Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-04-14
Methods Employed.


Continuing, Professor McCallie says:
The usual method adopted in this sys-
tenn of road working is as follows: Con-
victS, or free laborers, are organized into
squads consisting of Is TO 40 men, which
are placed under a competent superintend-
ent and one or more overseers. Each
squad is furnished with a camping out
fit, two or more road machines, scrapers.
wagons, from ten to 20 mules, plows, etc.
The work usually commences on the lead
ing roads radiating from the county seat,
and consists first, in going over the roads
with machines, giving them the proper
crowns, opening up the side bitches, mac
adamizing the Doggy places, and occasion
ally cutting down the grades of the steep
er hills. The main highways being thus
worked over, attention is directed to the
less important roads until all the roads in
the country have been crowned and prop
erly drained. The first working usually
requires from one to three years. depend
ing upon the condition of the road, and
the number of hands employed. The sec7
ond time the roads are gone over, more
attention is paid to grading and consider
able matchmaking is frequently done,
and the work in general is of a more per-
manent and lasting nature.
1t is the intention of the road managers
adopting this plan to keep up the process
of gradual improvement until all the
principal thorOughfares, at least in their
respective counties, are properly graded,
macadized, and otherwise put in first
class condition. In those counties having
large cities such as Fulton, where large
number of convicts are employed, the
roads are frequently graded and macad-
amized at the first working, and after
wards kept in repair by a small force Of
hands detailed for that purpose,
The System Used in Fulton.
In order to explain more fully this sys-
tenn of road improvement, 1 Will here give
in detail the present method Of road work
ing in Fulton county. The system Of i'm
proving the highways of Fulton county by
means of convict labor, was inaugurated
more than 20 years ago. At that time all
of the leading thoroughfares radiating
from the city of Atlanta, the county seat
of Fulton, were in a deplorable condition
for traffic during the early spring and
winter months. To improve this condition.
the county ordinary organized the first
chain-gang of Is conviets and put it to
work on the main roads leading from
the city of Atlanta This small and mad
equate force was unable to do much at
first except to carry on general repair
work and keep the roads in passable con-
dition Nevertheless, the experiment dem
onstrated the practicabihty of this method
of road Improvement. The system thus
inaugurated grew in favor and was grad
ualIy developed into the present very
complete and perfect method of highway
improvement. The Fulton chain-gang,
as now organized, consists Of about $50
convfcts. These cOnvicts are under the
direct management of superintendent
appointed by the county commissioners.
The superintendent. who receives a salary
of S2,0O0.a year, appoints all the overseersy
guards, etc, and is held solely RESPONSE
BILE by the commissioners for the condition
of the convicts under his charge, and also
for the efficiency of the work executed.
The amount of money annually appro-
priated by the county commissioners to
enable the superintendent to carry on his
work depends, in a great measure, upon
the cost of Foad-surfaeing materials. In
1899, the total sum paid out for all pur-
poses, including the purchase of stone,
etc, aggregating- about $4,000. This esti-
mate would. probably be somewhat over
the general average Of money annually