The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-08-20
Many Improvements Noted in Visit To Aims
house, Chain Gang and Jail of Abbeville
County-Report Made By Assistant Sec
retary Brearly.-Makes Number
Of Recommendations.
Alrhshouse.

County almshouse. The woodwork in
the inmates quarters mas been
painted; shower bath has been in
stalled; and plans have been COM
pleted for screening the rooms occu-
pied by the negroes. Due to it's poor
state of repair the building affords
excellent opportunities for the breed
ing of vermin, but a systematic CAM
paign is now being carried on
against the pests and has lessened
their number greatly.
The new bathing equipment
should be completed by purchasing
hot water tank for the range and
connecting it with the shower. A
cold bath in winter is entirely too
severe for old folk and many of
them will not take it. exceps under
compulsion. '. .. ,fs
The interior of the building Is bad
ly in need of renovation. The floors
have sunk in several places and the
ceiling has buckled, making large
cracks that cause the superintendent
considerable difficulty in keeping the
plant in sanitary condition. It Is
to be hoped that the county will some
day unite with others in creating an
institution that will, provide more
adequately for dependents than BY
giving them merely food and shelter.
Chain Gang.
For two reasons the score of the
Abbeville County chain gang is high
er this year than last. The camp is !.
no longer over-crowded, being sup.
piled with both tent and cage. The
second reason is the management Of
Foreman Schroeder. For the past
year there has been no whipping Of
convicts, discipline being maintained
by other and more humane methods.
One of the prisoners asserted that
conditions at the camp compared
with what they were previously are
"like moonlight night 'gainst real
dark one."
At the time of this visit the bed
ding of the camp was m poor condi-
tion, not having been made up by
the middle of the afternoon. The
mattresses need a second cover that
can be removed and washed when
they become soiled. These slips also
protect the bedding and add greatly
to it's length of life. -. :.
Some of the other needs of this
camp are: the covering of the kitchen
slop barrel to keep out the flies; the
abolition of the practice of allowing
two men to bathe in the same water
in winter; the addition of fresh meat
weekly to give variety to the bill Of
fare; the screening of the cage; and
the requiring of the trustees as well
as the chain men to make use of the
refuse pit.
Several improvements have been
made at the Abbeville County jail
since last year. The fire-escape au-
thorized by the legislative delegation
in 1918 has at last been properly in
stalled. This provides for the cell row
an emergency exit on the side of the
building opposite the wooden stair.
way. The jailer's quarters have been
painted and repaired and at the time
OF the visit preparations were made
to renovate the prisoners section in
the same way.
Jailer McLane's management of
the institution is far above Sne aver
age, but he is badly handicapped by
the unsuitable building. The cells are
dark and poorly ventilated. The pris-
oners' quarters have only one bath
tub and one toilet. Each cell, c6nse-
uuently, has to have a refuse bucket
as we'll as a bucket of drinking wa
ter, both of them constantly exposed
+o a;os Sinca tbo unnor fIoors of tha