An Act for the support of the Penitentiary and convicts for the years 1879 and 1880.

Sec. 1. The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

That the sum of ninety thousand dollars per annum is hereby appropriated for the maintenance, guarding, and working of all convicts in the State to be divided as follows, 

Forty one thousand dollars to the support of convicts on the Western North Carolina Railroad, nineteen thousand dollars for the convicts for the convicts on the Cape Fear and Yadkin Railroad and thirty thousand for the Penitentiary: the Board of Directors of the Penitentiary may also use for support of the work at the Penitentiary any revenue derived from said institution. Provided that if this amount is not sufficient, the board of directors shall transfer such number of convicts as may be necessary to works of internal improvements which are convict or without charge to the State.

Sec. 2. The Penitentiary and convicts (unless otherwise provided by law) shall be under the direction of a board of five directors to be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate and the members of said board shall hold office for four years, and shall receive as compensation a sum not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars per annum for their services.

Sec. 3. The board of directors shall have the wall in front of the cell block completed with brick as early as feasible, they shall also extend the front wall of the west wing to a sufficient height for safe keeping of the prisoners, having in view the use of said wall in completing said wind with a building.

Sec. 4. The convicts worked on Railroads in which the State has an interest shall be under the control of the board of internal improvements, who are authorized to make regulations, and appoint officers guards etc. for the working and keeping thereof which shall be as far as practicable in conjunction with the government of said railroad.

Sec. 5. The board of directors shall as far as practicable make arrangements for the conveying of convicts from the place where convicts divest to the place where they are to be worked when it would be to the interest of the State to do so.

Sec. 6. It shall be unlawful for any of the directors to furnish any of the supplies or materials, directly or indirectly, for the building of the Penitentiary or the support of the convicts.

Sec. 7. All laws or clauses of laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.

Sec. 8. This act shall take effect from and after its ratification.

Ratified the 14th day of March, A.D. 1879