Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-05-17
WILL HEALTH BOARD CONDEMN?
Bleasc to Take Action to Annul Hos
icry Mill Contract.

itentiary hosiery mill, the contract
with Capt. Graham, Of this city, UNI
der which convicts from the prison
labor in the mill, was renewed in
1910, but several changes were made.
The chief change was in the scale of
prices for convict labor, the prices
paid % the penitentiary by Capt. Gra-
ham being raised in all instances.
Another change was in making the
contract extend over five instead of
ten years, as previously. The Goa
tract Is Of present interest, because
Of the action of the State Board OF
Health II urging that the mill be
abolished.
In a general way the terms Of the
contract are known. 1t was because
or the increased est of maintaining
the, prisoners at the penitentiary that
the movement las started to have
more pay for convict labor. In pro-
portion to the style of work done
were the prices for the laborers' work
raised, at the time the last contract
was made.
Unless there Is a clause In the last
contract to the effect that the con-
tract can for some reason be annulled
In the meanwhile, the contract will
have to run for the five years from
1911. There Is legal opinion also
that the State Board of Health, hay
Ing recommended the adjustment of
the hosiery mill, would have power
to condemn 1t. The boards of health
have almost unlimited power for the
health of the communities.
The 1910 Contract.
The report of the penitentiary
board Of directors makes only brief
mention Of the contract made with
Capt. Graham last year. The report
states that the old contract, made
with Capt. Graham twenty years ago,
expired JANUARY IS, 1911. There
fore, the ne" contract will expire
January &c, 1916. The board states
that 1T renewed the contract with
Capt. Graham after advertising for
''S' ''N 'i'sitS W ldSl I'VE years.
The prices per day for men are
o7R cents; for ONE 47h cents.
The board remarks that it believes
these prices will compare favorably
with other prices paid for such labor.
The machinery at the hosiery mill
is not modern, according to Inspector
McDougal at the time Commissioner
Watson's department investigated
the conditions existing in the mill
last year. The value of the mill is in
the work turned out, the equipment
probably being Of little value to any
other mills.
Governor Blcasc's Position.
Il consider the ~penitentiary report
OF the State Board Of Health to be a
complete vindication OF my position
on the subject of the investigation Of
the penitentiary conditions" was the
statement made last night by Cover
o Blease to a representative of the
News and Courier.
VIII Close Hosiery Mill.
LAS soon as l arrive in Columbia,
| shall write to Col. Griffth request
ing him to shut down the hosiery
mill Immediately. No man in this
State, no matter whether he be a
criminal Of the worst possible type,
shall be compelled to work in a place
where he Is exposed to fatal disease.
Before | allow this to take place, I'll
rather free every prisoner in the pen
itentiary.'
Governor Blease was most emphat-
ic in declaring hat the contract Of
the State with Capt. J. NJ. Graham, of
Columbia, for convict labor in the
hosiery mill for the next five years,
cannot be alleged as an excuse for
continuing the operation of the mill.
"The State ann be sued for
breaking this contract, in the first
place, because a private person or
corporation cannot bring suit against
the sovereign State. And, anyway,
even if the State could be sued, it
would be shown that, since to carry
out the contract would be a public
nuisance and would mean great detri-
mcnt to the citizens of the State, the
State would be justified in multiplying
1t. The mill can be shut down to-
morrow, and nothing can be done in
the way of prosecuting the State for
violation Of contract"
Road Work for Convicts.
The Governor agrees with the State
Board Of Health in advocating more