The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

Section 1. That the board of directors of the State Penitentiary be and hereby authorized and empowered to furnish to the Hiawassee Railroad Company, fifty able bodied convicts upon the recommendation and approval of the Governor, under the rules and regulations as to the feeding, clothing, guarding and working same as provided by law and the rules of the penitentiary.

Sec. 2. That the State will receive as compensation for said convicts upon such basis as may be agreed upon between the directors of the penitentiary and said railroad company, the common stock of said railroad company in an equal amount to the work done by said convicts; Provided, nothing in this act shall interfere with the provisions of chapter 159 Public Laws of 1907, relating to the construction of the Mattamuskeet Railway, or with the construction of the Statesville Airline Railroad: Provided, that the convicts aforesaid shall not be assigned, if it interferes with the self sustaining policy of the penitentiary or interferes with the work begun and in progress under authority of chapter 159 Private Laws 1907, and chapter 359 Private Laws of 1909.

Sec. 3. That this act shall be in force and effect from and after its ratification.

Ratified this 4th day of March, 1911