The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-16
UIAyD,s coon ROADS ELL.
Reported Adversely by the Committee
Tho EnfnrmnfnrX InX hstigntinn.

The EetOrmaforN inNFNNlShilbHs
| The House Committee on Asylums and
Prisons held a called meeting yesterday
morning at 10 o'clock in room No. ., on
| the upper floor Of the Capitol building.
10 consider what is known as the Bland
good roads bill. The bill provides that
| the inmates OF county jails, VINO are I'M
prisoned for al least thirty days. shall be
used I'm working the roads in the respec-
tive counties. If county has no such
work. then its prisoners may be hired
out 10 some other county.
The convicts of the penitentiary' VINO
are not required for any other work ana
I who are not hired out under contract.
| shall be employed in similar work. ana
| il shall be unlawful TO enter into new
contracts for convict labor after the
! old contracts have expired.
Mr.. charles T. Bland. Of Portsmouth
| the patron of the bill. explained the
workings of the measure in all its details.
Nj. Gwvnn OF Smyth. stated that III
tho counties Of Smyth and Bland the en-
tire road tax Of twenty cents on e"'h
burored dollars worth Of property Was
used 10 improve the roads.
Considerable controversy arose, Wheh
Mr. BLAND made the statement that TO
county employed ten men all the year
round I'm improving the ro1is.
Mr.. Clarke OF Dinwiddie, MT. Gwynn
Of SMITH. DR.. Savers Of Nythe stated
/ that i'm their counties morc than ten men
were employed all the year round ana
fine money raised ia those counties ior
mat purpose was spent right there. On
widdie spent 5000 annually. Wythe - VV
and Smyth aud Bland $500 annually for
the improving OF the roads.
Mr. Bland stated this meant simply tire
throwing away Of $1,000 as long as ms
work could be done by convicts. lie ask
| "a for an apprOpriation Of 10000 at the
start 10 set the provisions o, this bill IN
operation. II n county did not want TINS
| convict labor Z could be excepted from
| the provisions ~ the bill
TIL committee then went into executive
eeseiou 10 formulate some action I'm re-
card 20 the bill. During the brief discus
| sion that took place II was stated that II
| the hill became a law the financial ac-
count OF the penitentary would run he
hind from $4,000 10 $4,000 year. The
committee finally decided 10 report the
| I'm with the recommendation that II do
lot pass.
The committee then took up the reso-
| luton which instructs the committee 10
| thoroughly investigate the a1fairj IN
connection with the administration tt the
| Reformatory School at Laurel Statoh'
and it was decided. on motion
% Mr.. Churchman. OF Augusta.
70 take up the investigation on
next Wednesday evening at O'Clock IN
| the Senate chamber.
On motion of DR.. Quesenoerry. OF Caro-
line. the chairman is 10 take all the
necessary steps for the investigation.
| The Chair then called up the resolution
/ passed nv the Senate Committee on PUB
| lie Institutions and Education winch pro-
vides that subcommittee " three rom
! that body visit the various en- l"itable
institutions. and that the House Com
mittee on Asylums and Prisons BE re-
quested To take similar action.
| The committee decided that the action
of the Senate committee be concurred IN
! and that subcommittee OF tve be ap-
| nointe5 bv the chair TO visit those Tespec-
| tive institutions.
| IL is understood that among the per-
sons who will be summoned to give testi-
mony before the committee are Mr.. VIII
liam H. Beveridge. Mrs. NJ. F. smith.
| Mrs Farmer. Squire Darracott OF Hen
| rico. Mr.. Harry VI. Smith OF this city,
AMI others. The session viii be open 70
the public and II is expected that the
members OF the Board OF Directors OK the
Institution Will be in attendance.
| A number Of inmates and officers ~ the
| Rcforwatory school will no doubt be
questioned and IN all likelihood the COM
mittsc will spend day at the institution
for that purpose.
Mr.. T. Z. Clarke. Of Dinwiddic. said
| yesterday he voted In the COM
mittee Of Asylums and Prisons
| against reporting Mr.. BANDS good
reads bill unfavorabiy because his
ccnstitr ents desired to have such . law
enacted.