Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-11-29
REPORT OF GRAND JURY
Final PfeSentment Touches ImpOf'
tdnt Matters
CONDITION OF The COUNTY IS GOOD

Roads Should Be lmproved-Reeom-
mentioned Of State Board of Chari-
ties-complete Separation of White
and Co.ored Convicts Too Much Ex-
pense-No Need for Law and Order
ConstabIes-SaIaries of County OFF,
GERS Need to Be Revised.
The final prescntment of the grand
jury which was returned to the court
last Monday evening before adjourn
ment. touches u number OF important
matters. There are indications that
the state board of charities has been
urging its plans for reform and I'M
| provcment, TO which plans the grand
| Jury has given more or less consider
lation. The present disposition OF the
automobile tax does not appear to be
satisfactory, and it seems to be the
opinion of the grand jurors that re-
ccipts from this source should be ad-
sioners. Results accomplished in the
expenditure of the law enforcement
fund do not appear to have impressed
the public as worth while, and there Is
an evident feeling that the present
scale of compensation of the various
county officers is in need OF ADJUST
ment with reference to the Increased
labor and responsibility and the de-
creased purchasing power Of money,
The presentment is addressed to Hon.
X. w. Memminger. presiding judge,
and is signed by r. NJ. Bratton, fore
man. The text of it is as follows:
| Our committee on courthouse and
jail reports that it has carefully exam
incd both places and finds everything
lin good condition and we'll kept. We
recommend that the front OF the jail
should be cemented ten feet wide and
thirty feet long.
The committee on roads and bridges
reports that the bridges generally are
in fairly good condition, but the roads
are in need of repairs, especially the
main roads, the north and south road,
/
thoroughfarcs which are being built at
great expense to the county. They es-
pccially need attention; they are rap
idly getting in bad shape. We urge
that some action be taken at once by
the proper authorities.
| The committee on county home and
farm has visited this institution and
finds everything clean and sanitary ana
the inmates are provided with plenty
of we'll prepared food. A good crop
of vegetables was being grown. The
livestock was in good condition and ev-
erything is being handled in manner
creditable to the officer in charge.
I we also recommend that the BraKe-]
field children be sent to some institu-
ton or to some private home, II appl-
cation is acceptable.
| Our committee appointed to inspect
the York county chaingang. visited
that institution on August 81, in COM
pany with Supervisor Boyd. Number
of convicts present, seven whites and
Io5 colorcd. which, we were Informed,
| is a little under the daily average OF
the gang for the past year.
| The gang when visited was situated
some five or six miles from Rock HILL
where il has been for some time, and
is still. working on the concrete road
from Rock Hill to Fort Mill. wei
found the camp and grounds clean and
in good condition. We consider theI
sanitary conditions as we found them
in and around the camp on our visit
Exceptionally good. The supervisor ad-
vised us that arrangements for dispos-
ing of the manure at the camp had
been changed and improved, as recon-
mended by the state board OF charities
and corrections. We made,a thorough
inspection of the sleeping quarters OF
the convicts and Of the guards. fore
man and other employees; also the
kitchen car. and we found all these
quarters fairly clean and In as good
condition as could reasonably be eX-
pccted OF such an institution. Wei
| found that the convicts are being fed
on a good, substantial diet OF bread.
meat, vegetables. etc. The supplies for
the camp are kept under lock and key
and are given out to the cook daily.
4 large barn has been provided for
housing the mules used on the gang.
The mules evidently receive very good
treatment and care. as they were all In
good condition. considering the heavy
work they have to do.
In regard to the separation Of the
races on the gang, we vent over this
matter thoroughly with the supervisor.
He informed us that the white con-
victs were separated from the negroes
on the work as far as it is possible to
do so without hiring extra guards. The
sleeping quarters of the whites Is sep
arated from the negroes by PARTITION
some four or five feet high. A higher
partition would obstruct the view OF
the night guard. The supervisor con-
tends that he cannot afford to go to-
the extra expense Of hiring guards for
the whites alone and OF providing ad-
ditional sleeping quarters for separat-
II
| ing the races entirely. We agree with
him as to this, considering the small
number Of whites on the gang. There
fore. while we should like to see the
whites separated from the negroes en-
tirely. in the circumstances. the only
recommendation we make Is that the
foreman continue to keep them sepa-
rated on the work and in the camp all
| he possibly can.
As to the bathing arrangements for
the conricts. we believe provision
should be made whereby no two per-
sons will be compelled to battle in the
same tub of water. and we recommend
that this be done.
We also concur with the state board
Of charities and corrections in their
recommendation in regard to elevat-
ing the bedding Of the convicts from