The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-21

The excess of receipts over
disbursements being .......-..s S46'o. Il
For the fiscal year ending sep
tember 30. 1911, total receipts
We're 81 ltoo,e eoi. =
And the disbursements were sis.Ssl Al
Showing an excess of receipts
over disbursements of .....-...s 4Ss,9i2. u
Being the largest net receipts during the
preceding four years. The examiner says
have a proper allowance for deterioration
| for the four years mentioned was slt22,
| 04s. SO, or an average annual excess oil
$405, ,50S.72
All of the foregoing estimates of the
annual net receipts of the convict depart
llnent. in my judgement, fail to take into
consideration one item of expense None
| of the reports which have ever been made
have a proper allowance for deterioration
of the property purchased by the state
! the tools machinery. farming lmple-
ments and stock used in securing these
net returns.
have ordered The president of the
beard of convict inspectors TO employ
az. expert accountant to make an inven,
| tory OF all the personal property De
I longing to the state and make a proper
| lallowance for deterioration. loss and de-
lslruction of property, so as TO ascef-
tain. according to the most improved
and modern system OF scleniillc Door
keeping the actual net receipts of the
convict department. This is made nee
essary by the fact that the examiners
/ have been required to give all their al
| tention to the examination OF the con-
vict department to the neglect OF. al
other pressing duties. The foregoing
reports are hereto attached and made
a part of this statement.
In addition to these reports Exam
iner. Brooke made careful eXamina
ton of the amounts due the. state by
lthe Tennessee Coal. iron and Railroad
company and copy of his report is hei2e-
! tc attached.
During the fall of last year Exam
iner Evans and Mccall were assigned. ia
the duty of investigating all the differ
ent state departments in the capitol
Examination of the convict department
| was not reached until the latter part
OF 1912 Judge Mccall was engaged in
! that work up to the time of Mr.. Lacy s
flight and Mr. Oakleys removal from
| office.
Early In his administration, Mr.. Oak
| ley urged upon me the Importance OF
employing competent mining engineer
I to inspect the mine. secure the install
lation OF necessary equipment and SAN
| itation. and who would also be able
| through his technical knowledge, and
experience. to reduce expenses and Sc
cure greater efficiency. Mr. c. c. Huck-
abee was recommended to me by Mr.
| Oakley and others as a thoroughly COM
petent mining engineer who had had
experience in the operation OF coal
mines and whose service would result
! in great saving to the state by his in
| PRODUCTION of better and more efficient
| methods of the working of the convicts
| and in the reduction of expenses and in
! the minimizing of all waste in produc-
tion. Mr.. Huckabee made frequent re-
ports and on July 7, 1911. filed in this
office statement showing that he had
| saved the state s4,905 a year as result
of Increased cost due to efficiency OF
coal used under the boilers at Speigners
| reduced cost of ammunition. by change
of quality and by buying in car load
/ lots all mining supplies, etc, regula-
| tion of fresh meat supplies, by disal-
lowing amounts In excess of require
nents and by change in the methods
of shipment.
Purchase of Supplies
| had Mr.. % r. Sedberry make. me a
fun report regarding the method used
in the purchase of supplies. As before
shown. his report showed that compared
with the previous administration there
was a saving of s11121 perAyear on tho
purchase of food alone and a SAVING
Of sl9,716 per year in total mainten
ance. Mr.. Huckabee also reported that
under the contract with the Tennessee
Coal. Iron & Railroad. company, that
owing to miscalculation in bringing
forward the prices the state was to re
ceiye per man. according to classified :
ton. and as the Pratt scale advanced
a small error in the prices per man per
mn n a l,xa, iaJ fo,
years. which amounted to s9S7.51, which
the Tennessee Coal Iron & Railroad
company owed the state. This amount
was subsequently collected. He also
called attention to small differences in
the Belle Ellen contract of the same ma
ture. and which amounted to S253.51
which was paid on the 9th day of May,
1912
In addition to these examinations
pIade by the state examiners and by
Mr. Huckabee, | had DR. w H. Oates
TO make frequent examinations OF the
different CAMPS in reference to their
sanitary condition and the treatment
Of convicts. Immediately upon tile re-
ceipt of his reports, / called the atten-
tien of the convict department and
both the Banner and Sloss-Sheffield
mines to his recommendations. Copies
CT my letters to the Banner mines and
also the Sloss- Sheffield company at Flat
Top are on file in my office.
In addition to these reports Mr. H.
y. Brooke under my orders examin en
the alleged discrepancies that existed in
the wardens daily reports and the sur
geo ons' monthly reports as to the num-
her of convicts excused from work on
account of sickness in mine No G.
from January L. 1910 to January l.
1912; a copy of which report Is heretn
attached and marked Exllibit p.
In addition 10 these reports made BY
the examiners of accounts both Mr..
Greer and DR.. Fowler made numerous
reports in reference to the penitehtiary,
Speigners and the different camps al
which state convicts were hired The
first report from MI Greer was dated
May ~, 1911. In this report he states
that the states property at Wetumpka
was in good condition, the live stock
all fat and sleek, with plenty of feed
stun for both man and beast and to
spare;". but stated that the. condition
of the states property at Speigners was
out of repair. the cattle and mules thin
and shaggy; no food there except az
hauled from WetumplSa or shipped from
the market, but stated that a general
cleaning process had been Instituted at
Speigners within and without the pris-
or walls and that it could be made a
model camp and very little sickness at
either place and those who were sick
were being well cared for Inspector
Greer also stated at prison No. 2 ard
No. he found everything in first class
condition. with very little sickness no
complaints, and that as whole they
We're both models
He compllmented the Tennessee C Coal,
Iron & Railroad company for the mani
ner in which they are prepared to take
care of the convicts and stated at Flat