Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-08
]. 8. To BUILD
85O-M|LE ROAD
AS A LESSON
Party of Engineers Prepare for
Trip From Washington to
Atlanta.

AS a preliminary step toward the
improvement and maintenance Of the
first through road under the supervl-
sion OF the United States Government,
a scouting party, composed OF on
cials OF the Office OF Public Roads, the
American Highway Association and
various State highway departments
Will motor from Washington 10 At
lanta soon, according to word received
in Los Angeles.
With the cooperation of the high
way officials and supervisors Of the
States traversed by the road, Govern
ment engineers are to improve and
maintain $50 miles of highway, giving
an actual demonstration of what can
be accomplished if the States and
Government work together.
conference mas just been held by
the officials OF the Office OF Pubic
Roads. headed by Director Logan
Waller Page: Leonard Tufts, chair
man Of the special committee ap-
pointed by the association to have
charge of this work. and e. Penny
hacker. executive secretary of the or
ganization, and an agreement WAS
reached for inauguratng the project.
The ONCE of Public Roads agreed
to put three Of the ablest engineers
of the office in charge of the 850-mi.e
stretch, provided the American High
way Association would secure the CO.
operation of the local officials in the
States which are to be traversed. One
ct l.
charge of the stretch from Washing
ton TO the North Carolina line; an
other from the North Carolina TO tho
South Carolina line and tho third
from this point TO Atlanta.
As Object Lesson.
1t was due 10 the initiative of the
American Highway Association that
this work was undertaken, the Off
Gals feeling that the object lesson
would be better in its nation wide eff
fects than tons Of literature extolling
the benefits OF good roads. The az
ISOLATION has agreed to furnish auto
mobiles for the permanent use OF the
engineers so that they can cover the
entire stretch OF road.
In the scouting party there will bo
Captain =. st. J. Wilson, assistant d.
rector, and several engineers from tho
Office of Public Roads, Mr.. Tufts and
highway officials who viii be picked
up as the party proceeds. Meetings
are being arranged in the various
towns along the route at which local
officials intend to discuss with tho
Government party the question OF
turning over the roads and the money
that would ordinarily be spent upon
them TO the supervision of the Gov
eminent engineers, whose duty IL will
be to expend every dollar TO the best
advantage of the community affected,
eliminating all waste In expenditure ii
these particular road improvement
funds
While the practical work In going
on, Legislatures in Maryland Vir-
sinia, Kentucky, New Jersey and New
York will discuss the advisability of
road work for Convicts.
In Maryland. road work will be In
cluded in the broad reorganization Of
the prison system fathered by Gov
ernor GoldSborough. Two years ago
the national committee on prison la
Dor filed Il report on conditions in the
Maryland House of Correction, which
brought out strongly the evils inner
ent in the contract system of convict
labor. AS a result OF this report a
special commission was appointed by
Governor Goldsborough to investigate
the State penttentiary, The commits
sion reported the chief penal insti-
tuition of the State to be run on the
principle Numerically opposed to
the principles of modern penology,"
stating that politics and the con-
tract system" were the cause of muca
of the trouble.
Names Committee.
Governor GoldsbOrough then sp-
pointed committee to draft the leg
islation necessary for the reorgani2a-
lion of the prison system, requesting
the NATIONAL Committee on Prison
Labor to make recommendations SIS
to methods whereby the prisoners
could be employed without recourse
to the contract system. The commit
tee strongly urged that the prisoners
be placed on farms and roads. and in
the advance statements issued by the
Maryland Legislative Committee on
Outdoor Labor Is given prominence.
The campaign for convict road work
in New York State will center on the
scenic highways to be constructed al
Storm King. Commissioner of High
ways John y. Carlisle will introduce
bill into the Legislature embodying
the proposition that convict labor be
used in the construction of this high
way. The bill will have the support
of the automobile associations and
the national committee on prison
labor, the proposition being in accord
with the suggestion made by the
committee four years ago TO the
State Superintendent of Prisons, thut
prisoners be employed in the work OF
developing the Palisades Park re-
serves.
The Kentucky Prison Commission
crs are at present making tour of
the various convict road camps, pre-
paratury to the organization Of such
camps in Kentucky as made possible
by the recent constitutional amend
mcnt. New Jersey and Virginia VIII
provide better facilities for the con-
duct OF the road work already estab-
lSned IN these States. In New Jer-
sey special attention will be given to
the problem of administration. Con-
Wet road work in that State has be IN
successful, but costly, owing TO the
expense OF maintaining the large
number Of guards which have been
considered necessary. An effor, VIII
now be made to develop the honor
system, with its lesssned expense FOL
guarding.
The honor system. the payment u
wage TO the prisoners and other pro
gressive principles which have been
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