The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-30
COST OF WORKING CONNECTS ON ROADS SLEEPER DAY EACH
 THOMAS WORTHINGTON We'll Known Engineer Makes Report After Exhaustive
 Investigation
DO MORE WORK THAN
 THE HIRED LABORER
With Present System All Necessary Highways Through County Can Be Built in Five Years With
 out a Bond Issue
THOMAS WORTHINGTON

In an exhaustive report made yesterday to the board of revenue, Thomas Worth ington. we'll known expert engineer and contractor, presented figures showing that the cost of working the convicts on the county roads to be s1.1s per day He also states that the convicts perform g-eater amount of work than the hired common laborer working under the same foreman. He states that with the present system of working the convicts on the county roads. all necessary highways through the county will be built in five years and that no bond issue will be necessary unless the board should decide to pave the roads with brick
 He states great net saving to the county in it's convict system wol.t, result in the aboishment of the fee system ir | reference to the court costs now paid by the county.
 Employed Last Year It will be recalled that Mir. Wcithng- ton was employed by the board of revenue the latter part of last year to investigate the costs of working the convicts- on thy
 
 with such work performed by contract oi hired labor. He was also to suggest 2 system of keeping the items of ,st in al branches of the convict work or th, 1 county roads.
 | In reaching his conclusions MT Worth ngton has examined all the books. papers | contracts and documents connected witt the convict system from July to Decembel of last year, and based his findings P,rcl. on the facts presented setting aside ele mosynary and humanitarian feasires. H, estimates that the convicts could be least' by the county for an average of s9 Dc month. He includes in his findings ,hi amount the costs of court, feeding ant clothing, maintenance, wear and tear c machinery and interest on the cost 0 equipment which he states, added U gether show a cost to the county of s1.l l for each person working on the count roads.
 1 pr. Lovelady, president of the oard stated the report was very gratifying am would doubtless strengthen the policy o the board in working the convcts ,n tn county roads, He states the report is to long to publish but that the board wi be pleased to have those interested ca and go over the figures and tahles pic scented by MT. Worthington. The follow I ing is his statement of comparison c Icosts and few suggestions:
 Comparison of Costs Comparisons of cost Before investi | eation l was of the opinion that con struction of road by convict work W. 1 considerably more expensive than D. contract and such Is probably the cas at the moment with common labor a $l per day and other help proportion ately low After investigation am study of the cost data, am more con l vinced that
 Il. The result shown by cost dat and cost comparison prove conclusive I ly that the work done by convicts dur ing the period covered cost Jefferso county appreciably less than the prob able cost of the same work under nor | mal average conditions by contract Q hired labor.
 1 "2. The construction and maintenance of Iublic roads by county convicts ca i regularly be more economically accom- plished in Jefferson county, with req sonable efficient and honest manage l ment than by contract or hired 1abo so long as the work Is of sufficien magnitude to fully employ the con | victs.
 "S If it be possible to apply tl
 simple principles of good business an economy to any public enterprise 1 plan of constructing and maintainin
 the highways of Jefferson county wit tho county convicts, if thoroughly di eested, organized and executed over l period of years, will result in a sys tenn of as good and permanent road as this county affords at much lowe l final cost than under any other system and probably without the borrowing c money, unless caused by unwse and i
 considered undertakings to secure spe
 cial certain benefits by building pave
 highways where not needed at a cos
 wholly out of proportion to the ben
 efits to the general public
 'Suggestions
 "Conyicts: Women, children and in capables should be provided with per manent quarters at poor farm, wit
 regular employment growing l. feed
 stuff for mules; g. garden truck fo
 convicts and county charities; 3, at lenGing cows, hogs, domestic affairs
 etc: 4, probably making concrete pip'
 etc.
 Able bodied male convicts should |
 kept at work on building and main taining roads in permanent camp where feasible in as large numbers a practicable, fully equipped for work o
 hand"