Cañon City record., 1909-10-21


The Canon City Record. Canon City,
Colo.
Dear Sir-The enclosed clipping
cut from an issue of the Canon City
Times, has been called TO my atten-
ton Ordinarily l would not take pub
lie notice of matter of this nature, but
this publication SO palpably misrep-
resents the true situation that in just
ice to my position with respect to ii.
l believe the people of this commuu-
ity should know all the facts.
To begin with, l found en- coming
here as warden of the penitentiary,
that the penltentiary officers had
never been forced to pay Poll Taxes;
that there has been an understanding
of and sprinkling the streets in this
neighborhood and also for the convict
work that is and has been done on
the streets OF Canon City, that the
penitentiary guards and officers would
be held immune from Poll Taxes.
In regard to the statement rela-
tive to my asking for water for
twenty acres of land around Soda
Point, l wish to say that this article
says that this demand for water for
twenty acres OF land is for a right
of-way across penitentiary land, but
it does not mention the fact that this
right-of-way extends not only across
the land but through the state tunnel
( which cost the people of Colorado
\ s7.500.0O to make. My proposition TO
the city was simply this: That the
city furnish us water for twenty acres
OF land for the sum of one hundred
dollars per year-which Is Its regular
rate. $500 per acre per annum-for
a period Of twenty years, and that the
state allow the city a right-of-way
through its grounds and through the
tunnel. which. as / stated. cost the
people OF Colorado s7.5o0-00. for one
hundred dollars per year for a period
of twenty years. In other words. the
city gets the use of the tunnel for a
period of twenty years for the sum OF
100000. which tunnel cost $7,500.00
10 construct-and this is 100000 at
the rate OF one hundred dollars per
year without interest The use of the
tunnel will cost the city practically
nothing. from the fact that II will
pay for 1t In water at its regular retail
price. while on the other hand. were
IT to construct this same tunnel II
would cost at least seven or eight
thousand dollars; so l cannot see
where the city is getting any the
worst OF the deal.
Now in regard TO the convict labor Z:
There have been times during this
summer when we have had five gangs
OF convicts at work on the streets,
public parks. fairgrounds, etc, in IN.
city OF Canon City. and that were the
people OF Canon City forced to nave
this work done by free labor. IT would
not only cost them more than they
would receive for Poll Taxes from the
penitentiary. but would cost at least
fifteen or twenty thousand dollars per
year.
| am willing at any time. and at all
times 10 do my share. towards help
ing the city In any of Its improve
ments. and have never refused them
a single request which they have made
during my incumbency. And in regard
TO this l notice that this article says
that owing 10 the fact that the Canon
city people are tax payers, etc, that
they would be entitled to the use of
these convicts anyway. This is abso-
lutely untrue. for the reason that
there is no law on the statute books
requiring the warden TO work convicts
on city streets. or in any other place
except at his discretion. The only law
under which we can work convicts
on public highways is the Lewis law.
and under this law the warden may.
at his own discretion. work convicts
on public highways, which means
county roads. not city streets. on the
request of the boards of county COM
missioners. However. Il is entirely op-
tional with the warden at TO whether
a single man works outside of the
walls or not.
Hoping that have made clear my
position In regard to the. at least. in
/ correct article I am