New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-06
Butte City. Mont. July II. 1897.
PRISON LABOR ON THE ROADS.


A PLAN FOR THE TRANSPORTATION AND rTILIZA-
TON OF PRISONERS or ROADS AND CANALS.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir The three principal prisons IN New-fork
stste are Sing Sing Dannemora and Auburn. The
labor of two OF those prisons can be utilized
namely Sing Sing and Auburn. There Is In the
neigh borhood OF both of these prisons stone OF such
q quality that when II is crushed II Will make gooh
macadam roads II quarries are purchased by the
State In the neighborhood of these prisons sum
c,ent prisoners can be utilized 10 quarry the stone
ord assist in crushing il bS proper machinery.
which ia better than hand work The first propo-
sition IT, VIII the State purchase the proper quar-
ries and use its prisoners In crushing the stone!
The next proposition Is. How can the crushed
stone be used 10 advantage?
The more stone crushed and used, the better for
GOOD roads in the State The first question is trans
narration Sing Sing Is on the Hudson River, ana
Auburn near the Erie Canal. The cheapest means
IS by boat; prisoners can load the BOATS Inc o'le
will have 20 stand the expense OF transportation py
boat or rail- or the cohnty city or village making
q rcousition on the State for crushed stone may
do so This H. very narrow limit ior the USE VI
prison labor for good roads
Prison labor can be used for good rodus through
out the State almost without limit II proper!
ORGANIZED housed and provisionec during 'he h"'"-
ner months of the year. There are Iumoer camps
snd Italian camps on our railroads; why not have
pris0n camps? Not the Southern prison camps We
read about but prison camps where the most con-
ro,la Bile prisoners can get out of the prison walls
and work In fresh air under prison restrictions.
This may theoretical yet IL is perfectly prac-
ticable.
Suppose. for instance, the State OF New-forh IN
tends to build a macadamized road from Albany to
Buffalo parallel to the Erie Canal. ana use pldso,.
labor First the State must furnish us proper
engineers to secure the best drainage possipe anu
give the proper grades for The roads. No go"
roads can be built Without proper drainage. Li'o
fzGI far
TO use prison labor on the Erie Canal, You must
build prison hotill of o4a pr ISon
IKE brd sagesosay feet VIDE is o he ,o o
eighths inch steel Then each cage ~ d ecu, en-;
put IN wooden floor and the ordinary plSOHF tos
boat. They be covered or not. according 10
the weather: They should be well ventilated ana
Each cage is cell OF itself and can be changed
from boat 70 wagon or to tent ey usn5g Sec ysrs
cage should be made so the prisoners cannot es-
air. and all h. Of s5 A' be ps% pl.on
should also be boat for the officers ana COOKING
fhis prison notilla is moved TO where the stone
ls shipped from the prisons. and this prison gang
is used TO do the anoading and grading me r csr
tain amount Of work II done. and the march OF tho
prisoners is too far the prison foiila is moved on.
In the southern tier the Same method can be
adopted. There being no canals tents can be used;
is separate from the others To utilize PRISON labor
for good roads. you must have prison camps ,s You
enjoy the outing it will afford As soon as a prs-
i IL eighty prisoners from the reformatory FL
This w pTs s ss% pun on
shed with the task they have TO perform nus 'ne
what had been done by prison labor ON their roads
This labor would not Interfere with the laborers