The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-20
CONv|CTS LIKE
OUTDOOR WORK
Squad Employed at Fair
grounds Under Provision
of New Law.
OTHERS SOON To BE
AT WORK ON ROADS
Warden Pratt Says Men Are
Eager TO Work OIL the
Outside.

Convict labor on public work now is an
actuality in Utah. Under the new con-
vIct labor law eighteen OF the state
wards al the penitentiary went To work
Monday morning at the State Fair
grounds tearing down old paddockS and
fences. The work is some the fair board
found necessary To do and inasmuch as
there was no appropriation made by the
last legislature for this work, application
was made TO the governor. the commits
sion and the board of pardons for the
use of convicts. Warden Arthur Pratt
of the peniteptiary selected the prison
ers for the work and under close guard
the men were taken to the fair grounds
Most of the convicts are long-term pris-
oners.
After the hrs, days work the convicts
were taken back TO the prison, but a
grounds today. The force of men will be
Increased to thirty today and guards Will
be provided on the scale OF a guard TO
ten convicts Two sets OF guards VIII
law the fair board paws the hire or the
guards. The camp will be maintained
in a way 10 provide food for the men.
While the board has asked for no certain
length OF time for the use OF the con-
victs it is thought ii will take at least
thirty days TO complete the work laid
out.
Success Indicated,
Warden Arthur Pratt said Monday
night that the first days work indicated
that the new law will be a success. "Ev-
cry one of the convicts sent out was
eager TO CO. he said. THEY worked
faithfully all day. Several came in to-
night with hands blistered from the work
OF tearing down the old fences. There
Will be no difficulty in films the quotas
asked by the different counties, as all
the men want to get out TO work.
The camp at the fair grounds. which
is TO be the first under the new law. will
care for the prisoners tonight, One OF
the substantial buildings on the grounds
has been taken for The prisoners, In one
end of this building will be the dining
room and kitchen, while the prisoners
are TO sleep in the other end; The
duty. In the daytime the prisoners.
thirty In number. will be under guard
OF three men working eight hours. At
night one guard Will be on duty while the
others sleep In the tent; The night guard
Will be changed at midnight. | believe
the method of guarding the men will be
entirely adequate and satisfactory
Provisions of Law.
Under the new convict labor law the
furnish convict labor for the promotion
of any enterprise under the direction OF
the state government. The primary OBJ
ject in passing the law was 10 secure
the services OF the conyicts on building
roads In different counties OF the state,
In securing the convicts. application must
he made through the board OF corrections.
the governor and the warden OF the pcni-
jcntiary. The cost OF establishing con-
Wet camps and maintaining qualified
guards falls 10 the county asking for con-
vict labor The cost OF the maintenance
Of the prisoners, their work and the like.
is under the supervision of the state
road commission. Davis county already
has made application for convicts and il
is thought a camp will be established in a
short time To begin work on the piece
Of road near the county line between Salt
Lake and Davis counties 1t has been
estimated that probably 125 convicts may
he placed In camps in different parts of
the state. Before the year is out. ac-
cording to the present prospects, convict
labor will be responsible for many miles
of improved highways that otherwise
could not have heen built, owing 10 the
expense of the labor.