MICHIGAN ROADS AND FORESTS 



Lake Superior 



Genuine 



TRAP ROCK 



For Road Making and Fireproof Con- 

 crete. 



Rail and Lake Shipments. 



Write for prices. 



MARQUETTE STONE CO., 



Marquette, Mich. 



CONVICT SYSTEM WORKING WELL. 



W. M. Bryant, chairman of the Board of 

 County Read Commissioners of Kalamazoo 

 County, say> 



"Last October when the board of supervis- 

 ors were asked for the privilege of working 

 the county prisoners on the roads which were 

 to be built this year, I made some predictions 

 to the board which seemed a little overdrawn 

 at the time, but later developments have 

 shown that the assertion 'that it would elimi- 

 nate the tramp nuisance to a great extent and 

 have a decided effect on petty crime' has been 

 borne out by the results. 



"In a recent investigation of the shenti s 

 books I find that the total number of inmates 

 in the county jail for the months of January, 

 February, March and April, 1909, was 2,927. 

 Now note the difference. For the same months 

 of 1910 the total number of inmates was 697 

 or 2,230 less than the same months of 1909 

 under the old system. 



"In a recent interview with Chief Allen he 

 endorsed the plan and believes it is a great 

 benefit to the city and county. Sheriff Camp- 

 bell has admitted it was lonesome around the 

 jail after the full house of 1909. 



"For years nothing has been safe along the 

 lines of railroads. Very frequently we read 

 of barns burning, sometimes 'catching fire 

 from the pipe of some gentlemen of the road" 

 who accidentally dropped a match. Many 

 of them insisted upon a meal if they discov- 

 ered that the man was away. In the city, milk, 

 and groceries, mysteriously disappeared many 

 times. 



"The famous East yards has only a stray 

 visitor now and Kalamazoo is no longer as a 

 hobo expressed it some months ago, 'the best 

 feeding ground on the road.' 



"I want to pay a compliment to the 'boys,' 

 who, with few exceptions, are doing good 

 work and when they leave our employ are in 

 good condition to seek other employment. 

 Many of the best workers immediately apply 

 to the commission for work elsewhere and we 

 expect to give them employment if possible. 



Besides being the argonaut in the good 

 roads movement in Kalamazoo, W. M. Bryant 

 has also become the pioneer of the best en- 

 deavor ever inaugurated there for the reforma- 

 tion of drunkard? and petty offenders through 

 practical methods. The plan evolved by him 

 has been approved by the other members of 

 the good roads commission of Kalamazoo 

 county, of which he is the chairman. 



Heretofore prisoners serving terms on the 

 road gang have been turned loose at the ex- 

 piration of their time in a friendless and desti- 

 tute condition. Oftentimes they have not had 

 clothes enough left to wad a shot gun. Under 

 the humanitarian system inaugurated by Chair- 

 man Bryant, thi* has been changed. Here- 

 after every man will be given proper clothing 

 while at work and at the end of his sentence 

 will be presented with a sum of money, pro- 

 portionate to the period of time he has 

 served. 



A prisoner doing six days will be allowed 

 one full day's pay at the current wages for 

 that class of labor. Prisoners doing 30 days 

 will be allowed five days' pay, and those do- 

 ing 60 will be allowed ten days' pay. 



"After thoroughly studying the matter, I 



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Entire (oot operation 

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Will Make a Perfect 

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For road work it has 

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Catalog Mailed Upon Request. **~~~~^^^' 



EVERETT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 78 Lake St., Newark, New York 



have become convinced that no better system 

 for the reformation of a man could be evolved 

 under existing conditions," says Mr. Bryant. 

 "We have established a commissary at which 

 prisoners are given clothing when necessary 

 to supplant those they wear cut while at 

 work. At the end of their sentence, they will 

 no longer be turned loose on the community, 

 ragged, penniless an dat war with mankind. 



"Instead of being given their liberty without 

 a cent in their pockets so that they are com- 

 pelled to turn to begging or the commission 

 of crime to maintain themselves, they will be 

 given a sum of money in proportion to the 

 work they have done. This will tide them over 

 until they can secure employment. 



"The plan has been approved by other mem- 

 bers of the commission. We do not want to 

 harden men, but wish to reform them, where 

 that is possible. The best way to accomplish 

 that is through kindness and a practical en- 

 deavor to uplift a man who has fallen. 



"By working men on the roads, after they 

 have become physically unfit through exces- 

 sive use of liquor, we put them out in the open 

 air where they derive substantial health bene- 

 fits, instead of allowing them to lie in the 

 four corridors of the old jail. They are fur- 

 nished with the best of food, and when turned 

 loose, they are generally in good physical and 

 mental condition. Then, with a little money 

 in their pockets to support themselves while 

 seeking employment they are converted into 

 good citizens again, if not totally beyond re- 

 demption. 



So pleased are many of the prisoners with 

 the manner in which they are treated on the 

 road gang, that many of them go to work for 

 the commission after the expiration of their 

 sentences. Others are sought by farmers, 

 and about the only ones who come back to 

 the city to hang about low saloons are those 

 who have gotten beyond the possibility of re- 

 form. 



CASS COUNTY. 



The first mile of state reward road to be 

 built in LaGrange township, Cass county, is 

 now in process of construction. This mile 

 commences just north of LaGrange village, at 

 tin- VanRiper corners, and runs south to a 

 point in front of the Shurte farm. 



A half mile of load running from the Grand 

 Trunk track east of Cassopolis to the Penn 

 township line was put in condition last year 

 to be graveled and then come under the state 



reward requirements, and this will be graveled 

 this season. 



A gang of men has been put to work grad- 

 ing the road west from Spalding's corners one 

 mile. This has been surveyed to meet the 

 requirements of the state reward law, and will 

 be so constructed that when completed the 

 township will be entitled to the reward of 

 $500 per mile. 



Grade stakes have also been set and a grade 

 is being made running one mile east from the 

 Lester Collier's residence, also with a view 

 'to constructing a permanent road. 



Surveyor Fred Smith has surveyed a mile of 

 highway beginning at Cass street, Edwards- 

 burg, and running west as far as A. J. Schutt's. 

 It is the intention of Highway Commissioner 

 Houtz to capture another $500 from the state 

 if suitable road material can be secured at a 

 cost that is not prohibitive. 



BRANCH COUNTY. 



With the exception of a stretch of about 

 three-fourths of a mile belonging to Coldwater 

 township, in Branch county, the Chicago road 

 between Quincy and Coldwater is a splendid 

 highway. Last fall Coldwater township did 

 some excellent work on this road from the 

 city limits of Coldwater to the forks of the 

 road just east of the Fisk school house, and 

 this spring Quincy township took up the im- 

 provement and from its west line clear to the 

 railroad crossing has made the road a mag- 

 nificent stretch. 



Coldwater township intends to put the 

 three-quarter mile stretch referred to above 

 in the same fine condition as the stretches 

 either end of it, and before the summer is over 

 Chicago road between Quincy and Coldwater 

 will be a fine highway and the trip between 

 the two places v/tll then no longer be dread- 

 ed, but rather it will be a delight. 



County Surveyor Miner of Branch county, 

 and Highway Commissioner Columbus Beard 

 of Sherwood have surveyed V/i miles of state 

 reward road, beginning just outside the limits 

 of Sherwood village, and running north of 

 the Union City road. It will be of gravel 

 construction. The township has $2,000 on 

 hand for the work. 



fielding business men are subscribing lib- 

 erally towards a fund for the building of good 

 reads leading out of that village. 



