The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-03
MEMBERS OF BOARD FIND DIFFICULTIES Discuss Working of Con-
 victs on Roads INCREASE IN COST Claims That System Would Be Much More Expensive Than That Now Employed in Road
 Building

The oft mooted question of working convicts on the country roads has again been raised by the recent report of the grand jury of Jefferson county, whiea makes mention of the lease system which now prevails, and recommends some changes, among them, that all short term convicts be worked on the public roads of the county instead of in the mines as is now the case.
 From interviews with the members ef the board of revenue of Jefferson coun- ty. in whose hands is placed the dsposaf of the county convicts, 1t was learned that the gentlemen composing that body had given the matter much thought and serious consideration. They state that 60 per cent of the county convicts are "deadheads," by which Is meant men and women who are disabled or physi- oally unfit for hard labor, and that owing to this condition the former iesses of the county convicts did not want them at any price, and when they accept the present price of s1O50 a head it was the very best they could do.
 As to working the convicts on the couri- ty roads, the members of the board gen orally favor it, provided the proper plan can be devised and such plans properly financed.
 They suggest however. that the advo- cates of working the convicts on the roads give the matter due consideration, and look into the many phases of the situa- tion.
 One of the board stated that he Lad made a personal investigation, extending ever several states, of the methods and results of working convicts on the roads and in every instance found conditions undesirable and results unsatisfactory. He said the expense of maintaining trav- cling or movable camps is enormous and it has been proven that it costs nearIy twice as much to build roads with con- victs as it does with free labor. 1t was estimated by him that in Jefefrson coun- ty it would cost the county $33.50 per con vict each month to work the county roads. This of course includes the sl0.5o now paid by the lessee of the convicts under the present system. This he re- garded as a very conservative estimate and includes board, clothes, medical at- tention, guards, foremen, etc.
 The experience of all outdoor workers he points out is, that r days is a good average for working days in a month. owing to weather, Sundays and other conditions. When 1t is taken into ton- sideration that only able bodied men can work on the roads which Is never moro than 40 per cent of the convicts-and that owing to the nature of the work, tasks cannot be imposed and as consequence much shirking would be done, the work ing of the convicts on the roads would be both unsatisfactory and expensive.
 When this is compared with the fact that free labor is employed at SIPS per day which for 20 working days would be only S25, the sS5.5o for every convict with only 40 per cent working the F to 20 days month, the balance Is largely in the favor of free labor.
 Then again, members of the board claiaa, the deficit from the loss of revenue would have to be met, for the fine and forfeit ure fund, to which the money from the lease of convicts is now applied, Is not sufficient at this time to meet the de- mands and with the withdrawal of this revenue would create condition hat could only be met with special or nl- creased taxation.
 These are only a few of the phases of the convict situation and while they are ne gative to the proposition, the members of the board state they are going to give the matter full consideration and care fu study in the hope that proper solu- ton of the vexed question can be arrived