Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-01-24
THE COUNTY FARM PROPOSITION.

THE COUNTY FARM PROPOSIIlON.
In response to a letter of inquiry, Hon. Willis
Banks of Columbus. a member of the Board OF Sl-
p~ervisors Of Lowndes county, writes the subjoined
letter regarding that county's experience with a
county farm.
From the letter it is gathered that not only has
the county farm, in every year but one, maintained
the paupers Of Lowndes county and the convicts,
but has by the improvement of the land netted the
county the difference between $4,000. 90 1200 acres
at S. per acre. and 800, 000.0 90, and the difference
between S45O0.0O 600 acres at S15) and $4,000
1900 acres at $50 per acre., in all some $24, 10000.
But this is not all that Lowndes county has
profted under this plan. For the sixteen years 1t
has had the added benefit of the work nearly all of
each year of the able-bodied ~convicts on the coun-
ty roads.
Now Lowndes county has no advantage over
Noxubee. We have no city such as Columbus in
our borders. yet our personal assessment is larger
than Lowndes and our land assessment about as
large. IF Lowndes county can do what it has done
with a county farm Noxubee can do as well.
There are many farms in Noxubee near Macon
(where the county farm should be situated) which
COulu De DuTCidSeu dJ d CoilDdI dClVCiy INV pi'SS
and which by ditching and clearing could be
doubled in value in few years. On such a farm
the paupers could almost be self sustaining and
with the aid Of such ~convicts as are not suitable
for road work, and occasional assistance from the
other ~convicts the farm could be made to support
all the paupers and all the %convicts. There are
many days and weeks when work on the roads is
impracticable. At these times the able-bodied con-
victs could be used to clear land and dig bitches
and otherwise improve the land. When farm work
got behind, the convicts could be taken from the
roads for a few days and the work caught up with.
Then they could resume road work.
Noxubee county can with county farm proper
ly bought and managed achieve this result
Save the C )st of maintaining It's paupers.
Save cost of feeding its ~convicts and live stock.
Continue convict work on county roads.
Double in a few years the value of the lane
1t buys.
Against this the county will lose a few weeks
work Of ~convicts on county roads and the interest
at six per cent on the initial cost of the farm
bought.
This is the county farm proposition plainly and
1t is believed, fairly stated.
Mr.. BANKS LETTER.
Columbus, Miss, January %
Editor of THE BEACON:
Lowndes county has owned a County Farm fo
sixteen years. The first farm was composed O.
twelve hundred acres, and cost $500 per acre
which was sold about five years ago for 500, 00(
cash; then the present farm was bought. three
hundred and twenty acres at $500 per acre
which is valued now at $500 per acre. Tn,
Board of Supervisors have been thinking of sellin,
the farm at this place and buying another farm o
one hundred acres within a nile or so of Columbus
1t is not their intention to do away with a farr
for in some ways it is a great advantage. 1t wi
be more convenient nearer Columbus, then the
can fix up better for white paupers.
Up to last year the farm has paid expenses
We always made about thirty bales of cotton an
raised all corn, potatoes and meat and other fee
for prisoners and stock, but last year we We're ur
fortunate-lost all hogs with cholera, made
short corn crop and only sixteen bales of cotton
The result is, this year we will have to buy som
feed for prisoners and paupers. but taking every
thing into consideration the farm has paid Lownde
county.
Our best hands are workers on public roads
having bought two iron cages for them to sleep
at night. Only such hands that we cannot wor
On road and paupers remain at farm. except whe
farm work gets behind, then we put as mar
hands to work as we think necessary to catch U
with the work. Yours truly.
WILLIS BANKS.