Chap. 471.—An ACT to employ convict labor on county roads and
other works of internal improvement.

Approved March 6, 1886.

Whereas the convicts in the state penitentiary should be so
employed as to lessen the burdens of the tax-payer, and to re-
lieve the free working man of unjust competition; and whereas
good county roads, and local, are most potent factors in the
development of the resources of a state, and thereby add more
than any other means to her taxable value: now, therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the governor be and he is hereby authorized to furnish to the
board of supervisors of any county in the state, upon a requi-
sition approved by the judge of the county court, convicts
whose terms of service, at the time of the application for them,
does not exceed five years, to work on the public roads of the
counties, under such regulations as the board of supervisors
may prescribe in conformity with this act, and under such con-
ditions as to safe-keeping as the governor and said boards of
supervisors may agree upon: provided, that if the supérvisors
shall deem it best that the convicts furnished be employed on
any turnpike or macadamized roads in their respective coun-
ties, the said boards may so employ them or arrange for their,
employment on such roads with the companies authorized to
construct such roads.

2. The said convicts shall be transported from and returned
to the penitentiary, and shall be fed, guarded, and furnished
with medical attention, at the expense of the counties, while in
their charge.

3. The said boards of supervisors shall have power to em-
ploy such agents, overseers, and guards as they may deem
necessary for the safe-keeping and proper management of the
convicts in their charge, and such agents, overseers, and guards
shall have the same authority to compel labor, to enforce obe-
dience, and to prevent escape, as the agents or officers of the
same grade in the state penitentiary. .

4. After providing for all demands under the foregoing sec-
tions, the governor is hereby authorized to hire to any railroad
company in this state, to which counties are subscribers, any
convicts which may remain in the penitentiary, or who may be
employed in any quarry or on any railroad to which counties
are not subscribers, whose term of service at time of applica-
tion for them does not exceed ten years: provided existing
contracts can be lawfully cancelled.

5. The said convicts shall be fed, clothed, guarded, and fur-
nished with medical attention and medicine, by the state, while
at work for said companies, and the said companies shall pay
the cost of transporting said convicts from and returning them
to the penitentiary: and shall furnish suitable quarters for them
while on their works, and in addition shall pay forty cents for
each day’s labor actually performed; and the said companies
shall pay in lawful money of the United States into the treasury
of the state, at the end of each quarter, a sum sufficient to: pay
the expenses of feeding, clothing, guarding, and medical at-
tention paid by the state, as provided for in this section, and
the balance due the state for the hire of said convicts may be
paid in the bonds of the counties subscribed to said companies.

6. The railroads projected to run through counties without
railroads, and through those having the least number of miles
of taxable railroad, shall be first supplied. Afterall demands
coming under the foregoing provisions have been filled, the
governor may hire,,at his discretion, all remaining convicts,
should there be any, to any contractor, to be employed on any
work of internal improvement in the state on the same condi-
tions, except that the state shall receive as compensation there-
for, not less than eighty cents in lawful money, for each day’s
labor actually performed. |

7. All railroad companies or other works of internal improve-
ment who may avail themselves of the provisions of this act,
thereby agree to pay all taxes, dues, and demands due to the
state, that may hereafter be assessed against them in lawful
money of the United States, and not in coupons.

8. All taxes levied on and collected from the aforesaid rail-
roads by the counties whose bonds have been paid to the state,
as hereinbefore provided, shall be turned into the treasury of
the state and placed to the credit of the interest and principal
of the aforesaid county bonds.

9g. Any county or company that shall obtain convicts under
this act shall be responsible for their safe-keeping, and if any
convict shall escape whilst under the control of such county or
company, under this act said county or company shall pay to
the state fifty dollars. |

10. This‘act shall be in force from its passage.