The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-21
GOVERNOR ONEALS STATEMENTS ON THE CONVICT SITUATION

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loSperienced wardens at all camps,
DIR. Fowler made a report on thetllth
of July. 1871. in which he stated that
sanitary conditions We're good at ali
the camps and the health of the prisA
oners especially good. Another report
made by Mr.. Greer dated ON the ,1Itli
OF October 1911. In this report he
stated he had visited the campat Flor
ence in company with 'Dr. Fowler and
investigated conditions thoroughly and
that he and Dr. Fowler both agreed
Mr. Byrd, the warden was right it
every contention. That the men were
| in a very healthy condition. except as
TO Lucille He stated that there was
considerable friction there which could
be removed byga change in the mine
foreman. NIr. Greer criticised Mr. Love-
10Y, the managerial Lucile, but compli-
r1ented Mr. tNelms. Mr.. Greer also
stated that the conditions at the saw
mill and, turpentine camps We're betr
ter than at any time since he had
1 been connected WitHthe board, especial-
ly did he declare tliis was true of Sant
ford. TO use conyiets. old expression.
1T is like home now" and 'its is lfkf
/ heaven compared TO What it WIS., cn
the 10Th of December Mr. Greer made
another report in which he stated the
organization a whole was in good
condition and Shere was less sickness
than. at any time during Mr., Oakley's
i administration He stated that tile
water supply at Flat Top was very in-
adequate but that the loss-Sheffield
Coal & Iron company agreed to Cor
rect the conditions at once. He Stated
| that conditions at FLORENCE had mot
heeE bettered and that, thevrhoele- Phil
lips company should be required to
remedy conditions at once
Sanitary Conditions
And alsey numerous reports from Dir.
Fowler. On the 18th of January, 1912,
Mr.. Fowler reported the sanitary con :
aitions of the entire convict system as
/ good; the same report was made in
! february: the same. report was made
ON March s. He stated that at Banner
and Flat Top the' sanitary conditions
as to water and other improvements
would be reinedied in accordance with
/ The demands of the convict department.
Another report in which he called at
/ tention to the Importance Of improve
ments at the hospital al Banner mines:
these recommendations We're suhss :
lquently carried ont. lie also stated
that the improvements which the SIoss-
! Sheffield people had agreed to make
at Flat Top as embodied in Il .special
contract should be executed at once.
Letters We're written by me to the
! Sloss-S sheffield people in regard to this
report and | had an interview with the
president and general manager and
they agreed TO improve conditions in
accordance with the requirements of
| their contract at once. / notified them
unless. these conditions We're immedi-
ately carried out / would abrogate the
lcGntract. On the I'd of May Inspector
Greer reported that in view of the re-
I..s1 ms sfxx<
oats he desired to say that the prison
was as clean and neat as it could be
made in its present condition and that
DR.. Fowler Joined in that report. An
ether report was made the 26th of
| May, 1912.
Inspector Greer reported that cer-
/ tain sanitary requirements should be
enforced at Flat Top and Banner mines,
Attention was called of both of tho
contractors to those requirements and
they advised that they had been cont
piled With. On the Sth of June, 1912,
DR.. Fowler reported that he had exam
| lned every convict camp total of l3.
and that he found the health and sani-
tary conditions fairly good, but criti-
cised conditions at Flat Top He stated
that the Pratt Consolidated company
i would soon have new hospital cou-
pieted. on the 10th of June Inspector
Greer reported that he had inspected
ell the prisons of the state and found
them well Kept and that the men We're
| In good condition, and. that the lien
derson Turpentine company had COM
piled with the request that the convict
! hoard had made and had enlarged the
| prison at Camp Greer according TO in
structions and that everything seemed
to be running smoothly.
:, Inspector Greer stated the farming in
| terest .at Speigners could not be better
4
tmnpka looked, healthy and had been Well
worked and stated in conclusion: ~ think
we have reason to congratulate ourselves
upon the condition of the department at
present. Everybody seems to be working
/ in harmony and doing-aii IN their power
to promote the best interest of the de-
partment." on July 49, 1872 the 'physi-
| clan inspector. Or. Fowler. reported that
the health and sanitary conditions of the
convict system during the month of June
| had been uniformly good he stated that
| the Sloss- Sheffield Steel and Iron COM
pany, operating the mine at Flat Top,
| had made a beginning and their improve-
ments would soon be brought to a speedy
completion. He stated that sickness at
| Fiat Top had decreased for the month
OF June as compared with the previous
month on September 5. 1912. DR.. Fowler
reported that with the exception Of two
camps the health and sanitation of the
convict system was very good. He stated
| that Lucille prison had been cleaned and
| was in very good condition: he stated
that the hospital at Fiat Top was COM
pleted and properly kept and was very
creditabIe and fully meets all requir-
ments He stated the cells were in good
shape and were kept dean. On September
IN Assistant Inspector Greer reported the
general health of the copvicts was good
and prisons were neatly kept and no just
cause for criticism anywhere that he had
been able to discover.
General Health Good
! lie stated that the improvements Mt
Flat Top were going on slowly. but prog
ress was being made and that in the near
future the necessary improvements would
I've completed. On October Is, 1912, Inspec-
tor Greer reported the general health of
the cunvicts was good and the prisons
upon a whole neatly kept and eonvicts
properly fed and clothed and no special
complaint anywhere except at Flat Top.
He stated that the covering over the tip
ple at Flat Top had been allowed to go
10 decay and 1t should be recovered.
Upon this, report "a letter. was written to
the manager of the Sloss-S Sheffield Steel
and Iron company, calling attention to
the condition Of the tipple and demand
ing that a new roof be constructed at
once. The general superintendent, MI.
j. g.. Moore answered at once that the
necessary roofing with which to repair
the same had been ordered and that the
necessary repairs would be Immediately
made.
During the latter part. Of last year l re-
ol1ested Examiner Mccall TO make a
sta tan,ent az. any arrears due by any con-