The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-19
Not Enough Men to
Meet Present De-
mands.
MORE J AILBIRDS
NEEDED ON ROADS
Highway Commissioner, Before
Finance Committee, Urges
Legislation That Will Give
State Benefit Of Idle Pris-
oners-Favors Abolition
of Changing System.

Not ono Of the twenty-eicht counties
which now has a state convict road
building camp Will give it up. state
Highway Commissioners Coleman made
this statement to tho Senate Finance
Committee yesterday. adding that he
has applications pending for several
more camps than he can get men to
MI lie urged legislation that would
put to work on the roads all idle men
In jails for as long as sixty days. The
present law was intended TO accom-
plish that but seems not to be meet
ing its purpose.
we need a new law to get the Jail
birds" Mr.. Coleman told the commit
tee. The scrPcants and Sherifis are
supposed to certify a list Of the men
they have in Jail available for road
work. but somehow or other we can't
get tho men out. There are fully nine
~ able bodied men lying idle in Rich
mond Jail right now, who might as
we'll BE- in one OF the road gangs.
| don't know about the other jails. but
we ought to have the work OF every
able bodied man in jail for sixty days
or longer
Jmilcrs Want Their Fees.
That tailcrs were unwilling to give
up the per diem they receive from the
state for the custody OF Jail prisoners.
was the only solution members Of the
committee could give for the failure of
the law to operate. Several Senators
said that within their knowledgc num-
hers OF men were idle in Jail at tho
expense of the State. The present law
makes transfer to the roads discrc-
uonary with the Judges in many cases
ana apparently many Judges are not
in sympathy with the States plan OF
road work.
Senator Echos asked whether the
Highway Commission favored abolition
of the chain-Eang. AIR Coleman said
that from what he had seen of it. he
did. as under the chain-gang system
PRISONERS We're worked in the coumu-
mites where they were known, ana
The cost OF guarding was higher than
III regularly organized road gangs.
Needs Every ible-Bodicd Man.
He reiterated that the road work Of
the State demanded the service of
every available convict or man in iail
Tor sixty days or longer. In a less
time. II would hardly pay 10 harden
up the average trining negro sent TO
Jail for minor orfenses. and unused to
work OF any kind Mr.. Coleman re-
ported that 6SS miles OF improved roads
had been built during the past year,
either by convicts or State aid. His
Office also had the supervision of a
large amount OF road building financed
by county bond issues.
During the year nfty-two bridges
OF varying lengths were erected at a
cost OF Sil200G For the coming year
he asked for 5000 oOo for road build
ing, and Sl45.o0O for support OF con
Wet camps.
one serious trouble" said MI Cole
man, ''is that our supervision stops
when the road is finished. We need
law requiring the counties receiving
state aid. either in money or in con
v!cts. or which Issue bonds to make
rrt vision for the upkecp OF roads 1t
shoulI he made q condition OF re-
caiving state aid in any form
Wants Fund for Ipkerp of Roads.
Il would like TO see the license tax
or automobiles doubled, and be-
l!evc the cwIcrs would not object il
there could be provided q more cQuita-
bic assessment of such machines as
property. They dcprcciate rapidly. and
frequently are not salablc al anything
like the amount assessed. The license
tax, however. should bc increased. and
the whole sum received from automo-
bile licenses devoted To the uDllcep OF
roads already built"
Several members Of the committee
discussed how this sum could be ap-
portionec. whether on Il basis OF the
number of motor cars IN II county. The
miles OF improved roads, population, or
some ether plan They thought the
cities would agree TO have their share
apportioEed to the adjoining countics
as city people owning automobiles are
Continued on Second Page)