The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-11-11
n the State Of Colorado
the Working of ConviCts
on the Road.
[From me HorseIess Age.l

From the Horseless Age.1
With the rapidly increasing demand
or good roads throughout the coun-
Try the subject of convict labor on the
highways has assumed a high degree
VI importance and many discussions
oro and con have been heard upon the
proposition A number OF states IN
he South have been employing their
onvicts in work upon the roads and
nave met with such success that the
highways of that section, during the
asst few years, have commenced 10
resemble the irst-class thoroughfares
hat may be found in states farther
north where road work of systemat
C nature has been under way for
Years. Several states above the Mason
and Dixon line have also experiment.
d in the use of conyicts in the con-
itruction and maintenance of their
-oads and they too have found that
he proposition can be carried out
successfully
1t remained for Colorado. however,
o set an example for the western
states TO follow, and in setting this
pace Colorado has never hesitated.
hough 1t has installed system that
IS entirely original. The officials of
ne Colorado state penitentiary, head
d by Warden Thomas J. lyman, have
lnaugurated an honor system among
ne convicts that has brought about
-esults far beyond their expectations
md which, perhaps, is worked upon
4 larger scale than in any institution
Il its kind in the country. During
ne years 1911 and 1912 the daily
average number of prisoners con-
aimed in the penitentiary was 76S
md during this period a daily aver
age OF 1874 men were worked ON trust
and honor OF this number only
thirty-tive escapes We're accomplished
during the two years, and twenty
three OF these men were recaptured.
In addition to afbording the pris-
oners an unusually generous amount
Of freedom Warden lyman has placed
the penitentiary buildings in sanI-
airy and healthful condition. making
heir surroundings pleasanter than is
he average convicts lot.
To avoid the agitation brought
about by the employment of convicts
n work that conflicts with and him
ders the employment of free labor
Slctories have been kept out of the
9enitentiary and the men have been
placed at work on the public roads.
work which could not otherwise have
been afforded by the state. Outdoor
employment alone is supplied the
"onvicts. some working on the roads
While others are on ranches, gardens,
guarries and other departments Of in
dustry connected with the institution.
However, the largest part of the
eonyicts were employed on road work
n eight counties of the state at cost
% the counties OF thirty-two cents per
'ay per man. During the two years
ending November. 1912, the Colorado
honor convicts constructed 157 miles
If roads, equal to the best type of
highway in the country and at labor
cost of only $29S.12 per mile Warden
lyman declares that the road work
IN Mesa county alone, where the rock
n places had TO be blasted for seventy.
five feet in order to get a proper road
ned. would have cost not less than
$4,000 mile with free labor. 1t was
estimated that the convict labor on
roads was worth $27O,2S5 to the var
'ous counties during these years and
hat the penitentiarv men saved tho
counties some s223.479.
Tho actual work done by the road
working convlcts of the Colorado
can best be told by War
den lyman who in his report for the
term ending November 80, 1912, had
tho follnwfnp IN say on tho euh{nc4.