Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-03-12
THAT GREAT SCENIC ROAD.
The Delegation From Las Vegas En-
Enthusiastically Met and a Bill
Adopted and Introduced.
Special to The Optic.

resentative r. l.. Baca. George II.
Cross and other prominent citizens.
They were driven to the Claire and
Palace hotels where they will be
quartered during their stay in this
city. The delegation comes to CO
operate with the citizens Of this city
to initiate the good roads movement
in New Mexico, by having the bin
pass the legislature to construct road
between this city and Las Vegas by
convict labor. This afternoon Repre-
sentative Baca of Santa F'e introduced
a substitute for H. B. No 121, and
it was referred to the committee on
roads and highways, who will report
on the bill tomorrow.
IAN act, to authorize and require the
use of penitentiary labor to construct
a public road from Santa Fe to Las
Vegas.
Whereas, numerous petitions have
been presented to this body signed by
a large number of representatives,
and taxpayers. residents of
San Miguel and Santa Fe counties,
suggesting the wisdom of utilizing con-
vict labor in the building Of public
highway between the cities of Santa
Fe and Las Vegas, and,
Whereas, in the opinion of said
large number of citizens and taxpay-
ers such employment Of the unfortun-
ate inmates of the penitentiary would
not only serve to provide said in
mates with much needed healthful
occupation that could in nowise con-
flict with the just rights of free labor,
but would indentify New Mexico with
the good roads" movement now SO
states of the west, initiate a settled
policy for dealing with the prison
labor problem, SO long a mooted ques-
tion in this Territory, and stand as
an example which may in time be eA
tended to other parts of the territory,
and,
Whereas, such public road or high
way would pass through the United
States Pecos river reservation, one OF
the most beautiful mountain park reg
ions in the world, and render accesr
sible to the people of Santa Fs, San
Miguel and Mora counties for pur.
poses of trade and healthful recre:,-
tion section of country now isolated
and but little known yet rich in his
toric associations and resourceful in
deposits of gold and copper ores, rsr
Gently proved veins of merchantable
COAL, and attractive in its pictures
que ranch homes, therefore,
Be it enacted by the 35th legisla-
tive assembly of the Territory OIL New
Mexico:
Section l. There is hereby establish
ed public wagon Goad from the
court house of Santa Fe, in the county
of Santa Fe, to the court house in
Las Vegas, county of San Miguel,
which said road shall be constructed
over the most feasible route through
or near the canon ofthe Santa Feriver
from the court house in the city of
santa Fe, county of Santa Fe, ter
ritory OF New Mexico, over the noun
tain range at the most practicable place
to the east of said city and from
thence on the route which may be
most practicable, as well as most di-
rect, to the court house in Las Vegas,
in the county of San Miguel in the
Territory of New Mexico.
Sec. 2. The board of penitentiary
commissioners and the superintendent
of said penitentiary are hereby author
lied and required to construct said
road by the use of the labor of the
penitentiary convicts and the, sum of
five thousand dollars is hereby approp-
rated out of any funds in the Territor-
ial treasury not otherwise appropriat-
ed, payable on the order of the sup
erintendent of the penitentiary from
time to time as necessity requires up
on warrants drawn through the Of
flee of the auditor, for the purpose of
employing the necessary extra guards,
and the purchase of tools. imDle-
ments. blasting material, etc, neces-
scry in tho pro~ecu4i... of such work.
The said penitentiary commissioners
ule hereby empowered to adopt a
special rule, applicable solely TO the
convicts employed on the work here
in authorized and required, whereby
such convicts SO employed may be
granted an additional good time" al
lowance conditioned upon their good
behavior and cheerful compliance
with any and all rules that may be
promulgated for the management and
control of the cOnvicts so employed.
Said work shall commence within
60 days from the approval of this law
and prosecuted as speedy as possible
consistent with the due and proper
of said penitentiary and
other labor required to be done by the
convicts therein.
Sec. 8 The counties of Santa Fe
and San Miguel shall employ and pay
q competent civil engineer to survey
said route, and he shall. acting under
the direction of the superintendent
of the penitentiary, select and locate
the same, and the superintendent Of
the penitentiary, shall in person or
through his authorized agent, direct
the manner and method Of carry
ing on and prosecution OF the con-
struction Of said public highway;
Provided, that until the time said