Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-03-18
SANTA FE
TO LAS VEGAS
Provisions Of the Act Providing for the
Construction of the Scenic Route
Road Across the Pecos River Forest
Reserve by Convict Labor and
Under Supervision Of the Su-
perintendent of the Peni-
tentiary.
WORK IS 10 COMMENCE WITHIN SIXTY DAYS

The following are the provisions OF
the good roads bill as passed by both
houses Of the legislature yesterday:
An Act to authorize and require the
use of penitentiary labor to construct E
public road from the city limits Of San.
ia Fe to the city limits of Las Vegas.
Whereas, Numerous petitions have
been presented to this body signed by a
large number of representative citi-
Zens, taxpayers ard ro~'dents of San
Miguel and Santa Fe countless sugges-
ting the wisdom of utilizing convict la
Dor in the building of public high
way between the cities of Santa Fe
and Las Vegas. and,
Whereas. In the opinion of said large
number of citizens and taxpayers such
employment of the unfortunate inmates
of the penitentiary would not only
serve to provide said inmates with
much needed healthfu1 occupation that
could in nowise conflict with the just
rights of free labor but would identify
New Mexico with the "Good Roads
movement now so popular throughout
neighboring states of the west, initiate
a settled policy for dealing with the
prison labor problem, so long a mooted
question in this territory, and stand as
an example which may in time be ex-
tended to other parts of the territory,
and,
Whereas Sucn public road or high
way would pass through the United
States Pecos River Reservation, one OF
the most beautiful mountain park re-
gions in the world, and render accessi-
BILE to the people of Santa Fe, San Mig
uel and Mora counties for purposes of
of country now isolated and but little
known, yet rich in historic associations
and resourceful in deposits of gold and
copper ores, recently proved veins of
merchantable COAL and attractive in it's
picturesque ranch homes, therefore,
Be it enacted by the 35th Legislative
Assembly Of the Territory Of New Mex
leo:
Section 1. There is hereby established
a public wagon road from the city linn
Its of the city of Santa Fe, in the coun-
ty of Santa Fe, to the city limits of Las
Vegas, county of San Miguel, which
said road shall be constructed over the
most feasible route through or near the
canon of the Santa Fe river from the
city limits Of the city of Santa Fe,
county of Santa Fe, territory of New
Mexico, over the mountain range at the
most practicable place to the east Of
said city and from thence on the route
which may be most practicable, as we'll
as most direct, to the city limits Of Las
Vegas, in the county of San Miguel in
the territory of New Mexico.
Sec. 2. The board Of penitentiary COM
missioners and the superintendent of
said penitentiary are hereby authoriz-
ed and required to construct said road
by the use of the labor of the peniten-
tiary convicts and the sum of $4,000 Is
hereby appropriated out Of any funds
in the territorial treasury not otherwise
appropriated, payable on the order of
the superintendent of the penitentiary,
from time to time as necessity requires
upon warrants drawn through the office
of the auditor, for the purpose Of en-
ploying the necessary extra guards, and
purchase of tools, implements, blasting
material, ETC., necessary in the prosecu-
ton of such work. The said peniten-
tiary commissioners are hereby empow-
cred to adopt special rule, applicable
solely to the convicts employed on the
work herein authorized and required,
whereby such convicts so employed may
be granted an additional good time
allowance conditioned upon their good
behavior and cheerful compliance with
any and all rules that may be promul-
gated for the management and control
of the convicts employed.
Said work shall commence within 60
days from the approval of this,law and
prosecuted as speedily as possible con-
sistent with the due and proper man
agement Of said penitentiary and other
labor required to be done by the con-
victs therein.
Sec. 8. The counties Of Santa Fe and
San Miguel shall employ and pay
competent civil engineer to survey said
route, and he shall acting under the d.
rection of the superintendent of the
penitentiary, select and locate the same,
and the superintendent Of the peniten-
tiary shall in person or through his au-
thorized agent, direct the manner and
method of carrying on and prosecuting
the construction Of said public high
wsy;
Provided, That until the time said
road shall be duly surveyed and loca-
ted 1t shall not be required that the
said penitentiary authorities shall do
anything towards the construction OF
such road.
Sec. s. This act shall be in full force
and effect from and after its passage.
.-..u. AA.ssssAAaAa