The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, July 18, 1911, Page TWO, Image 2
BOARD REFUSES TO
CLOSE HOSIERY MILL1
WILL LOOK TO LEGISLATURE FOR
INSTRUCTIONS.
Asserts That Health Conditions Are
Excellent, Contradicting Oft Re
peated Charges.
Columbia, J::ly 13.-Assuming full
responsibility for conditions existing
in the hosiery mill and maintaining
that these conditions are as sanitary,
di.an and healthful as it is possible to
{-nake them; declaring that convicts
employed in the plant actually under
go less menace to health than thous
ands of free citizens working in cot
ton mills; asserting that the contract
with Lessee Graham was entered into
with the consent of the legislature
and is in the opinion of the directors
binding, both in morals and
in law, the board of directors
of the South Carolina penitentiary
transmitted to Governor Blease to-I
'L.ght a formal communication, the re
6ult of sessions held here yesterday
and today, in which they say they
must stand by the Graham contract,
but will call the matter to the atten
tion of the general assembly, and will,
of course, follow that body's instruc
tions.
Letter to Governor.
The letter follows:
"His Excellency, . Cole L. Blease,
Governor--Sir: Your communication
of some weeks ago demanding that
this board abolish the hosiery mill
-contract with Mr. J. M. Graham, be
cause of the alleged unsatisfactory,
unsanitary and unhealthful condition
in the hosiery mill, was duly received.
In compliance with your request, this
board held a ,meeting on the 21st of
June to fully consider the matter, but
not being able to secure the advice..of
the attorney general at that time it
'was continued until the meeting of
the board held on yesterday, July 12.
At this meeting the attorney general
and the assistant attorney general were
both present, as were all members of
'the board. The matter was considered
in all of its phases and the conclusion
-of the board was finally reached.
"The board would call it to your at
. tention, that on the 10th day of August,
1910, a formal contract was enteredI
into by the board with Mr. J. M. Gra-'
ham, to continue for a period of five
years, beginning February 1, 1911. Un
'der this contract, the board let to Mr.
.Grahafi, the h 1 or and* services of!
Trom 200 to 350 convicts to be used by
Mr. Graham in the manufacture of
'hosiery and other knitted goods of cot
ton .and wool and in the manufacture
of the necessary cases and bales for
shipping the same.
Beuuirements of Contract.
'"The contract specifies that these
convicts are to be under the guard and
control of the board of directors, and'
the building in which they are employ
edi, which belongs to, and is within
the walls of the penitentiary, under
the same contract, is to be kept in re-'
'pairs by the board of directors. In
other words, the ecn tract is onie
whereby the board of directors agrees
to have convicts do certain work, they
'being under the exclusive control andI
~supervision of the board of directors,
and the place in which they work be
* ing likewise under the exclusive con
2.rol .and supervision of the board of
s irectors.
"Ilt is clear, therefore, that if any
-'msanitary conditions exist in the hos
- iery mill it is the fault of the board of
diretTors, and not of Mr. Graham as
the ~board of directors assumes the
duty of supervising the mill and keep
ing it in repair, as well as contrcllinyg
thercon-its that work therein.
"It 'has 'never been claimed that Mr.
Arha his in any wise fail'ed to
strictly comply with his part of the,
:sgeemnent, and the communicatio:i
'from your excellency indicates 'your1
-opinion :that we should rescind theI
'contract because of the unsatisfactory
anid unsanitary condition supposed to
exist in the mill, chargable to this
board, and not to Mr. Graham.
Sanitary oCndition.
'"Strictly in reply to your sugges
Yon, we would respectfully call to
your attention that the conditions in
~and around the hosiery mill, as well
.as those in all other departments of
th)ie 'penitentiary, are sanitary, clean
'and as healthful as is possible to
malte them. In so far as concerns the
hosiery mill, all portions of the build-1
ing itself are kept perfectly clean, the
toilet arrangements are sanitary and
the conviets are given plenty of air
-space. In fact, in so far as concerns
the health of the laborers, the condi
tions in the hosiery mill are as good,
if not better, than those of any knit
-ting mill or cotton mill in this State
or section. So true is this that the
board of health itself, in their recent'
inspection, not only found no fault
with these conditions, but declared
'-that they were as good as we had in-!
3Icated The hosiery mill is a brick
building, constructed a few years ago
It has large windows close togethei
on each side, kept open at top an(
bottom for the passage of air througi
the whole building. The woodwork i!
kept well painted, the brick walls aro
regularly whitewashed and the floor:
and steps kept as clean as soap an<
water and scrubbing brush can keel
them.
Tuberculosis Cases.
