Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-01-08
Employment of Convict Labor on Roads
A BILL THAT WILL INTEREST THE
FARMERS OF AUGUSTA.

The House of Delegates Committee on
is Chairman, has reported a bill Of which
Mr.. Tller of GreensvllIe and Sussex is
patr6B, to 'sauthcriZ3 the employment of
c0nvic5 labor upon public roads and works
Of internal Improvement, and to provide
for the payment to the Commonwealth for
its use,' The folio wing is the text OF the
bill:
Whereas the physician of the peniten-
tiary reports that owing to the deplorably
over crowded condition Of the institution
in the male department, there being more
than double the number in this depart
ment it was intended to accommodate, the
death rate has been increased more than
three times that of the female department
aud Ia order To prevent the risk of gene
rating dangerous epidemics, which might
seriously affect the heaiIh of the city OF
Richmond as well as sacrifice the lives OF
the conViels, and in order IT, increase the
revenues of the State besides promoting
the prosperity and welfare of large num-
bers of the citiZsns Of the State by putting
the public roads il thorough ord5r and
penetrating remote portions OF the State
and largely increasing in value immense
modern means of transportation : now
therefore.
l Be 1t enacted by the General Assembly
of Virqinio, That the Superintendent ol
the Peuitentiary shall, and he is hereby
authorized to, furnish to the board of SUI
pervisors of any county of the Common
/ wealth as many convic, as such board
may desire to be employed in improving
the public roads of such county
2. ALI convicts so furnished to the board
I of supervisors of any cuuny shall be PAID
for at the rate of 10 cents par day foSeach
convict from the date of his delivery 10
the agent of the board of super visors at
the penitentiary until his return e. the
penitentlary, or TO the agent of the Super
lntendent of the penitentiary at some 9th
or place, and wi list under the control OF
said board of supervisors shall be trans
ported and properly fed and guarded at
the expense of such county.
g. The supervisors of the counties shall
be empowered to employ an agent or
agents to work said convicts, and guard
or guards. and to pay for sue agents not
to exceed 81 per day, and rs cents per day
for the guards.
The amount for which any c0unty
NAV become indebted to the Common
wealth of Virginia for the use OF the con-
victs which may be SO furnished to it's
board of supervisors, shall BIZ charge up
on such county; and its b sard IF super
visors may provide for the payment thereof
by levy or by issuing the bonds OF the
county, TO become payable not exceed
ing ten years after date. Carrying interest
at the rate of SIX Per centum Der aDnuu.
5. All the railroad companies whose
lines lie within or pass through the Q M
monwealth of Virginia, and which shall
file with the Secretary OF the Common
wealth their acceptance of the provisions
of this act, hall be entitled to the use of
conyictS at the same rate and upon the
same conditions upon which they are
authorized to be furnished to the board OF
supervisors: but said railroad companies
shall use them only ID extending their
roads or IN constructing lateral roads, or
completing lines already begun. For this
privilege said railroad companies shall
charge for the transportation of such
convicts only l cent per mile for each con-
vict.
6. Convicts shall be furnished to coun-
ties and railroad companies in the order
in which their applications therefor are
made to the Superintendent of the Pen
itentiary. and no railroad company shall
be entitled to more than S00 at any one
time.
7 All acts and parts Of acts in conflict
with this act are hereby repealed.
8. This act shall be Ill force from its
passage.
Mr. Echols, by request, introd uced an
| other bill for the employment of convict
labor the object of which is TO divide the
| State INTO three districts-the valley, north
and southsides of the James river-with
military engineer aud one-third of tt 9 able
bodied convicts assigned to each district,
with instructions to each engineer to con
struct leading highways on roads center
ang through the towns aud to the eli les OF
their respective districts. The convicts
may be employed On short raj ways owned
by counties and citizens Of the State, anS
when so employed to be copfined strictly
to dirt work. They may also be employed
in draining s@amDs and marshes. dlking.
and cutting canals, &c.