The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-26
CONVICT LABOR ON
ROADS OF VIRGINIA
Mr. Wilson State Highway Commissioner Tells How the
System Has Worked to Advantage
in the Old Dominion.

I compared with Tree labor. the favor
lite arguments being that the physical
condition OF the criminal GLASSES Ia
| below that of the average labor and
that man who is working under
compulslon with no compensation nor
nope of Advancement will naturally
not DO As good work ~ paid laborer.
Our experience leads us to the opinion
that the labor Of convicts humanely
and inte'ligently handled In Just as
efhclent AN any other form of common
labor, ia addition to which IL possesses
the great advantages of regularity, OF
] being under perfect control, and of
being operated at about 50 per cent.
OF the cost Of ordinary labor. II must
De borne in mind that In drafting
prisoners into the road force they are
put through q physical examination
No diseased men. or men incapacitated
FOR hard work are taken. and almost
invariably a prisoners physical con-
dition is improved by the outdoor life
and. wholesome and plentiful food
This results In his being Mt to do more
work than perhaps he has ever been
able to do before. and while the men
] are never. hard driven II Is seen that
each one does full days work. Con-
tractors. who are doing road work
with convict labor. are satisfied with
It: in fact. some have expressed them
the same rate.
Men In the road force for good be-
hasior are allowed u reduction in their
terms OF imprisonment Of four days
month When they prove com
petent they are given positions of re-
sponslbility on the work. and there
are number of instances where men
upon the termination OF their sen
fences have been employed by con-
tractors at good wages.
Convict labor on road work, how
ever. we have found not to he with
out its drawbacks. One Of the chief
OF these becomes apparent en Work
where the grazing is light and the
men could be used TO the best ad-
santage II scattered along the line.
the cost OF employing sufficient
number of guards TO permit this IL,
or course. prohibItiVe.
There IL no doubt about the fact
that convict labor can be Used eco
nomically when concentrated and
when employed close to where II Is
quartered. This has led to the opinion
expressed In the last two annual re-
ports of this department that to a
large extent sucn labor can be more
successfully employed in quarrying
and the preparation OF road material
than In actual road construction. In
such work can be secured the econ
onlies of reduction la the number
Of guards required. of less frequent
escapes. OF time saved in getting the
men to and from work. and in what
is OF the greatest Importance. keeping
the men employed during weather
road work The condition OF the
ground may, especially In winter. en-
force idleness of the road force for
uays and sometimes weeks
We have In several counties where
!, local stone WAS not obtAinaoie OF was
of undesirable quality. been forced to
purchase stone from sources some
times outside Of the State. and there
la no doubt that much money could
have been saved had We been able to
furnish the material from quArries
operated by convict labor.
1t would. OF course, be necessary to
locate crushing plants at points where
desirable stone could be advantageous
ly auarried ana good transportation
facilities obtained. 1t would also be
necessary to secure the cooperation
Of the transportation companies In
the matter OF low freight rates. and.
il possible, to make an arrangement
similar to that existing In the state OF
Illinois by which railroads would take
stone ballast in part payment OF
freights.
We believe taht under such condi-
tons. crushed stone OF better quality
could be prepared and delivered In
some counties at a lower figure than
the stone now being taken from local
deposits Is costing.
Whether or not this method Of en-
ploying our prison labor II ever adopt
ed ~ problematlcal as there 10 strong
opposition to II IN some quarters. but
one thing IL certain. the establishment