Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 140, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1904 — Good Job For Convicts. [ARTICLE]

Good Job For Convicts.

State Geologist Blatchley has suggested that convicts should be employed in manufacturing vitrified brick and other paving material to be furnished to counties for use on publio highways at aotual oost. He estimates that briok roads could be oonstruoted at a cost of $3,000 per mile where gravel roade now oo6t S4OOO with the advantage in favor of the briok roads lasting for many years with out the neoessity of outlay for repairs, while a gravel road must be gone over every season to keep it in shape. This proposition seems more feasible than that of teaching these prisoners to be printers and book binders with the view of having them print the text books for the sohools of the state.