Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1921-03-03
TELLS OF INSTITUTIONS.
Welfare Board Reports on York Jail,
Chningang and County Home.


The following report on the York
county jail. chaingang and county
home was recently submitted to the
Legislature as a part OF the an
nual report OF the State board OF pub
lie welfare. The Jail was inspected
by the secretary OF the welfare board
or September %. 1920. following
which he inspected the county home
on the same date and the chaingang
on October ]. 1920:
THE score OF the York county Jail
has increased this year. due 10 fewer
prisoners and the giving OF three.
rather than two. meals day. The
well ventilated and lighted prisoners
quarters were in very good condition.
The attitude toward the prisoners
shown by. Sheriff Quinn and Deputy
Thomas Quinn IL most excellen..
classification facilitescmfw fwyp ppp
THE chef objection to the plant uf
this institution Is the lack OF pr. per
classification facilities. 1t is only
with great difficulty that the jailer
can keep the races. sexes and adults
and Juveniles separated as the laws
OF the State require. This condition
would be greatly improved IL the
debtors room.' that is removed from
the main prison section. should be
fitted with water and sewerage con-
nections and used for females. At
present. whenever women are confin-
ed In the jail. 1t Ia necessary to kee!.
| the other prisoners locked up in tae,r
cells. This hardship could be avoid
ed and, the requirements Of the Law
fulfilled II this improvement could
be made. The expense will be small
Some OF the other needs of this
institution are: Screens for the pris-
| on section: the putting in of drain
pipes to the bathtubs SO that they
can be thoroughly emptied OF dirty
water, and the repair Of the plumb
| Ing 30 that the toilets will not have
to be flushed with water from the
| spigot.'
The most serious fault Of the York
county chaingang Is its failure to sep
arate the white and negro prisoners
as required by law. Both races sleep
| in the same portable house, separated
only by a partition about three feet
high. Consequently the whites are
! thrown into constant contact with the
negroes. 1t Is therefore most urgently
recommended that the York county
| authorities either send their white
prisoners to the State penitentiary or
| provide them with separate quarters,
az practically every county in the state
does.
THE present method of sewage dis
posal is not good. deep pit should
be dug and the soil buckets emptied
into 1t each morning. The waste should
| then be covered with at least three
| ipches OF earth to prevent the breed
| ing Of flies and the spread OF disease.
/ O 10 nj hA u
| out with oil or straw.
| Some OF the other needs OF this ex-
cellently equipped camp are: The re-
pairing Of the screens on the sleeping
cars the addition OF fresh meat reg
ularly once a week to help the varie-
ty OF the bill Of fare; the use Of water
and disinfectants in the soil buckets.
and the Keeping OF a supply Of clean
| Diankents 30 each newly committed
prisoner can bs given unsoiled bed
ding.
| York county still has one OF the
best hlmshouses In the State. Fhe
food Is exceptionally good: eight cows
ard several hundred chickens are kept
Oh the farm and contribute greatly to
| the variety of fare. Three meals are
SERVED. although the supper is q light
one, as 1t should be, consisting of
bread, butter and milk. The superin-
tendent. Mr.. I. p. Boyd, 10 genuinely
interested in his charges and does all
that he can for them. but at present
he Is badly handicapped for lack OF
| help. One OF the most urgent needs
or the institution is the hiring OF ad-
d,tional assistance In caring for the
inmates. most Of whom are feeble
and infirm.
| The excellent building Is now
showing signs Of deterioration. The
| pIastering Is coming off In several
places and the outer walls are be-
ginning to crumble , slightly. In a
/ Few rooms the roof Is leaking. The
l county commissioners should see
that the building is put In repair be-
fcre the loss becomes greater. The
DO rms and stables also need reshing-
ling. A cement floor to the basement
would prevent the dampness from
rustinE the machinery OF the water
and lighting system. Screens have
been purchased for the kitchen and
dining room: they should certainly
be installed before the coming Of
II