Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-04-22
The Pnhlic Roads

To the Editor of tie Alexandria Gazette:
lam glad to zee the great interest you
take in having good roads In our State, and
hope ycu will keep on till we have them, or
as lesst q tart is made In that direction. We
can never secure lmmigrs ton or good settlers
until ne have coed roads. The great object
in visw is to provide for the permanent i'm
provement Of our public roads without add.
ing much to the burden If tax payers. a
bill embodylug tbls festure has lately been
introduced IN the New York legislature and
one which think should be pass by ours.
The bill provides that all male prisoners
over eighteen years OF age and physically
able, shall be enrolled by the prison warden
as subjects to draft for manual labor on the
pubic roads OF the State, and list thereof
shall bs filed with the superintendent OF the
State prison. The State engineer is to de-
eide what roads shall be improved, ard the
general work shall be entirely under his
supetyislou. Prisoners shall bs furnished
on the requIsision OF the 8 sta engineer and
bis corps, with proper qua DIS and keepers.
Removable board shat ties shall be placed
every eight n es on this road 10 be improved,
each one to cost not ex ceeding $3.50, and to
accommodate twenty cn7iois. who shall
work the road four miles each side Of their
shanty. The roads are TO be maoads mizsd.
Not more than three-fourths OF the i2ible
prisoners shall bs working on the State roads
at any one time. The tools necessary to carry
on the work shall be manufactured In the
State prison cooking utensils, blankets, &C.,
shall be supplied by the prison. Food iar
coIvicts shail he secured by CONTRACT In the
vicinity whsre they are working. When
an eight mile section Ia completed, the con-
v!cts working that section shall be removed
to sD other aecton. Eight hours shall con-
st,ute days work. and every convict who
faithfully performs his duty shall have ten
per cent. OF his sentence committed, over
and above sll communications now made by
law.
Convots have often been mployed to ad.
want 'ge on pub i, works, and while there
may bs OH actions to the system, 1t has It's
merite. Not the least of The merits Of THE
bill Ia III, 1t provides for the employ ment
of oonyiot-!aoor IN a lice that oompetss
very little with free labor. would have
our Legislature go step further and pass
law that all persons sentenced t., cay three
months or over In cur jails should also be
sutjso 10 this daft In this way ne
would get some labar for the public good
oot Ct the great Numbers of those VINO now
crowd our jails every winter end spend
their time In idIeness at the cost Ct the tax
pa5efs; and when the sentence is for o
shorter time let them sperd 1t In breaking
rocks for use on the roads. II most OF
these persons knew they would have to
1vork, our allie would net be go crowded
every winter and our taxes be lees In oonse-
quenoe. Ia the good old days OF the whip.
ping post we had not half as many irmat 50
10 our j,is. Oar alta legislature was too
humane ~ 20 replace the post. let us zee II
our next will not be as humane to the peck.
eta Of our lax payers, as well as improve the
public roads OF our Srst,.
FAIRFAX