The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-08
EX-CONv|CTS MAY
HAVE TWO CHANCES
New Prison Contractor to Build
Big Outside Factory IN
Richmond.
COMPETE WITH THACKER co.
Contract to Be Signed To-Day.
Labor May Attack New
Agreement.

1t is the intention of the star Cloth.
ing Company, OF st. Louis. which will
execute a contract to-day with the
board Of directors of the State Peni-
Tertiary for the employment of the
convicts in the prison for the next five
years from May /, to establish large
factory in the city of Richmond for the
manufacture Of overalls and shirts
In this establishment there Will be
employed 500 persons, in addition 10
the 500 men and 100 women prisoners
within the penitentiary walls.
Free labor. of course. will be used
in the outside factory. 1t is quite
evident that the company believes it
can gadn some ADVANTAGE ny having
two operations here at the same time.
Perhaps the assembling of raw mate
rial in larger quantities will make 10
its financial advantage. Again. II is
surmised that when the prisoners have
learned the trade of making clothing.
they will be offered positions in the
outside factory as soon as they have
been discharged from custody. In any
event. the manufacturers believe they
can always secure abundant labor at
reasonable figures in Richmond.
May Compete Tor COnNicts.
This may make for an interesting
situation here The Thacher Shoe Com
many which for many years has held
the contract for the employment or
convict labor in Virginia, is already
erecting a factory building in this city.
Most of the prisoners now know how
20 make shoes, and some of them are
EXPERTS. The Thatcher Shoe Company
will he in position to offer them en-
ployment as fast as they leave the
prison walls. Within a Few months
men who are discharged from the
prison will know how 10 make ootn
shoes and overalls. and their services
will be bid for by the star clothing
COMPANY and the Thacher Shoe Com
pany.
OF course, as time goes on. the num-
her of those discharged who can work
in a shoe factory will decrease. while
those acquainted with the making OF
overalls viii increase.
Representatives of the star Clothing
Company will arrive in the city this
morning. and the contract, 1t Is ex-
pected, will be signed this afternoon
Litigation Discussed.
Organized labor, it is stated. will
fight the issue. and will try TO prevent
the putting into operation OF the con-
tract on May l. Legal proceedings are
said TO be contemplated, with Rlchard
EVELYN Byrd and Aubrey E. STROBE as
representatives Of the Virgin. State
Federation OF Labor. What legal Cd
sections can be urged to the contract.
which has been authorized by the Leg
sslature have not been divulEed.
Labor is fighting for principle. but
II is expected the courts VIII desire
to see some law.
Some confusion appears to exist as
70 the position of the Governor ano
RI. secretary of the State Board OF
CHARITIES and Corrections. Under the
law the board Of directors Is the sole
mower 10 decide whether or not the
convicts deemed as unsafe for WORK OF.
the roads can be used for any SOFT o!
nublic labor. and that body has FOUND
nothing for them to do II Will no"
nroceed to make a contract. ano IN 'he
anproval Of that agreement Governor
Mann and Secretary Mastln nave
vcte Should they decline 10 ratify
The contract. the only result would De
that 500 men and the women "ouio Oe
1.+. IN the prison IN idleness.