Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-09-27
WORKING COEVICTs ON
ROADS

0hio's new law providing for the
working of state and county prisoners
upon this public roads goes into effect
this month. The Law was drafted after
( conference IN New York between rep
/ resentadves Of the national committee
/ on prisons and prison labor and The
/ commission to revise the road laws Of
Ohio
Provision Is made for the prison au-
thgEiJies 10 retain control over the dfs-
CipIlne of the prisoners and the regu-
lauon Of the road camps, The high
way authorities have full control over
1.-THE road work and paw the prison au-
+ thorities a sum sufficient to cover the
cost OF transportation. maintenance
and discipline Of the prisoners. which
may include an equitable portion of
+ the overhead charges Of the institution
iu which the prisoners are confined
The highway authorities also pay the
amount credited to the prisoners for
their work upon the roads. The
guards if there are any. are chosen hv
/ the prison authorities bat must as FAR
As possible be competent TO supervise
the construction work.
The same provisions are 10 he OBJ
served when county commissioners
work county prisoners upon the roads
while prisoners unable to furnish bond
may. upon request. labor upon the
roads.
The highway authorities are to pre-
sent TO the prison authorities before
Q
amount and kind of material and SUD
plies that can he used ia connection
with the construction and repair of the
state and county highways during the
coming year. Ohio has found the man
ufacturs OF pavement blocks o. pr0fra-
bic prison industry. By April. 1915.
two million Of these blocks had been
finished at the prison plant. the blocks
being as fine as any ever used on the
roads Of the state The manufacture
of road material VIII afford ample en-
ployment during the winter TO those
prisoners used on the roads during
good weather.
The county authorities in Ohio are
enthusiastic IN regard to the new law
as il Will help to rid the counties of
the bum element Under the old
system Migrants found the workhouse
8 comfortable boarding house and each
year county authorities were Obliged
to meet a deficit to cover the cost Of
operating the workhouse. The com
misstoners now feel that the "bum"
can be made to work for his keep.
Road work for state prisoners Is not
q new departure IN Ohio. an average
OF approximately SOC state prisoners
having been worked on the roads dur
ing the last few years. These men have
worked under the honor system and
Warden Thomas reports that in one
camp Of from II to 20 men u were
YET there was no attempt
at escape. The new coordination he
tween the highway and prison DEPART
ments viii make possible q much
wider development Of the work, and
place il on basis fair TO all parties
Ohio has centralized the control Of
It's state institutions under the state
board Of administration which board IS .
successfully organizing the prison I'M.
dustrles along state use lines The /
national committee on prisons ana +
prison labor hopes to see the county
warehouses and 5ails drawn under this +
board within the next few years When +
this complete Capitalization is effected
-ha manufacture Of supplies for state
and county institutions and the road
work will furnish ample Industrial ap-
oortuniCy for eve : Ohio convict. The
passage N the new road law IS 2 stem
.owards this end and Ohio is to be con
5rstulate6