The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-30

H..
D. D., who secuted the idea that men
learn valuable trades in the prison un-
der the present system.
Opposes Lime Grinding.
Senator Blackburn Smith talked OF
lime grinding. He said 100000 is
invested i'll these industries, employ
Ing 1000 men. lie thought IL woulu
be unconstitutional TO employ men OH
work of Internal improvements exc =
on ronds.
The use OF ground limestone, any
farmer will tell YOU" he said, "is still
in its experimental stage" Senator
GTavatt asked him If the plants lie
spoke OF were making lime and. If
SO, what they were doing with il.
Senator Smith replied that 1t was
being sold for experimental purposes
lie said II the committee were going
TO report the Lesner bill, ii would be
unnecessary for his people to appear
against ihe lime grndins bill, but
gave pretty clear evidence thar that
proposition will be fought.
Senator Folkes said that II the Les
ner bill passes, by the time the aevt
Legislature meets ii will have been in
operation only eight months, since the
Ihachcr contract does not expire until
May l. 1918 This Senate is elected
for the next session. lie said, land
while some may die, none will resign
fhen VIC can Judge the effects" This
was the first time In his six years OF
exp =rience. ne said, when another
,lan tho Finance Committee had
chance to deal with fiscal pr oblems,
and he hoped this Roads Committee
would do its duty. He submitted tho
case for the advocates OF the bill.
Convict Lnhor Cheaper.
The COMMITTEES asked Stale High
way Commissioner Wilson to speak
lie told Of the much lower cost OF
convict labor than OF free labor OIL
the roads. Contractors mad told him
they would prefer convicts at the 81
day the State charges them to tree
labor at si.25. The health oil them
improves In the open air. Those coun-
ties which use convicts, continued
Captain Wilson, never want 10 give
them UP.
But he did not wan, state money
aid abolished, as advocated by some
speakers. The entire available prison
force would he only 1900, or an aver
age az only eighteen 10 the county.
Many counties. he added have bor-
rowed money and Issued bonds for
good roads, depending on the contlnu-
ance OF State aid. and these might
suffer.
As to the Jail mon, hs heartily fav-
bred their use on the road. They cost
m the city jails. he said. an average
Of 20 cents per day. They tan be
ised and guarded on tho roads for
'4.34 cents per calendar day, so that
:heir net cost would be only IA cents.
Of perhaps Is cents. per working day.
mere was every argument he con-
Guided. for putting all available men
on the roads
Governors Proposition.
Captain Wilson had the bill pre-.
pared by himself and the Governor,
which provides:
After May l, 1919, prisoners con.
"ictcd OF felony shall be sentenced 70
the penitent!ary and after that date
all male prisoners confined In the
penitcntary shall be subject to work
on the State convict road force But
such conv!cts az the superintendent OF
The penitehtiary. on account of char
acter or disposition, shall deem IL I'M
safe to be put on the convict road
force. may be hired out to be worked
at the penitentiary, or may be en-
ployed By the penitentary board in
work for the State at the penitentiary
or at the State Farm. provided that
the convicts SO hired or employed, ex-
elusive OF women. shall not exceed
500"
Another amendment to the existing
law Is suggested. carrying out the
'"'Sii'Dt ihCd ot tUc system,
and aboiishing guarus. II provides
for one or two camps as experiments
with a view. II the results are satig-
factory, Of it's extension 10 all camps
Minor wood Tnlks.
! superintendent James b. Wood Of
| the rententiary. said that ne has
about twenty convicts making clothes
| for the others, and he doubted IL all
t..e 800 could be used. even at making
/ clothes for all state institutions II
was suggested to him that people at
these Institutions make their own
| cloth!nE maintenance at the farm
might cost moro than In Richmond
IN view 0. the fact that this is a
contra! point.
the payroll Of the prison. no said.
rs about $4,000 a year, and, in reply
20 question, said no supposed Il is
all spent III Richmond.
G"nN!ctp WIN break out of anything
unless gnerde watch them, sold Major
wood lis told OF d case when a man
TOOK thread from his. hose and cut
bis way out OF q steel cell. Personally,
ne neither supported nor opposed any
tions. $3.50
IN