The Penn's Grove record., 1916-03-31
CONVICT ROAD
WORK MUST HALT
Legislature Failed to Allow SUI
ficient Funds
MEN TO RETURN TO PRISON
Departments Request Ignored and
Taxpayers Have More Idlers to Sup
port-Great Amount of Material
Needs Big Outlay for Money.

Neeos Big outlay for Money.
Especial Trenton Correspondence
Trenton.-The experiment of the
State in the use of convicts on road
work is to end in failure. The State
toad Department has just notified the
Board of Prison Inspectors that after
April s next, the Road Department
will have no further use for the 1873
convicts now employed in the three
road camps, and arrangements will
nave to be made to take these men
back to the State Prison. The cause
is laid to the door of the Appropria-
ton Committee of the Legislature,
which cut down the request of the
Road Department for funds to such
an extent that it will be impossible
to carry on the work. The request
or The Road Department included $75,-
600 in the supplemental bill and $175,-
600 in the annual bill for the payment
of the expenses of the work and the
cost of material to continue improving
roads in various sections of the State.
The committee cut these requests to
$25,0 600 in the supplemental and $780,
600 in the annual bills. AS soon as
Colonel Edwin A. Stevens, State Road
Commissioner, learned what had been
done. he notified the State Prison In
spectors that they would have to take
the 1873 men off his hands, as it would
be impossible to go forward with the
work. There are camps at present in
Sussex, Salem and Mercer counties.
In Sussex and Salem the men are di-
vided into two small camps. The
convicts from these camps will be
sent back to the prison and an at
tempt will be made to have the Rocky
Hill gang, in Mercer county, finish
the piece of road they are working
on.
Material to Be Bought.
AT the present time it is necessary
that a great amount of material be
purchased, and this will need a good
sized outlay of money. The $10O, 900
requested in the supplemental bill is
said to be absolutely necessary if the
work is to be carried on. The $25, 900
allowed will not begin to meet the
required expense. The $10O, 900 al
lowed in the annual bill will not per-
nit a serious continuation of the con-
vict experiment next year. The road
authorities say that the entire $175,-
600 requested will be absolutely need
ed Although the plans have moi been
completed for the 1867 road work
it is thought that the department will
not begin operations with the convicts
until it is certain just how the next
Legislature will treat the experiment.
Camps Will Be Idle.
With the withdrawal of the men
on April s, the whole investment Of
the State in camps and equipment will
stand idle until the winter at least and,
perhaps, for all time. One of the
unfortunate things in connection with
the discontinuance of the work is
the fact that the open season is just
starting. The men have been kept
out during the hard winter weather
and now that the spring is opening
and the ideal time for road work has
arrived they are to be taken back
to the prison. Then the annual ap-
preparation becomes available just
when the cold weather starts again
and when the road work is not only
exceedingly difficult, but more expen-
sive.
Not Work for Men.
A request is to be made for sending
100 of these men to the prison farm at
Leesburg, Cumberland county. 1t is
understood that this many a be
used there, but it is understood that
the farm is a pretty expensive propo-
sition from a State standpoint. The
farm has just advertised for bids for
vegetables which it is supposed to
raise on the premises. There is to
be a conference between a committee
of the State Board of Prison Inspec-
tors and Colonel Stevens in refer
ence to the situation and to ascer-
tain just how long one gang of men
can be kept busy under the appro-
priation and how much material can
be purchased for the money.
Two Corporations Curbed.
The Board of Public Utility Com
misioners refused to allow the Bur
lington Sewerage Company and the
Collingswood Sewerage Company to
increasc their rates. The board ruled