Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-12-24
BETTER ROADS URGED
BY LABOR OF C0NV|CTS
Member of Inspecting Com
mittee Makes Suggestions
for Improvement

AMERICUS, Ga, Dec. 22-PIans for
an increased efficiency in the building
OF roads in Georgia by convict work
are offered in a statement issued by F.
IN. Griffin, a member of the Georgia
legislative committee, which has been
inspecting convict camps in half a dozen
counties of southwestern Georgia.
The statement is confined to the re-
suit of the convicts' work on the pub
lie roads. 1T follows In full:
AS a member of the pcnitenttary
committee of the Georgia legislature,
and by the direction OF the chairman
of said committee, myself with three
other members, nave been the past
week making an inspection of the con-
vict camps in half a dozen counties in
southwestern Georgia, and while our
duties were to look after the manner
of treatment of those under the ban
of the law, yet 1 made it a point to
gather all the data possible on the road
question, and it is on this line that 1
want to submit a few comparisons, and
will ask you to give them publicity If
you think them worth while. Our first
county we found so convicts. >of course
employed in working the roads, as the
law directs. With these 80 men the
county used only 80 head of mules. We
found that with this number of men
and mules that only one mile of road
per month was being built. but this
mile was finished with concrete walls
and drainage bitches that will stand at
least rs years, with very little repair.
The cost of this camp, for all expenses
except the salary OF the superintend-
ent, did not exceed $1,000 per month.
This vas considered a very moderate
cost. Wnen we found the camps, bed
oIng, clothing and feed, all up, and the
men satished, this would mean only u
miles of permanent road built per year,
at cost of $4,000 to $4,000. The next
county had only 81 men convicts
with 16 mules; 81 miles of road built
at a cost of $3.50 per month, including
all expenses. This we considered
fine showing, and from the standpoint
of the commissioners of the county,
would say that they should feel proud
of such a showing The third county,
a small one, had only 10 men. and with
this small number to work, and the
expenses of equipment for tents, mules,
and implements almost equal to larger
counties with three times the number
of men. We found the prospects very
gloomy and the citizens discouraged,
because the amount necessary 10 equip
and the small amount of work done,
because OF the few convicts.
1t occurs to us that the remedy for
these small counties would be to let their
to their larger neighbors. and
have the returns come back by having
the entire force of the larger neighbor
give them, say one months time each
year. This would work as much or more
roads each year to to work their force
nf a al
80 per cent Of expense that is necessary
for working them an the time in the
small county. If some such plan is not
brought about I am fearful that it will
not be long before the small counties will
have to go back to the old system and
lose their places amongst the larger and
more enterprising counties.
Our fourth county had a number Of con-
victs equal to the first-S0 men, but this
county works an equal number of mules
or a mule for man. This county will
build this year at least 90 miles of first
class roads 30 feet wide and the finest
roads we have ever Travelled. at a cost
Of s., 800 per month, and while this amount
is three times as much as the first coun-
ty, yet, when mileage Is considered, are
four times as many miles OF
road. We find in this county that the con-
structions of this increase mileage have
advanced the farm lands along the course
of these finished roads, have advanced
"A to 40 per cent over the section where
no roads have been built even in the same
This, of course. causes every
land owner in the county to want all the
roads built as early as possible. The only
difficulty as we see 1t that by pushing the
work at such an expense will necessarily
force the county to issue bonds to meet