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Show TO EMPLOY CONVICTS IN IRRIGATION WORK Boise, Idaho, March 25. Idaho launched a "new scheme to solve tho convict labor problem today when the land board and tho prison board in joint meeting decided to employ convict con-vict labor In the reclamation of 10,-000 10,-000 acres of state land in the Gem Irrigation district in Owyhee count', about thirty miles from Boise. This is considered some of the best land in the state; water Is available by pumping from Snake river and the state iB already taxed for maintenance mainten-ance of the system. There are now 300 convicts In the penitentiary. It is proposed to place 100 of them in a colony on this land under proper guard, and have them clear the sagebrush, lovel the land, dir; the canals and laterals and put the entire 10,000 acres under cultivation. culti-vation. This land is now bald at $20 an aero or ?200,000 for the tract. Brought under cultivation It la estimated es-timated It will be worth $100 an acre or $1,000,000 for the tract. In addition addi-tion to this Increase In value tho convicts are expected to produco tre-mendour tre-mendour crops for the support of thcrotelves and the other convicts. Warden Snook, Land Commissioner Day and members of the laud board, will visit the Gem district tomorrow tomor-row and block out definite plans. State laws permit the employment of convicts on public work outside the, prison walls, and great things are predicted pre-dicted from the new scheme. It lias never been tried elsewhere. . oo |