Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-12-18
ENGLISH CONCENTRATION
CAMP IN DESERTED
FACTORY BUILDING
(By Associated Press.)

than 1900 aliens
The camp is housed in score of
/ spacious factory buildings, formerly
occupied by firm of boiler ?makers.
The buildings set aside for dormitiry
purposes are divided into wards"
'blocks," and bays" All the build
ings are solidly built, and the sleeping
and living quarters are by no means
crowded, the number Of men in each
ward being dictated by the cubic feet
of air space, with due consideration
for matters of light, ventilation and
heating.
A central heating plant, formerly
the factory power house, furnishes
steam heat and hot water for all the
I buildings. There are wash houses with
hot and cold showers at convenient
]
The men have shown considerable
interest in decorating their rooms.
Some of the wards, containing from
four to ten men, are decorated in al
| legged imitation of familiar hotels,
ships, or streets. Sign-boards, pc 'nted
with more or less elaboration, direct
the visitor to villa Emden"-an imita-
ton of the famous German cruiser;
"Stadt Hamburg" "Unter den Lin
den,' and windsor Castle"
Each man is provided with three
blankets and mattress for his bunk
There are a few day rooms" fitted
up for lounging and for indoor games,
such as checkers, dominoes, chess and
cards. No gambling is allowed.
The hospital contains provisions for
twenty-five patients, and is amply
equipped with medical and surgical
appliances. A resident medical officer
is in charge, with two sanitary off
GERS who continually inspect all parts
of the camp. Every new prisoner is
submitted to a rigid examination, and
the medical officer keeps regular Of
fee hours, during which any resident
may consult him without charge. Ev-
cry man whom he sees is given card
on which is entered his name, the ma
ture of his complaint, and the pre-
scribed treatment. Cases of severe
illness are sent to civil hospitals in
London. The general health of the
camp has been excellent.
The camp postoffice handles about
$500 outgoing letters each week, and
a rather larger amount of incoming
mail. All letters are read by censors,
and outgoing mail is limited to tive let
tiers a man per week. No letter may
be longer than can be written on two
sides of an ordinary sheet of note
paper. The censorship of incoming
mail has caused some annoying de-
lays; letters from Germany are often
in a handwriting difficult to decipher.
Letters from the United States are
more satisfactory, a large proportion
of them are in typewr:ting and many
are of purely business character. Moth
ing relating to the war passes the
censors.
There is camp library, from which
residents may borrow books of varied
character. Newspapers are forbidden
in all the camps. Families are given
by the postoffice for the receipt of
money, and all sums are accounted for
and paid out as the prisoner directs.
Prisoners who have money can take
full advantage of the 'canteen,"
where special tariff lists for purchase
of all kinds of goods are posted
Much of the routine work of the
camp is done by the prisoners them
J selves. There is head captain for
each block" a captain for each bay"
and the various bays are again broken
.. up into messes, under charge Of petty
officers. All these officers are chosen
by vote of the men themselves. The
captains and head captains hold stated
meetings at which they consider and
adopt regulations for the conduct of
camp affairs.