The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-11-16
GOOD ROADS MEN
TOLD WHAT CAN Be
DONE IN JEFFERSON
County Engineer Clark
Gives Fine Demonstra-
ton of Convict Work
Results at Smoker

The Alabama Good Roads association,
which began its annual session here yes
terday, went on record as being OPP
posed to the present convict lease sys-
tenn of the state. This action was taken
through a resolution which further de-
clared in favor of abolishing the state
convict lease system, putting the state
convicts on the public roads, and pledg-
ing the association to do all possible to
bring this about.
What can be accomplished through the
use of convicts on the roads was thor
oughly demonstrated last night at the
smoker of the Alabama Good Roads as
sociation in stereopticon lecture by
| Jefferson County Engineer, George
II. Clark. More than 80 slides were
shown to the good roads booster, dem
onstrating how the Jefferson county con-
victs were worked on the roads to the
advantage of both men and the county,
| and at an economic cost.
Mr.. Clark told the good roads men
that Jefferson county was working on
it's roads more than $50 convicts, was
making all the clothing and running a
steam laundry and a county farm by
the female labor of convicts and that 1t
was all economical for the county. He
said that it had been thoroughly dem
onstrated and found to be enc OF the best
things that could have happened to JEFF
ferson county During the four years
that conyicts have been worked on the
roads approximately 200 miles of ebert
road has been built, 400 miles of ebert
macadam road and 800 miles of first-class
clay. the remaining roads being classed
as second class.
A practical demonstration of cement
roads and road building was given through
stereopticon views by Mr.. Burks of the
Portland Cement company and proved
very interesting.
Senator John II. Bankhead was the
principal speaker of the evening, but on
account of the lateness of the hour, his
talk was made short. He gave an in
teresting review of road building in the
his first speech on good roads after he
had been elected to the Senate and the
passage of his good roads aid bill.
The meeting was opened yesterday
morning at IL o'clock in the auditorium
of the Chamber of Commerce. John w.
O'Neill, president of the Jefferson County
Good Roads association, made the adj
dress of welcome. Commissioner j. r.
Hornady, Hugh McGeever and Blanks
Everett made welcome speeches for the
city, Chamber of Commerce and JEFF
ferson county. Following this ]. A.
Rountree, secretary of the association,
made his annual report. j. E. Pierce re-
sponded to the welcome speeches and
John Craft of Mobile, president of the
association, made his annual address.
Practically all the routine business of
the session was transacted yesterday
afternoon, consisting of committee APP
pointments, resolutions proposed and
adopted. The meeting was adjourned late
in the afternoon until o'clock last
night when a smoker was held at the
Billman hotel.
The convention is expected to adjourn
about noon today.
The committee on nominations pre-
scented last night the following names to
compose the officers of the association
for the coming year: John Craft of Mo-
bile president; John w. O'Neill of Bir-
mingham, first vice president; ]. e.
Pierce of Huntsville, second vice pres
ident: Frank S. White of Birmingham.
third vice president: B. w. Duke of
Gadsden, fourth vice president; secre-
tary T. A. Rountree of Birmingham.