The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-13
County Roads.

We are glad TO know that the public
mind in Virginia is turned to the subject Of
the Improvement OF the public roads. We
find evidence that such is the case in the
fact that two thirds OF the country papers in
Virginia have recently contained editorial
articles on that subject. In Roanoke
county public meeting has endorsed our
suggestion that penitentiary conyicts shall
be employed TO improve the roads OF the
Commonwealth, and make new ones where
needed. The Staunton indicator also
assures us that the suggestion meets with
the appreciation OF the general public, and
calls upon the General Assembly to carry
1t out. E
II may not be known to the members OF
the General Assembly, but 1t is Il fact, that
no mechanic likes to see penitentiary con-
victs engaged in working at his particular
trade. 1t Is especially offensive to me
chsnics to have penitentiary-made work
brought into competition with theirs, as is
done when the conyicts are hired out to
contractors who make shoes, wagons,
buckets, barrels, or what not; and is also
done when such articles are made inside
the penitentiary, under the direction OF
the penitentiary officials.
But convicts are sent to the penitentiary
as a punishment, not to be fed In idleness;
and 30 It goes without saying that they
must be made to work. But what sort OF
work can they do without coming into
competition with honest mechanics, or de-
grading respectable occupation? They
might be employed, perhaps, in various
WAYS without offending any class of the
people. We do not know that they could
we only say that 1t IL possible they might
be. But we are confident that no lawyer
would ike TO see law-school opened IL
the peniIentiary; no doctor, medica
school; no editor, a journalistic school
no druggist, pharmacy; no merchant
dry-goods or grocery-store; no dentist.
deutal-surgeon's Office. In word, NJ
class Of persons would be willing to hay
the convict employed in their own voca
ton.
There Is no particular class OF person
employed In road-making; that Is, Their
are no persons who are road-makers by OK
cupation. And II there is no such recog
nized occupation, then there is no occupl
ton that could be degraded by the use G
conyicts TO make or improve public roads
We would like TO see all the countie
supplied with good roads by the use Q
penitentlary eonyicts. the counties to pa
for their subsistence il the General Assem-
bly, shall decide that this ought TO be done
This win require work for years; but W
firmly believe that II q central county il
each grand division OF the State were fur
nished with such roads as the wants Of th
public demand, the result would be tn
Immediate construction Of such road
throughout the Commonwealth. Even on
road running through the centre OF eacI
county. and In good condition every Ola,
in the year (ar eatirely possible thing
would be an inestlmable bcnefactiop to sh
people. Lateral branches would soon con
vert each county into the semblance OF
city with IT'S cross streets all running int,
one main avenue. And then there might b.
schooI-bouse wherever one 81 these latera
branches Joined the main road, and
church ut as many II these functions d
nlighf need one, though these excelIen
roads. always passable, nay. always IL
such condition as to render driving oyeI
them pleasure. would enable persons fc
attend church Ten miles from home with
more comfort aud ease and In o better
frame Of Eind than they can now travel