The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-02-13
ANNUAL REPORT.
ONCE County Commissioners, Sumter
County. y. &.

The Board OF County Commits
sioners for sumter County beg leave
TO submit to your Honor the twelve
monthly reports of the County Super
visor and a recapitulation OF all the
financial transactions during the past
year. as their annual report for the
fiscal year ending December 31st.
1910. The twelve reports contain an
itemized statement of all the money
spent through this office for the cur
rent expenses OF the county and also
the source from which the money was
derived:
on roads and bridges the sum of ST.
s70.i3.
On account OF the stringency of the
money market. we were unable to
market. to advantage. an issue of road
Improvement bonds and we deemed it
advisable to- postpone the sale of the
bonds until a future date.
The amount spent upon roads and
bridges has been used for the ger-
eral up-keep of this department. the
purchase OF terra Gotta pipe and metal
pipe for the replacement of wooden
bridges, and small contracts for road
and bridge work. On account OF the
failure To successfully market the road
bonds. we have not Purchased as much
pipe for permanent Improvement as
We desired, but have used the limited
amount on hard for this department
as economically as possible. We still
maintain a'fioating gang composed of
hired labor. which Is doing valuable
work at small cost. During the past
year We have done a great deal of
work on roads in Stateburg and Pri-
Nsteer townships and have also con-
structed a new road in Shiloh town
ship about eight miles long. which has
held up we'll and proves to be OF great
benefit to citizens I'm that part OF our
county. Our plan for the present year
Is TO confine the road work, as much
as Is practicable. to the main roads
I'm the vicinity OF the city OF Sumter.
as they are subjected TO heavy traffic
and their Improvement will be OF
benefit TO all the citizens or the coun-
~. The roads at the present time are
not In as good condition as we would
like. as the heavy rains have damag-
ed them to some extent. but we hope
with the help OF fair weather to make
good headway during the year 1915.
We respectfully call your honor's at
tention 10 the limited amount used in
the road and bridge department and
we will. in another place i'm this re-
port explain more fully the inade-
quacy Of the amount levied to meet
the demands OF this department and
OF the others OF the county.
The chaingang has cost the county
during the past year the sum of s1O.-
soo.3s. We feel that this money has
been well spent. as We are getting
good results from this branch OF the
work. which is under efficient man.
agement The changing has been
steadily employed in the betterment of
our old roads and the construction of
new road in Shiloh township. which
has already been referred to. At the
present time. we have about thirty
convicts on the gang. the number
changing from time to time as the
sentences expire. sometimes going as
high as forty-flve to fifty. We arc
now using twenty-one mules. The
money spent upon this department
has been used for dieting prisoners
purchasing stock. machinery. tools
drugs. clothing. blankets. food for
stock. etc. The expense of the chain
gang department has increased during
the past few years az the number of
convicts and mules has increased and
also on account OF the great increase
In the cost OF supplies. The health of
the convicts has been good and their
conduct as good as could be expected
from people OF this class. We insist
at all times upon extra attention 70
these two features. as we deem them
to be Of vital importance.
Upon the aims house we have spent
SS.iss.ts. This money has been used
Tor dieting the inmates, for which we
pay fOc per diem per capita. med
icsi attention. drugs and medicines
shoes clothing. beds and bedding. to-
oaceo' burial expenses. etc. The quar-
tsrs are comfortable and the inmates
are kindly treated by the matron. Mrs.
Is. ID. Mitchell. who Is serving the
county efficiently In this capacity. The
health Of the inmates has been fairly
good Many of them come to- tho