"We believe it is a fact as said by
member of the board that the build
ing could not be made more sanitary
if the- present loors were taken ul
and new ones put in, if the walls wer
washed with carbolic acid or if the
entire building made anew. If it is
necessary that the hosiery mill bE
abolished because it is not sanitary
then every building within the wall
should be torn down and the institu
tion destroyed. Instead of tubercu
losis being on the increase, the eondi
tion with reference to this disease ha;
steadily improved. This is true as t(
the deaths from this disease amon
those employed in the hosiery mill a:
well as in other departments withir
the walls. From 1900 to 1905, inclu
sive, there were 58 -deaths from tuber
culosis among the employees of the
mill, while from 1906 to 1910, inclu
sive, after the tuberculosis hospita
had been established, the fatality o
this disease was reduced to a total of
22. During this period there hav
been 200 to 350 convicts employee
regularly in the mill. It must be re
membered that many of the unfortu
nates contracted this disease beforE
coming to the penitentiary, and it is
a common occurrence for the count3
chaingang to send in prisoners be
cause they have the disease. A greal
many also come from the county jails
"The Tuberculosis hospital, whiil
was highly commended by the board
of health is as perfect as could be de
sired. The convicts suffering from or
threatened with tuberculosis are im
mediately placed in this hospital and
given the best treatment that medical
science can devise. In their recent in
spection of the prisoners, the board
of health, in an examination of seven
ty prisoners, fouid only one case, in
which a bacteriological examination
:onfirmed tubercle bacilli.
Health Conditions Better.
"The great improvement in the
realth of the inmates, of this institute
as no doubt been largely due to the
~iew cell building and sleeping quar
ers completed in 1902. The old build
ng was damp and unheated, but even
~he board of health makes no com
laint as to the new one, excepting to
'ecommend certain changes, especial
y in the toilet arrangement which will
e adopted. During the last year from
he prisoners employed in the hosiery
nill, which averaged from 200 to 350,
here were three who died of tubercu
osis. Of course, it is impossible to
ay whether these unfortunates con
racted the disease while working in
he mill or elsewhere, and it is equally
infair to charge their deaths up
gainst the condition existing in the
losiery mill. The only objections to
he hosiery mill offered by the board
f health in their recent inspection
was that the work of the employees is
:onfining, outdoor work being prefer
ble. The board did not find fault with
the sanitary or other arrangements in
the mill, but merely concluded that
the work required of the convicts in
the mill was too confining.
Work Hours for Convicts.
"The convicts employed in the hos
ery mill work on an average of ten
ours a day, and while the work of
ome of them requires a close atten
ion-attention to the knitting Ir.a
~hine-it is no more detrimental to
heir health than is similar work done
y thousands of free white people in
:he numerous cotton and knitting
nills throughtout the State, and in
Ihis section; in fact we are confident
that the sanitary condition and the su
ervision of the health of the convicts
vorking in this mill is much better
than that enjoyed by employees in
private industries of similar character
and that the danger to their health is
:orrespondingly less.
"We therefore, respectfully submit
that in nowise can the hosiey mill be
onsidered a public nuisance and in
20wise can it be considered dangerous
o the health of its employees, other
prisoners confined in the penitentiary
r the public at large.
Contract Binding.
"The contract with Mr. Graham was
entered into by this board under the
express authorization of the general
assembly of this State, and in their
last report to the general assembly the
legislative committee on' penal and
charitable institutions expressly found
that the price paid by Mr. Graham for
the services of the convicts, was a just
and reasonable one, and there is nc
reason for the State to make com
plaint upon this ground. The attor
ney general and assistant attorney
general were both with the board yes
terday, and advised us fully as to the
law involved in this matter. The
board's conclusion has been reached
by applying the law so given it to thE
facts as it knows them to exist.
"After the most careful considera
l tion the board of directors unanimous
ly conclude that the contract is bind
{Ing upon it, both in morals and in law,
and that it is its duty to stand by the
contract according to its terms. It
will, however, call the matter to the
attention of the general assembly
when it next convenes and request
that body to instruct the board with
references thereto, which instructions
will, of course, be followed by the
board.
Looks to Legislature.
"In conclusion the board calls at
tention to the fact that citizens are al
lowed to visit this institution unan
i nounced and inspect all departments,
including the hosiery mill. The board
encourages such inspection and feels
confident that it has and will convince
all who make it that this institution
is sanitary, clean and he-1lthful in all
of its departments, that the prisoners
are treated humanely in .ery respect
and that in every pa~rticular the insti
tution is a model one for the accom
plishments of the purpose of its crea
tion and existence.
"We are most respectfully,
A. K. Sanders,
Chairman,
W. H. Glenn,
J. B. Deas,
John G. Mobley,
Jasper M. Smith,
"Board of Directors of the South
Carolina Penitentiary."
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I Life Saved at Death's Door. ,
"I never felt so near my grave,"
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SALE OF PERSON~AL PROPERTY.
We will sell to the highest bidder
on Tuesday, July 25, 1911, all the per
sonal property of James A. Riser, de
ceased, at his late residence near Po
maria, S. C., consisting of 1 one-horse
wagon with harness; 1 buggy witht
harness; 1 milk co wand young calf.
Farming tools, household and kitchen
furniture, etc. Also crop in the field.
Sale to commence at 10 a. m. Terms,
cash.
W. R. Riser,
W. J. Ballentine,
Executors.
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work. His neighbors said, "he can't
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distressed me," he wrote, "till I tried
Electric Bitters, which worked such
wonders for me that I can now eat
things I could not take for years. Its
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Stoi'e. A
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