The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1907-12-12

and see what the value Of the
labor of the convicts not employ
ed on the public roads are worth
IN the State OF Virginia and we
ind $72, $50. To go a little far
Their the average cost of a con-
vets labor on the roads of North
Carolina has been "a cents a day.
Mississippi accents, South Caro-
ma is cents, Virginia IS cents
\probaole owing to the small
number employed), aud these
figures include food, clothes, cook
ing, Washing, medical attendance
and the pay of the guard, Now
let us see what it would cost
Mathews county to ditch the roads
at these figures. Ditching is hard
work, and'a good man figures or
$I.5o day for about ten hours
work. This would make so yards
OF ditch at 3 cents or so yards at
5 cent. Suppose we average ii
up and call 40 yards i days work
and 1900 Yards in a mile and
apply the following figures, using
25 cents a day fox the cost Of the
convicts labor. as that see MS to
be the average where large num-
bcrs are employee. 1860 divided
by 10 equals III and "a times Is
cents amounts to Sill.
| Here we have Sill a mile for
ditChfng one side Of the road and
our road tax during the year 1904.
which IS the last one for which |
have any report (see circular No.
~ OF the Office of Public Roads,.
credited Mathews County with
100 miles OF public roads and a
total amount of tax Of $3.50, or
1880 per mile at these iigues.
With One-half set aside for re-
pairs, we would have $7.25 per
mile tor repairing our large
bridges and working our convict
gang. have no liable data
about the bridges, but Will set
aside SIS 4 year for that purpose
am sure that it will take at least
that. This leaves us $3.50 per
mile or $3.50 for the whole county
and VIC apply the following
figures: $50 divided by II equals 90
miles of road ditched one side
annually, or 25 miles ditched
both sides, Let US for the pur-
pose OF argument assume that we
would have TO open I mile of lead
ditch to the river in order to free
every four miles Of public road
ditch or I mile Of lead ditch to
every 2 miles O f road-it would
probably average that-and we
nave $50 miles of ditching to do
before our work would be accom-
pished, At the rate OF so miles a
year this would employ us five
years and ne=d 20 Convicts an
nually for SIS days each year.
surely the State can spare us 4
gang OF twenty for that length OF
Tune out CT her 800. when we
onIy ask for them during the
months of July and August. The
-tst Years work would ditch the
,,'''o ta.d from the Gloucester
.'- I'D NV Point and leave
e..-a labor d" Grade and crown
.- -ontt House square so that
.-e could set about comfortably
IA rainy weather. Those un.
,amiliar with the working Of a cor
rect force may thin k this plan i'm
practicable, on account of escapes
ana the cost OF camping ana
guarding. In reply TO chem ]
desire 10 say that ii has not been
found so in the adjoining states,
the short term men only are so
employed, and after having their
hair cut close to the head. they
are photographed. dressed in
peculiar and CONSPICUOUS garments
and promise a Communication of
sentense if they prove trust
worthy, and a small cash bonus
at the expiration of their terms |
Tor faithful work. Under these |
circumstances. escapes are rare,
quite as mUCb ca az ~, thu e.,4