24 
BULLETIN 414, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
carried on by the counties of the southern States is a mistake. In 
the interest of economy it would be better were all this work done by 
free labor and the use of convicts confined to heavier construction 
and grading. But if convicts are to be used at all on such work 
they should, without doubt, be honor men, who may be organized 
into a fairly mobile force. 
Table 5. — Showing comparative mileage and cost of various types of road constructed 
in Virginia by convicts and by free labor. 
[Based on 12-foot width of surface.] 
MACADAM ROAD. 
By convict labor. 
By free labor. 
Year. 
Miles. 
Total cost. 
Cost per 
mile. 
Miles. 
Total cost. 
Cost per 
mile. 
1909 
45.41 
53.52 
56.77 
48.27 
$203, 662. 85 
233,314.57 
195,671.52 
218,589.38 
368, 570. 96 
286, 655. 65 
303, 110. 76 
$4, 484. 98 
4,359.39 
3, 446. 74 
4, 528. 47 
4, 045. 34 
4, 126. 92 
3, 963. 27 
18.26 
81.25 
67.90 
95.57 
85.87 
81.13 
82.83 
$89,050.78 
401, 905. 83 
336, 369. 88 
551,475.04 
484,343.59 
372, 743. 46 
376, 761. 99 
S4,876.82 
4, 946. 53 
4 953 90 
1910 
1911. 
1912 
5,770 38 
1913 
1914 
1915 
Total average 
91.11 
69.46 
76.48 
5,640.42 
4,594.40 
4, 494. 36 
441. 02 
1,809,575.69 
4, 103. 16 
512.81 2,612,650.57 
5,094.77 
GRADING. 
1911. 
1912. 
1913. 
1914. 
1915. 
Total average . 
1.60 
24.34 
3.73 
3.32 
38.09 
71. 
§3,043.30 
29, 946. 12 
4, 711. 97 
3, 185. 82 
69, 639. 04 
110,526.25 
SI, 902. 06 
1,230.33 
1, 263. 26 
959. 58 
-1, 828. 28 
71.25 
190.23 
94.43 
141.39 
173. 20 
1,554. 
670. 50 
$169, 577. 77 
618, 885. 49 
178, 547. 12 
222, 454. 73 
291,379.22 
1,480,844.33 
?2, 380. 04 
3,253.35 
1, 890. 79 
1,573.34 
1,682.33 
2,208.57 
GRAVEL ROAD. 
1909. 
1910. 
1911. 
1912. 
1913. 
1914. 
1915.. 
Total average 
25. 20 
32.50 
25.69 
7.89 
55.05 
45.51 
22.60 
§32,289.37 $1,281.32 
39,433.40 1,213.33 
29,454.37 
11, 708. 11 
67, 556. 69 
74, 659. 92 
41,419.38 
1,146.53 
1, 483. 92 
1, 227. 19 
1, 640. 51 
1,832.71 
214.44 296,521.24 ; 1,382.77 425.16 
49.94 
66.68 
59.74 
64.13 
71.85 
103. 96 
$11,539.82 
61,066.18 
85,098.10 
75,475.23 
80,780.97 
128, 801. 69 
221,083.36 
$1, 302. 46 
1,222.78 
1, 276. 22 
1,263.40 
1. 259. 64 
1. 792. 65 
2, 126. 62 
663,845.35 I 1,561.40 
SAND-CLAY AND SOIL ROAD. 
1909. 
1910. 
1911. 
1912. 
1913. 
1914. 
1915. 
Total average . 
16.91 
24.96 
39.92 
90.21 
101.44 
218. 90 
174.33 
666. 67 
$5,251.48 
$310. 55 
49.57 
17,613.08 
705. 65 
111.01 
28,080.65 
703. 42 
174.97 
53,811.71 
596. 51 
195. 37 
69, 314. 40 
683. 30 
345. 60 
148,161.87 
676. 85 
479.34 
153,064.83 
878. 02 
40S. 94 
477,298.02 
715. 94 
1,764.80 
?24, 463. 59 
48, 290. 23 
69, 629. 81 
83, 638. 53 
169,492.43 
251,676.08 
227, 344. 16 
N, 534. 83 
?493. 52 
435. 01 
397. 95 
428.11 
490.43 
525.04 
555. 93 
495. 54 
Another very important factor in determining the economy of a 
convict force is the population of the camp and its adjustment to the 
work to be done, but it is a factor which is overlooked frequently, 
