The Mena weekly star., 1913-02-13
TO WORK CONNECTS
 ON PUBLIC ROADS
Proposed Law Empowers County Courts to Compel Prisoners to Improve Highways-Legal
 Provisions Are Made.

county convicts on the public roads of the various counties of the state has been introduced by Senator Lundy of Polk county as Senate Bill No. 73. It makes provision for the organization of the county judges of any judicial circuit into county convict board and lays down rules for the working of the conVicts on the roads of the counties partici- pating in the organization plan.
 The board, after it has organized and elected from it's members a chairman and secretary, is author ized to purchase tools, equipment and supplies necessary to care Tor the convicts while they are work ing. A road foreman is to be em- ployed to take charge of the tools and work the convicts. Annual meetings, the bill provides, are to be held by the board, which is author ized to adopt rules and regulations concerning the management, con- trol, care and discipline of the con- Victs.
 Punishment of unruly cOnVicts is provided for, but it also is required that the foreman keep an accurate record of the punishment admlnls- tered and embody it in a report to the board each month. It also pro vides that, should the report not be truthful or the punishment inflict- ed be too severe, he shall be dis charged, and, upon conviction, fined not less than $50. The road fore man, the bill provides, shall work the convicts an equal length of time in each of the counties each year and shall work out the allot- ted time in each county before moving to another. Also the meas ure provides he shall keep an ac- curate record of the number of men worked each day and the number of days worked in each county. This information is to be embodied in report to be filed with the county clerk as soon as the allotted time has been worked out.
 The bill prescribes that the road foreman shall notify the county judge of each county at least 30 days before he expects to begin work in that county, as well as fur nish him with an estimate of the supplies he will need for the con- victs. Bids shall be advertised for when the supplies are purchased. When the work is completed, the bill provides the county clerk shall send a statement to the secretary of the board, telling what was expend- ed for supplies. The county judge shall designate to the road foreman the road to be improved and it is provided that the county court shall allow for the salary of the road foreman and whatever other paid employees may be necessary.
 COnvictS to Receive Pay.
 When a county convict is turned over to the road foreman, the bill provides that the court shall fur nish to him a commitment giving the prisoners names, date of con- Viction, Offense, the amount of the fine and an itemized statement of the costs. After the foreman has given his receipt, the bill provides that it shall be his duty to work the convict not more than 10 hours a day at the rate of 70 cents a day until the fine and costs have been worked out. It further is provided that a convict who has violated none of the rules shall be dis charged after serving siX-seVenths of his time. Data concerning the date of delivery of the convict and the number of days worked and the date of his discharge shall be en- bodied in the foreman's report to the secretary of the board, accord ing to the provisions of the bill.
 At the annual meeting of the board, the bill provides that the secretary shall furnish a complete statement of the expense of work ing the prisoners in each county, the number of men worked, the number of days and other data. Then the expense shall be divided between the counties and settle ment made according to the work done in each county.
 Counties May Borrow"
 The bill provides for the working of prisoners convicted in the cities and towns provided the unpaid ones amounts to as much as it costs to be paid by the county court of the county in which conviction is made. If ano11ph canViplc arc mt fl1r- nished to make the road gang large enough for profitable operation, the bill provides that contracts for con- victs may be made.
 Provision also is made for the doubling of time with costs of con- victs who attempt to escape, the trial to be held before some justice of the peace. A standing reward of $5 is offered for the capture of escaped convicts.
 A fines" fund is created in each county, the treasurer to keep in it all funds collected for fines. Upon this fund the bill provides all war rants shall be drawn as long as there are funds in it and after that they are to be drawn out of the county, general or circuit court funds at the discretion of the coun- ty court
 The measure also makes proVi- sion for the building of stockades, payment for the delivery of pris- oners and other details necessary to the carrying out of the plan. IL