The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-12
fling tax on personal property, is to be
envied by one in which there is so much
loss of revenue us in New York.
FOR A NEW "phN.n
\ Correspondent Makes Some Very Per
tinent Recommendations.

tinent Recommendations
10 the Editor of The Times: | read
with interest your editorial OF week be
fore last, relative to the employment of
our State convicts in making public roads
throughout the commonwealth. Few of
our counties have even fair roads, and
the need is crying one But in spite of
the fact that our legislature has in every
wny encouraged it, and the press through.
out the State for u dozen years and more
has persistently advocated the general
use of convicts in constructing roads,
only few counties have availed them
selves of the privilege. Not ''one has vet
carried out Il systematic plan of road
building by convicts. The experiment
evidently has not met with the success
that its friends had hoped for. The nun.
Der so employed has never beer. large,
and their use ut road building has prac-
tically ceased, as but one county (RusselD
on October 1st last had convicts Gour-
teen) so employed. This plan stands to-
day self-confessed failure.
Mr.. Editor, the problem of how to dis
pose of orr sixteen hundred and old con
steadily growing, and in all probability
wiki continue to grow pari pnssu with
the increase OF population of thu State
Their use ut road building, at best but
makeshift for a few months in the year.
will never scsve the problem Many of
oar counties have large funds available
Tor road construction. Let the same APP
peal be made for the employment of our
idle worliinen upon such improvements,
and the millennium of better roads will;
speedily begin to dawn.
The present condition of our State pen
itentary in the matter of cell arrange,
f.- =, ak
twelve hundred couvicts are crowded like
cattle into one hundred and ninety mis-
cradle, Anticipated cells. in a building
that should long SINCE have been RACED to
the ground. Think of twenty 60 thirty
men being confined in one cell, and rs
macy as six in cells barely six feet wide
In the name of humanity anal Of Our
civilization, our people should he aroused,
and cur Legislators awakened to the abso-
lutte needs of the situation.
Besides increased accommodations for
an enlarged arrangement of cells, room is
badly needed there for more suitable hos
pit& facilities, as we'll as new laundry
ana cooking quarters In view of the
needs of n modern prison, che present re.
stricted location OF penitentiSry is mucll
too small for the nunber now confined
there. The State should take steps Mt
once to locate aral build new prison,
mo;lern in it's appointments, and capable
of accommodating Mt least eight hundred
| prisoners. Under the industrial arrange.
meut mt present existing ut the peniteE-
titcy, the Institution is turning fifty
Thousand dollars a year proRS into the
StR5e treasury, besides earning seventy
| five thousand dollars more for it's main
tainance. Let this surplus through sew.
eri& years be used for the ehection OF :,
new and separate prison, and Set n locs-
| tion be chosen as central 60 the western
haE of the State as Richmond is to the
eastern, aud let the legislgoure move
| promptly i'll this matter ut its next SEES
| sion.
Finally, Mr.. Editor, allow nha to sug
gec that in determining the location
every condition points to Roanoke. Their
are several sites iG and near the city thpS
suggest themselves as admirably adapted
TO szoh an establishment. Might not thu
philosophical citizens of RoaEoke look
intolthe matter; DIT would bring to tn.
citya hundred thousand dollars annu
ally. besides giving employment to hun
! dred or more men as keepers, guards
| shop foremen, etc. Very truly,
@. l.. STEAf2NF.S
Salem, Va, Feb 10, 1897.