THE STATE'S PRISON

RALEIGH, N.C., June 16th, 1913.

Gov. Locke Craig,
Asheville, N.C.

Dear Governor:-

Several members of the Board of Prison Directors and I returning from our visit of inspection to the camps doing State work in the western part of the State reached Raleigh yesterday morning.

We visited the work in Haywood County, in Wilkes and Watauga Counties in Surry County and in Iredell. I feel entirely sure that all of us felt amply repaid for the trip with the knowledge and information we obtained while visiting these various points. I know that the entire Board, as well as I, regretted that a reporter of a paper in Newport, Tenn. should have endeavored to anticipate the action of the Board in his communication to the Charlotte Observer. This article, which has evidently disturbed Col. Jones, Gen. Davidson and others interested in the South Atlantic Transcontinental R. R. Co. was not inspired or authorized by the Board of Directors or by me. In fact we were all rather surprised by its appearance, as we were not in the least expecting it, and no official action had been taken by the Board. Some of the Directors thought it might be proper to confer with you while we were in Asheville. Others thought, and all concluded that we ought not to trouble you at this time with these matters but await your return to Raleigh. I will not in this letter attempt to express the views of the Board with reference to the various works we visited, but wish to say that it has at all times been their purpose and mine, as far as I could influence it, to take no official action until they could have a satisfactory conference with you and could learn definitely what their authority in these matters was. I do not hesitate, however, to say that all of us where thoroughly impressed with the fact that the convicts on the Transcontinental road were serving no good or useful purpose to the State so far as we could observe. It certainly looks to be a waste of the State's resources to continue this work as it is now being done, and the demand for the men engaged upon it is very great in other sections and upon other work which would result in much good to localities and to the State.

The next meeting of the Board of Directors will be on July 8th and if you are in Raleigh by that time I know it is the purpose of the Board to have a conference with you about all of the State work which they visited, and in regard to which they have formed very decided opinions. They have not expected to take any official action until after this conference with you has been held.

I very sincerely hope that you have entirely recovered from you threatened illness and that the vigorous atmosphere of Asheville has made you robust again.

With highest regards, I am,

Yours very truly,

J. S. Mann
Superintendent.