CHAP. 239.—An ACT to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to
amend and re-enact an act to provide for the working of certain long
term or desperate convicts by the superintendent of the penitentiary,
the governor and the commissioner of agriculture, for the manufac-
ture of ground limestone and oyster shells, and incidentally for the
disposition of same, and the by-products suitable for road construe-
tion, to the citizens of the State, adding the manufacture of ground
marl, approved March 27, 1914. (H. B. 105.)

Approved March 18, 1916.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact an act entitled an
act to provide for the working of certain long term or des-
perate convicts by the superintendent of the penitentiary, the
governor and the commissioner of agriculture, for the manufac-
ture of ground limestone and oyster shells, and incidentally
for the disposition of the same, and the by-products suitable
for road construction by the citizens of the State, adding the
manufacture of ground marl, approved March twenty-seventh,
nineteen hundred and fourteen, be amended and re-enacted so
as to read as follows:

Section 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Vir-
ginia, That the governor, superintendent of the penitentiary
and the commissioner of agriculture shall constitute a board,
of which the governor shall be chairman, to be known as the
convict lime board, for the purpose of carrying into effect the
provisions of this act. —

Sec. Whenever the board shall be of opinion that it is
wise and expedient to do so, as many of the long-term or des-
perate convicts as can be profitably employed within the lim-
its of the appropriation made in this bill, shall be put to work
in quarrying, getting out and grinding limestone, oyster shells
or marl, and to enable them to do so, the board hereinbefore
constituted, may acquire by gift, purchase or lease suitable
limestone lands or quarries, suitable deposits of oyster shells
or marl convenient to transportation by rail or water, and
shall cause the same to be manufactured, so that the product
shall pass through a sieve of not less than ten meshes to the
inch, unless the purchaser shall specially contract for a coarser
product. And said board is also authorized to acquire land
convenient to the quarries for the erection of suitable build-
ings for the convicts and employees.

Sec. 3. The said board is now and hereby authorized to
purchase and install necessary suitable engines, boilers, ma-
chinery and appliances, having regard to durability and effi-
ciency, for the quarrying of the stone, handling of the shells of
marl, for the crushing of the stone and shells or marl, and for
loading the ground prcduct upon cars, boats, wagons or other
vehicles for transportation, and shall see to it that competent
and reliable men are placed in charge of said machinery: when-
ever practicable convicts shall be used for all the work of the
plant.

Sec. 4. The said board, in order to carry on its work, shall
dispose of the ground limestone, shells and marl, and, in the
disposition thereof, and of the by-products shall have regard
to the rights and interests of all citizens of the State, and shall
not sell to any purchaser more than a carload during any one
year, if there are any other applications therefor; and shall,
as far as possible, have regard in making said sales to the sev-
eral sections of the State; and it shall not be sold to any per-
son except for his own use, but two or more persons in the
same locality may together order a carload to be distributed
at destination.

Sec. 5. The said ground limestone, ground oyster shells,
und marl, so produced bv convict labor, shall be sold for cash,
and at a price which shall repay the State for the maintenance,
guarding and services of the convicts, for the interest on the
amount invested in machinery, ten ver centum for wear and
tear of the machinery, the cost of the rock, shells, and marl;
and the uvkeep of the machinery. And the said board shall
dispose of any by-products of quarry or from oyster shells or
marl for the road or other purposes for a fair price to any of
the citizens of this State on the same terms and in the same
manner, except as to quantity, as the crushed product is sold.
And the said board shall place upon every bag containing its
products, and when shipped in carload lots, on tags or cards
not less than four inches square, to be tacked on outside and
inside of car, which shall set out the analysis of its products,
and shall in all respects comply with the requirements made
upon manufacturers of lime.

Sec. 6. In addition to the plant established, and in opera-
tion in Augusta county, the board shall, as soon as possible,
establish a plant or plants for the grinding of oyster shells or
marl! in the Tidewater section of the State convenient to water
transportation. If the grinding of oyster shells shall be de-
termined upon, a small, movable plant or plants may be estab-
lished on a scow or scows to be towed from place to place as
the supply of shells may require; and if marl in sufficient
quantity, with a sufficient content of calcium carbonate, in the
opinion of the board, can be secured convenient to water trans-
portation, a plant for its manufacture shall be established in
a location as convenient as possible to all sections of tidewater.

Sec. 7. The board shall keep accurate accounts of all
moneys received, and disbursed, and a list of parties to whom
the crushed limestone, crushed oyster shells and ground mar]
and by-products shall be sold, and shall also keep an accurate
account of the expense of maintenance and guarding the con-
victs, and the amount due the State on account of their ser-
vices.

Sec. 8. All money received by the board shall be depos-
ited in one or more of the banks having the right to receivd
State money, to the credit of the board, and shall be drawn
by check signed by the chairman of the board, and showing by
itemized statement attached, the purpose of the claim which
it settles. On the first day of January and July of each year
a full statement shall be made of the operations of the board
to the governor and auditor of public accounts, which reports
the governor shall transmit to the general assembly, and any
money not needed for the working of the convicts as afore-
said shall be paid into the treasury.

Sec. 9. For the purpose of carrying into effect the ob-
jects of this act, the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars or as
much thereof as may be necessary is hereby appropriated, to
be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appro-
priated on the warrant of the governor as chairman of the
convict lime board.