The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-31

Pursuant to the act passed by the
last Legislature authorizing county
governments to exact eight hours man
ual labor from male prisoners confined
In jails or warehouses;. prison board
was yesterday organized by the presi-
dent Judge, sheriff and county commits
sioners, the officials presented by the
act to comprise the board. judge A.. h.
bald was elected president. and f.. f..
Robothan was made clerk II. f. Fer
Der and Robert Allen were named as
overseers, whose duty it will be to di-
rect the work of the prisoners and
guard against their escape.
BY invitation of Judge Archibald,
there were present at the meeting in
an advisory capacity. Colonel II. NJ
Boies, ex-Justice Alfred Hand, Mayor
James Moir, City Engineer Joseph p
Phillips Civil Engineer A. b. Dunning
and Warden w. r. Simpson. After the
board had organized an informal dis
cussion of the practicabiity and ex-
pediency of applying the act in this
county ensued and the conclusion was
reached that it should be given trial.
Make AN EXPERIMENT.
Accordingly squad of prisoners will
be put at work in the course of day
or so grading and fencing the vacant
lot in the rear of the Jail owned by the
county. Should this mild test of the
law prove successful the scheme will
be undertaken on a larger scale. The
making and repairing of the main
roads in the city suburtA are among
the things contemplated. The first eX-
pertinent will probably be made with
the Newton turnpike between the Key
sey Valley branch Of the Lackawanna
road and the summit of the West
mountain, which thoroughfare is at
present in an almost impossible con-
dtion and which must remain that way
for some time to come If the city ts
depended upon to make the repairs,
there being no appropriation or avail
able money that could be applied to
such an Improvement
1t is proposed to borrow the city road
roller to help in the work, and the
patrol wagon is to be brought into use
in conveying the prisoners to and from
their work
The prisoners. Warden Simpson says,
will be perfectly willing to do the work.
In Potter county where the plan is in
operation the only opposition comes
from a prisoner who was confined for
selling liquor without a license and
who was directed to work out his $500
fine at the rate of a dollar a day. The
court, however was overstepping it's
authority and the sentence was not
carried out. In Lackawanna county a
position on the work gang will be con-
cit iN-iln tnc nf idh
| ment, no doubt, and prisoners such as
| liquor dealers, editors and others not
accustomed to manual labor will be
permitted to stay in doors if they 80
| choose.
THE LAW IN THE CASE.
1t was thought the court was en-
powered by an old law to reduce inn.
! prisonment terms in county jails foy
| good behavior, but Judge Archibald
looked up TIE matter yesterday and
! found that this law is not row in OPP
GRAFTON. 1t was intended TO apply this
| law in rewarding prisoners for faithful
| work.
Be it enacted, etc, that from and after
| the passage of this act, 1t shall and may
| be lawful to require every male prisoner
now or hereafter confined within any
| Jail or workhouse in this commonwealth
| to do and perform eight hours of manual
| labor each day of such Imprisonment, eX-
| cept on Sunday or such legal holidays as
| are now or may hereafter be established
] by law: no steam, electricity or Other
motive power shall be used in the conduct
| of the said labor or employment or on
| any part thereof.
|
| The prison board so constituted and
| each of them, within their respective
| counties, and subject to the rules ant
| regulations to be established under the
| provisions of section two of this act, anC
under such control ana management "a
| shall be therein and thereby provided
| shall have full power and authority tC
| require and compel to said male prison
ers to work on public highways outsid,
of the limits of the jails and warehouses;
but within their respective counties. Th,
preference to be given to public roads
leading to and from county seats-al
roads to be made to conform to grade an,
width to the general road laws of tn,
may be equitably distributed, no NOR
than five miles shall be completed on an!
road until a like mileage has been com
pletcd on each and all main roads con
Meeting with county seats, and thereafta
work shall be done in like sections, o
five miles. until all said roads are i'm
proved i'm grade, width and quality.
The board viii meet again Saturday
Nov. II, 10 consider rules.