Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-09-14
CONVICTS USED IN
SOME CITES
Atlanta Derives Much Good
From Their Work.
Columbus and Rome
Also Have Minor Ben
eft From Work of
Convicts.


Anent the recent effort to secure
legislation under which the county
convict force of Sumter would work
public highways right up to the
court house. instead of stopping a;
the city limits, it will be of interest
to reproduce facts brought out by the
Savannah city authorities who, con-
templating similar use Of the con-
victs of Chatham wrote to other Geor-
gia cities for information.
OF the four cities heard from three
receive some assistance from che coun-
ty, though as a rule but very little.
Atlanta appears to be the best off IN
this regard.
The -etter from Atlanta quotes TIE
charter OF the city which says: The
commissioners of roads ana revenues
OF said county be. and are hereby in
vested with the exclusive control 81
said conYicts, and with the sole powa.
see Ill to direct that said canyicts
without reference to proportion of pop
ulatlon between the city of Atlanta
and the county outside of said city:
provided, that whenever the said com
missiOners of roads and revenues shall
see fit to idrect that said convicts
shall work on the streets of the CITY
of Atlanta, that the grade, style and
character of tne work shall be de-
termined by the city authorities, bit
lhe particular locality or streets upon
which the work is to be done, shall
be decided by majority vote between
he members composing the board or
commissions of roads and revenue 5
and commissioners of streets and set-
en5 OF the siad city, or in the
event OF the abolishment of the
said boar of commissioners oss
streets and sewers, tae street commit
tee of the city council of said city"
The letter says: You viii see from
che above that the county can and
does do work in the city of Atlanta
and is supposed when doing work to
Work in conjunction with the Street
and Sewer Committee of council. AS
i matter of fact, the county does coz
siderable work within TIE city, BIZ.
does not work through cooperation
especially with the street committee
Most Of the work of paving street.
in the city done by the county is done
on petition or request of number ..
citizens from the locality in which the
work is desired, WHO appear before the
county commissioners, and they usual,
~ pass upon the work without consul
tation with the street committee. The
street committee of council makes 40
objection to this manner, because il
is just that much work done that the
city is saved from. doing.
The finance committee of council
frequently appears before tie county
commissioners and asks for help for
certain work to be done within the
city or for the benefit of the city
which is sometimes granted and some
times not. Just at present the county
is under promise and will soon begin
furnishing $50 able-bodied men to
DO the heavy grading and excavating
in connection with the work on oul
sewer system and waterworks plant
recently voted under a $3,O0O 900 boud
issue.
This gives you about the situation
IN Atlanta. The county does consider
able work in the city and for the city
on its streets, and excavating for sew.
ers, ETC., but in most cases uses its
own discretion about when and where
they shall work and the street and
sewer committee of council counts
themselves just SO much in. and does
not quarrel with them because they
do not confer with them about the MAJ
-, -