The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-10
GOOD ROADS BY coNvIcTs.

Governor Spry and Warden Pratt
have returned from the investigation
| in Colorado of the good roads ques-
| tiou. Their trip was made for the pur-
pose of finding out the facts and true
conditions and operation of the work
ing of State convicts upon public roads.
They return both enthusiastic on the
proposition that tho working of con
vlcts on the State road is success in
Colorado. and they arc anxious to try
it in Utah AS il is. the labor of con
victs here is very much restricted, and
Il good many could advantagoously be
taken from the State s prison for work
outside.
1t would be necessary, of course,
ways as State roads, in order to meet
technical and legal objections For, it
would probably he found imprac tica bio
in the law 10 work convicts on any
road except a State road. There are
certain provisions Of the Constitution
that it would be well also to take
into consideration before doing very
much by way of preparing to work
convicts on Utah State roads Our
State Constitution. unfortunately legis-
that legislation there arc snags that
are not easy either to remove or to
avoid. Warden Pratt, however has
had great deal OF experience with
prisoners, and doubtless his opinion
would he of considerable benefit III set
tling tthis question
The first requirement in building
good roads is to get competent ex-
pert to supervise the work, so that the
roads may he built on well-approved
uent and easy to keep up. 1T is idle
TO make mere earth roads. 1t is idle
10 make large preparations and cXpend
heavy sums TO make temporary roads.
Such roads as are made should be as
we'll made as the old Roman roads, so
that they may last AS long. There is
ample material easily accessible in all
parts Of the State to make the best of
roads. 1t has been impossible, hereto
fore TO make the best of roads, be.
cause of two main lacks, each of high
importance, First we Will say, al.
though perhaps this is not the chief
one of the two points, but we will put
il first, the obtaining of expert advice
and supervision in the making of the
roads on tho best approved plans for
effectiveness and permanence. Second,
although some people may think this
should be put first, the lack of the
necessary money 10 put in the roads.
We put them in the order stated, how
ever, because, unless the best plans
were adopted, which would promote the
greatest permanence and the least cost
to keep up, it would be useless to spend
money, even in large sums. on roads
The plan approved by the best expert
advice we consider to be of the first
importance then the money that has
TO be expended Will be well expended,
and the result will be of tho higher
economic value,
We trust that no insuperablo OBJ
icctions may lie against the plan to
work the convlcts on the public roads.
We trust, further, that whatever is
done in this line viii not be done in
haphazard way. but viii be done with
fixed purpose as above outlined. so
that for generations the work Will
stand. with the minimum of repairs. 1t
would not be difficult, and the cost
would be within the reach of the State
with some aid, perhaps, from local
treasures, to make pattern highways III
this State, and from these highways
have the branches also built on equally
wel.prepared plans. and with perfect
material, a network of lateral roads
that would serve all the people. The
State roads should be patterns for all,
and should, so far as possible. be so
placed as to be of the greatest possible
service to the largest number of people