The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-23
MARION CONTY'S MODEL.
OF What a Prison Farm and Hospital
Should Be-A Good Description
by j. ID. Rooney

As Mr. Rooney. secretary of the
Ocala Board of Trade. has written the
following story of our visit to the Ma
rion Farms and has made as good or
better story than we could have writ
ten, we viii use the scissors instead Of
the pencil and reproduce it from the
Jacksonville Metropolis Of yesterday,
adding this little thought that if every
farmer in Florida could visit this farm.
go all over it and talk to Capt. Purvis,
the visit would be worth a great deal
TO him and there is not a farmer in the
state. large or small. who would not
receive some valuable. ideas and infor-
nation from such visit.
Ocala. April 2I-By special request
4 accompanied by Carroll of the star
Mr. Harris of the Banner and DR.. 5. II.
Bitch, attending physician at the hos
pitaI of the Marion Farms. on which
are located the invalid convicts of the
state. there being now on hand 102
men and Sc women. Conditions found
there in connection with the manage
ment of this farm are such that war
rant this article.
Five hundred and sixty acres are
under cultivation. under the manage
ment of D. W. Purvis. The general
conditions from a san tary point are
the best to be found, 1 believe, in Flor
ida, and demonstrates that Mr. Purvis
not only in making a success from
farming standpoint, but is also handl-
ing these prisoners from a humane
view that is commendabIe in the very
strongest terms. The best of discipline
IS maintained. every one able. both
white and black, is required TO attend
both Sunday school and church ser
vices on the Sabbath; no swearing al
lowed either on part of guards or in
mates The ward seating quarters and
entire premises were perfectly clean,
and could have passed the closest in
spection, although it was not known
that we were to make this visit.
Something of the scope of work be-
ing handled by Mr.. Purvis can be bet
ter appreciated when detailed: Two
hundred acres of corn, 200 acres in vel
vet beans, twenty-five acres in sugar
cane. twelve in Japanese and sorghum,
40 acres set to pecans, land under cul-
tivatiOn: ten acres in pecans budded to
the native hickory trees; twelve acres
as a garden; ten acres in bearing or
anges; fifteen acres in peaches: eight
cen acres in watermelOns; two hundred
and fifty head of hogs for killing this
year; five hundred cans home packed
tomatoes: three hundred cans peaches,
a barnyard full of laying hens, eggs
in abundance. fine frying chickens.
twelve cows, giving a fine supply of
good milk and butter.
summary of some of the staple
articles produced the past season: Four
ItI
thousand pounds lard thfrty-fve thou
sand pounds meat, twenty-six hundred
gallons syrup. with plenty of corn, fod-
der and other forage crops to feed all
| the stock on the place. with all the
different kinds of vegetables that can
be grown on the fertile lands of Ma
| rion county.
One of the unique features found was
| that in clearing up new lands the wood
| taken from same is made to take the
place of a regular fence. being so piled
| as to answer this purpose. until such
| time as it is disposed of to the citizens
| of Ocala for fire or cook wood. An
| other feature is that all shoes and nails
for putting them on are made by their
| blacksmith as we'll as all handles and
J other farm implements. Mr. Purvis
| has exhibited his genius in many ways
| having from a lot of old junk burned
| in fire rigged up a good sawmill that
| cuts all lumber needed on the place, as
well as hard wood for making repairs
| to farm Implements a dynamo that
| lights the entire place, runs his syrup
mill, pumps water from a well 142 feet
| deep; also a system of pumping air
into the well to overcome certain con-
ditions when sending men into it be-
| ing overcome by the atmosphere.
Found the oId-time hopper running
I've from the ashes. which is used in
| making clean and better sanitation
the whole premises. as well as a disin-
fectant for the poultry and hog pens
as we'll as making lye soap; regular
bath tubs provided for both men and
women, white and black: far better
conditions here for cleanliness than the
iaverage negro is accustomed to. hence
the lessons learned are beneficial and
places those unfortunate enough to bt
confined there is conditions that will
make better people out Of them wher
their time is out
This is a demonstration of what car
be accomplished in Marion county. +
proper methods are used in cultfvatins
the land. If this can be done with tn,
invalid cOnvicts, what may we expec
when they utilize the more scientific
methods, with the latest improved ma
chinery.
Today Mr.. Purvis is loading I 1.0Ol
bushels of sweet potatoes that are t,
be shipped to Atlanta. Ga. having beer
purchased by Z. B. Stuart and Compan,
: OF that city