The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1915-10-28
USING CONVICTS
ON HIG H WAYS
Many States Have Abolished
Contract System of Work.
ing the Prisoners
WORK CONVICTS ON ROADS
Kentucky Could Possibly gave From
Twenty TO Thirty Per Cent Of the
Money Expended For Road Work on
the Public Highways Says Commits
sioner Terrell

"oheJ EXPENDED for Hoad Work on
the Public Highways Says Commits
sioner Terrell
Frankfort, Ky-(SpeciaD-R G..
Terrell, Commissioner OF Roads, when
asked for his views regarding the EN-.
ployment Of convicts on the roads Of
the state, granted the following inter
view on this subject
In recent years the convict labor
problem has been one that has been
given great deal of attention. and
prison reforms have brought about
study Of conditions as they exist. with
a view Of how they could be bettered,
and as result, most of the States
have abolished the contract system of
working the prisoners and have estab-
lished tse more modern system of
using the convicts on the public high.
ways. and in the prisons for the pur.
pose OF preparing materials for the
highways. and on other public works
in the various States Reports from
various Highway Departments over
the United States show conclusively
that convict labor can be used to an
advantage in road building and at a
saving OF both to the county and state
in the cost of labor for this class of
work.
In the biennial report of Mr.. 7. F.
lyman, Warden of the State Peniten-
tiary of Colorado for the year 1912. Il
Is shown that there was built one hun
dred and fifty-seven miles of road
through the mountain sections OF that
State, ~ a saving, according to his es-
Innate, of S22S,479.56; that the average
cost per day per man for the laborers
engaged In this class of work was 32c
He further states that the convicts
we're able to do the work Of not only
ordinary laborers. but some We're
found able TO perform the services re-
quired of experienced men In drilling,
blasting, laying masonry, blacksmith
ing. and other skilled labor With
such labor commanding a salary Of
from 81 to IS per day. this without a
doubt. shows that convict labor can
be used to advantage on heavy con
struction work. and in places where
more or less permanent camps can
be maintained
virginia also has succeeded in this
undertaking, as is shown by the re-
suits. For the past nine years con
victs have been used on the public
highways OF this State. and Mr.. p. st.
J. Wilson. former State Highway Com
and now the Assistant hi.
rector in the United States Office of
Public Roads at Washington, ID. c.,
stated that more than 1900 men were
used on the public highways of Vir-
ginia in the year 1913; that from forty
to seventy-five were grouped together
In single camp-separate camps be-
Ing maintained in each county-and
that the cost of clothing and feeding
them, and general maintenance of the
men was SIC per day for a period OF
three years; that the men were not
specially selected, but that the road
forces were made up of prisoners as
iney were presented at the prisons;
that men who were physically weak,
pr even cripples, were often sent out
as part of the road force. He further
states that the contractors who CON
racted for the work had very fire.
luently offered 81 per day for men
by the State.
Under our present system in Ken
lucky the State receives the magnif-
,ent sum of 75c per day per man EN-
lloyed under contract, and the State
s required to feed and clothe the pris-
'ners and a great many OF the pris-
,ners are let at a lower figure than
hat stated above.
Kentucky could possibly save from
Yenty TO thirty per cent of the money
expended for road work under the
State aid plan. IL the convicts could
'e used on the public highways, and
n the preparation of the materials
which go into the highways. II would
10 possible to establish semi-perma-
tent camps in the various counties
fhere limestone is available I'm large
uantities and prepare this material
Or road building, ready TO be deliv-
red by rail or motor truck to roads
nder construction, and these camps
ould be maintained practically the
ntire season.
In Edmonson County, Kentucky,
here exists an unlimitable deposit OF
ock asphalt, which is hard sand
tone-the finest road making mater ,
Il known-containing from seven TO
inc per cent Of bitumen or asphalt '
ase. This material has an overbur-
en- Of from ten TO twenty feet of soil. / A
and or rock, and lies in a horizontal
rata of from six to twenty feet in
lickness. Would II not be a fine
hing to establish here permanent
)nvict camp, where they could be
sed in the stripping of this material,
marrying and pulverizing and loading
ready for shipment TO the counties
the Commonwealth? The actual
)st OF production. or even a reason. n
Die per cent of profit could be
larged by the State for the material, W
nd at the same time very materially
'duce the cost for use I'm road CON
ruction, and insuring 10 the counties al
r their limestone, macadam, or 9th.
hard surfaced roads, a splendid, N,
ng lifed surfacing material, that Is
lstless, noiseless, durable and at the
me time waterproof Other camps
light be established for the purpose pi
preparing limestone as stated