your
opinion that we should rescind the
contract because Of unsatisfactory
and unsanitary conditions supposed
! to exist in the mill, chargeable to this
board and not to Mr.. Graham.
strictly in reply to your sugges-
tlons, we would respectfully call it
| to your attention that the condition
in and around the hosiery mill, as
well as those in ali other DEPART
ments Of the penitentiary, are sani-
tary, clean and as healthy as Is pos
sible to make them. Insofar as con-
Germs the hosiery mill, all portions
OF the building itself are kept per-
fectly clean, the toilet arrangements
are sanitary and the convicts are
given plenty Of air space; in fact in
sOfar as concerns the health Of la
! bOrers. the conditions In the hosiery