The last of it's kind...

This "Manly Portable Convict Cage" was purchased from Manly Steel, Dalton Georgia in March 1913 for $500.00.

This is the last of four that Ben Hill County had in operation at the prison camp (now the County Farm/Road Department).  The prison camp was discontinued in 1938.  The four wagons were used for various functions of storage after the camp closed.  As time passed and the wagons fell into disrepair Mr. Dewey McGlamry, Road Superintendent decided that the last one should be restored and kept for posterity.

Below is an article that appeared in the Albany Sun Herald, February 17, 1980.

Dewey's Philosophy

Do Things for People, And Tend to Business

By Charles Postell, Herald State Editor

FITZGERALD, Ga. - If Dewey McGlamry were in Washington D.C. he would squeeze the bureaucrats there like he does a buffalo nickel in Ben Hill County.  Not that he is mean; he just looks mean.  His basic philosophy is conservative.  He lives conservatively, he dresses conservatively.  The other day he wore work clothes with a hair comb and two pencils in his shirt pocket.  His hair is thinning and his eyes aren't as good as they used to be.  But he's just as frugal as ever.

"They say I'm pretty tight" said McGlamry, the 68 year old road superintendent of Ben Hill County, "but I don't know".

Some folks say his exemplary performance has gone unnoticed for 45 years, but that is not so.  The people of Ben Hill County know Dewey McGlamry.  He is a man who works hard and tends to his own business.

"I try to be conservative with the county's money and with my own money." he said, sitting in a small office just off Georgia 90 about five miles out on Rebecca Road.  "I don't have any money myself, and I try to be as conservative as I can with it.  I've been here a long time and we've bought five new big trucks since I've been here."

So he is a fiscal conservative.  Surely there must be something else that goes with keeping the same job for 45 years.  "Stay out of politics," he said.  "I take care of my business and I don't worry about the other fellow.  All politics, I'm telling you, local, state, national.

"Dawson Mathis is a good friend, but I'd no more hand out one of those political cards for him than I would for Herman Talmadge."  "The same with my county commissioners.  They know I don't dabble in politics.  Nobody knows how I vote.  I don't even know how my wife votes.  Sometimes she'll ask, and I'll tell her, you vote the way you want.  I tell every man that works with me that I don't care how he votes, but don't get involved with any candidate.  You start dabbling in other people's business, you get in trouble."

McGlamry is troubled by Washington.  He says something must be wrong with the drinking water.  You take a good boy and put him in Washington, he goes money mad in a week or so.  It's got to be the water.  "Lord, they throw away money in Washington, Lord" he sighs.  "It's just awful.  "people who need help in the country aren't the ones who get it.  Oh, they might get some, but it's the politician with the most pull that comes out the richest."

"City and County governments are about the same.  Local government could cut its budget, except for one thing:  People are demanding more services.  People are demanding too much", he said.

McGlamry has several other theories that are just as interesting.  Recreation is good, he says, but it has done nothing to slow down crime.  "We have better recreation in Fitzgerald than in Albany," he said.  "We've got more ball fields, per capita, here in Fitzgerald than in Albany.  That's good, but when the children get through at the ball field, they don't go home."  "Recreation just gives them a point of origin, a place to start, because 90 percent of the participants don't go home as they should.  Many don't know where their parents are, and the parents don't know where their children are.  When I was a youngster, I played ball and then I came home.  We were busy, too busy to get in trouble." 

McGlamry has not had a vacation in 45 years.  "I had a couple of heart attacks and took some time off then," he said, "but that's all.  I go out of town sometimes on county business, but other than that I stay here.  I like it here, I love people. I love the people of Ben Hill County."

He was born in Wilcox County, where his father owned a Chevrolet dealership and did carpentry work.  Ben Hill County Farm Agent Jim Collier says McGlamry's secret to success is that "he is no respecter of persons, the chairman of the board, the president of the bank, the lowest citizen of the county all receive the same consideration from McGlamry."  Collier also described McGlamry as an artist in steel and machinery.

"I want to show you something", McGlamry said, walking out behind a house trailer near his office.  "Look at this.  I don't believe there is another one like it in Georgia."  He showed off this huge cage with 18 bunk beds, stacked three high, inside.  It is a remnant of the Georgia chain gang days and McGlamry decided one day that at least one of these steel cages on wheels should be saved for posterity.

"Not many people know I have this thing;" he said.  "It's a God-awful thing, but it reminds of what it was like back then."  "Ben Hill hasn't had a prison camp since 1938, but we had about four of these things around.  Used one of them for a barn-like thing, you know.  One day I decided one ought to be restored.  I loaned it to Wilcox County one day and they had a lot of fun with it.  I think people will use it for parades, this sort of thing."

And they will, for it is probably more than 100 years old and is complete with steel wheels.  As he walked away from the cage, an elderly woman followed close behind.  Finally McGlamry stopped.  "Can I help you?" he asked.  "Wood," she said, "We're out of wood."  "I'll bring some this afternoon", McGlamry said.

The old woman walked away and McGlamry explained.  "I cut wood for 40-50 families who are on welfare.  If I don't cut their wood, they go cold.  I love to do things for people.  I believe that's what keeps you alive."