The Shasta courier., 1858-10-16
---------
Roads and Convict Labor.

We had almost despalred of being able to
present our readers with anything in the shape
of a leader this week, when our attention was
attracted by an article in the Sacramento Union
of the 18th inst, on the subject of roads, and
the practicability of applying the convict labor
of the State to their improvement great por-
tion of which we transfer to our columns
EDITORS UNION: Having read with much pleas
ure various articles in your paper touching the
overland route, inclose two late extracts from
the New York Erening Post, which may be of
interest
The suggestion as to the employment of con-
vict labor in the construction of roads, highways
and other public works, would, if acted upon,
save this State large sum annually, and facil-
fate overland immigration.
With the aid of such labor, and a compara-
lively small appropriation by the Legislature n
good road might be built, and the telegraph ex-
sended to Salt Lake in few months
A CONSTANT READER.
San Francisco, Oct. I, 1853.
One of the extracts to which "a Constant
Reader calls our attention reads:
| saw at Jefferson City the convicts at work
blasting rock, quarrying stone, and otherwise
advancing public works about the capital
When shall we ever acquire sufficient good sense
to abolish our present expensive system of pris-
ons at Auburn, Sing Sing, ETC., interfering as
they do with the honest mechanic, and put our
conyicts with chain and ball upon our canals
and public roads and highways? Twenty years
of such labor on our roads, with an entire aboi-
ton or change of our present Jail and prison
systems, would put every road and highway in
New York State in the best possible condition,
save the State and the people many thousands
and advance the value of property by increased
oil for fo Tapd ta H.
many millions. VIII you not lead the van in
mis- reform?
From the above extract, we infer that State
convicts in Missouri, under sertain restrictions,
employed upon the public works, and pos
sibly upon the public roads As suggested. it
is practicable to employ State convicts in Cali
fornia upon public works and public roads, 1t
was contemplated some three years ago to use
convict labor to build the road from Placerville
to Carson Valley, and communications upon the
subject passed between j. NJ Esti who then
had charge of the prisoners and the authorities
of Ell Dorado county. But for some reason the
contract was never consumated, and the people
of the counties of Sacramento and Ell Dorado
voted to expend $50, 900 to build the road.
Under the authority of the Legislature, con-
viets might be proftably employed in opening
roads across the Sierra Nevada at different points
A company of fifty in one Summer could COM
piete good road from Orovile to Honey Lake,
and from Shasta to the same point through
Mobiles Pass. AT the same time a gang might
be engaged in opening a good wagon road from
Shasta up the Sacramento and past the Shasta
Butte to Yreka. Another company could also
be at work on a road from Red Bluff to Weaver
vile. By the same means fine wagon road
could be made on the Big Tree route to Carson
Valley uia Murphy's and Mokelumne HILL Roads
could also be made with convict labor in South
ern California. Such system of roads would
prove ofvast benefit to the State and they could
be made without subjecting her to much cost,
as, in nearly every instance, the counties i'm
mediately interested would doubtless stand
ready to assist in raising means to defray the
cost of feeding and safe keeping of convicts
while so employed.
We have given the subject very little thought,
but one thing we do know, and that is that we
need good roads. But the expense of keeping
prisoners would be great, and it Sc Ems to us that
the danger of escapes would be ten-fod greater,
whilst working in the fastnesses of the noun
tains, than anywhere else, and that thus large
gangs of these desperadoes might be thrown
loose upon us. We are comparatively defence
less in the mountains, and it was but the other
day, as it were, that our Courts were engaged
in trying and convicting gang of robbers, for
robbng an express company on Trinity Noun
tain, and now, no doubt, there are hundreds in
our midst who would recognize in chain
gang near and dear friends whom they would
delight to aid in making an escape from the
guards who might be set over them. We, for
ourselves, do not believe the scheme practicable,
and if we did, we would beopposed to the moral
aspect of having these degraded creatures para
ded before our eyes and the eyes of our youth.
We dislike to see chain gang, and feel that it
is a step toward the half civilized age in those
towns which adopt this kind of labor to improve
their streets &c.
We are also convinced that the workshops,
away from public gaze, is the place to employ
convict labor, both for profit and for moral in
fuence.
1t vas bat last year that the Legislature pass
ed law requiring executions to be in private,
on account of the evil effects which public exc
cutions were supposed to have on public morals,
and it certainly would be even worse to have
the youth of our land famliarized with the spec-
tacle OF chained labor. Let us support the Dig
nifty of labor, and if possible have our convicts
confined away from public gaze, and keep them
labering where they will be less likely to escape.
and if we want roads, the interests which de-
mand them will build them. 1t may not be done
so quickly, but there win be less risks incurred
in this mode than in that proposed by the Union's
correspondent.
TAxEs.-In our last Saturday issue, we made
an error in stating that if the State and county
taxes were not paid on or before the 9Oth inst