I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 16th inst. and have carefully noted what you say with reference to the Elkin & Alleghany work and also with reference to resolution recently passed by our Board of Prison Directors in regard to the Hiawassee Railroad and the Halifax County road.

You ask if the surplus convicts on the Elkin & Alleghany should be withdrawn if we could handle them economically and for the good of the prison. In reply I wish to say that as we have had no surplus convicts for employment at any time recently, I have made no effort to place them on any work for a cash consideration. I wish also to say that I have had no application from any source for convicts since the force was withdrawn from the Whitney work, and I would not know at this time where to secure a contract for a camp of prisoners if any should be withdrawn form the Elkin & Alleghany. I very seriously doubt if I could place them anywhere at the price which convict labor has been bringing in recent years.

I shall be very glad to know what Gov. Doughton advises in reply to your letter to him, a copy of which you enclosed to me.

With high regards, I am,