The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-07-03
eOENEeI R0AD
gOR
OF eOLORAl(

i " WWADl III
March 2srd, 1si
Marshall County Good Roads Asso.,
Glen Easton West Virginia. {
4 Gentlemen: :
! Your letter OF March 9Th was II
Eceiyed during my absence in gChieag
4 before the Illinois Good Roads Assr
tciptlon and was lust today brought t
/ my attention. i shall be very glad Il
\ deed to answer all your question Ii
/ the order named:
4. How long have prisoners bee
4 working on the roads in your Slater
Since early in 1908 when the frs
road gang was put out Tor eapeFimeI
tai purposes. During 1909 and 1S1
the force was quadrupled and 5durlnI
1911, force OF two hundfed mel
built over one hundred tmiies OF goo
roads.
2. What aye the principal objection,
to- working prisoners on the roads?
None whatever, II the matter Is haI
died wisely and judiclohsly. The III
erature mailed you under separate c.
yer covers this point thoroughly.
9. Has It moved TO be an economI
method OF making and repairing pul.
ifs roads?
Yes, distinctly 50. The labor o
each convict on the public roads I
Colorado has been proven to be wort
from two to three dollars day an
has actually cost the various eountIe
wherein they were employed but
average OF THIRTY CENTS a da,
During the, 1909;ls1O biennial perio
our conyicts did over $4,000 worti
of work for $4,000 and during The
present biennial period ending Mover.
Der 3d. 1912, We will have a halt M
lion dollars worth OF work periorme
for less than 100000. The econom
Of convict road building in colorad
has been tested and thoroughly pro
en-; Its efficiency has been attested b
scores OF; road making experts and II
general value to the State has bee
far in excess OF any standard OF do
lars and cents.
a. How do you quarter, proyisio,
and guard the prisoners when l.
camp?
The men are housed in roomy tent
provided by the county where the wor
Is in progress-ampie supply OF bee
ding IS also had-eqps1ments 70
kitchens. is part OF the camp outfit an
all provisions are purchased by tn
County Commissioners upon requis
ton by the had overseer. The me,
are well fed and examination Of AZ
ures shows that the, average cost I
feeding these men runs from TWEEN
TY.SlX to THIRTY CENTS a da!
This cost represents the labor Of eas'
man. Our eonvicts on the roads ar
placed on HONOR and are under III
direct control OF two competent ogei
seers-unarmed-and We have fbun
that we can work our men more stiy
eessfully iii, this manner. Tie polio
Of armed guards, tie constant menae
or guns. theF shame 6f stripes Ind OF
or old.time prlsohf stapidities cha
been proven To besdetrimentaf to goo
work. BY a system Of personal a
quaintanee With each man. ny exae
ing his word OF hbnor to bssfaitifi
to his pledges, by securing tho e''
idorsementiand gliaranteel.o his rep
'tiyes and friends. we, yelfound tht
II creates d moral wall around hif
stronger than any material one. q
5. Does the county or district pa
for the prisoners labor or are the
worked by the State? wv
The prisoners are worked by tn,
State. that Is. theplabor. and the me
and the superintendent ofHthc work!
underline direct control of the Warde
who sees to 1t that he is kept persoi
ally In touch with the work by sy!
TEN OF monthly reports, weekly letter
and personal inspections. The Cout
ties In which the work is performe
pay all the expenses of inaintainin
the camp with the exception Of clotl
ing and shoes, and the State Hlghwa
Commission appropriates certain sun
toward the assistance Of these yariou
counties. | am enclosing you unde
separate, cover copy Of the Stat
laws under which this road work !.
performed. v '192-r,s .
6. What percentage in n thousan
average prisoners would be available,
for working In road camp?
Prisoners are the same in any: othe
State as they are In Colorado and hi
man nature knows no distinctions b.
States, and believe that'7O .per@cen
of any thousand average prisoner,
could be worked on the public road
on trust and honor, away from the pr
son walls with the same measure Q
success that We have achieved here.
Z. What employment, II any, hav
You for the prisoners during winte
months when the force Is brought il
from the road camps?
We kept our'camps out all the yea.
round. The climatic conditions Of Col
orado are such that It has not beef
found necessary to hiring any OF the