The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-08-04
llgYIcfS WHO
YORK ON ROAD
ENJOY VACATION
NY From Prison, They Live in
plendid Camp in Catskill
Mountains
Ian MARKS NEW ERA
OR PRISONERS, ONE SAYS
10y Two Keepers, and They
Without Guns, to Watch 20
Sing Sing Inmates

81 PALENvILLE GLOVE, N. Y, Aug.
@--Half way up the wild gorge
through which the road from Palen-
vile to Haines Falls teeters over the
.noisiest of mountain streams In the
4 Catskills 20 Sing Sing prisoners are
\ csmped, preparing to build new
state road. II is the first trip many
them have had outside the walls Of
the state prison In years. One OF
them has been in Sing Sing nearly
n 20 years. There are only two guards
Ia the camp to watch them, and there
n never gun handy to stop any one
that might try TO escape.
No one visiting the camp would
+gness that il was a convict camp un-
< less he knew or recognized the gray
prison trousers the convicts wear.
That II is the greatest lark In the
history Of the dreary annals of prison
3tfe In this state Is the firm belief or
the men who are there.
There Is hard work ahead of them.
s md they are doing hard work now
hut there is a broad silver lining 10
the cloud. The prisoners are treated
( Ike men, they are splendidly housed
a what experts say Is the finest con-
ofruction camp ever built in New
York. well fed, and In their hours OF
Ieiaure they swim In the turbulent
k1ttle river, go fishing. berry-picking,
|Nelkfng and thoroughly enjoy them
selves.
The camp Is far from any house or
human habitation, close by the tink-
|1ng stream, hidden In the tangled
treat, with the mountain sides rising
1arpiy In front and behind. The
ocky. heartbreaking old country road
Hes between II and the water. and a
1rge sign reads, Don't Stop Here;
Zeep Moving"
The country people who occasion
|(lly pass up and down the mountain
~ keep moving They are not al
owed 70 stop and stare. While they
ook little askance at the building
- this road by convict labor they are
~ pleased to have II built that they
vopId doubtless show their good will
IA being hospitable to the newcomers
they had the chance
81 Years ago this narrow gorge be-
Keen the great folds OF Kaaterskill
rd Overlook held the original hamlet
& Palenviile. The roadway was lined
1re IND there with houses and the
MD somewhat cleared, but the VII
sse gradually moved down the stream
y It's present location, and the forest
fepe In and covered everything, so
1at now there are only the occasion
corners OF an old masonry founda-
IN cropping out from the tangled
urel and sweet fern under the big
The large tract Of country on the
l4feau top Of Kaaterskill. 2,400 feet
hove sea level, and Including Tan
orsville, Haines Falls ind numerous
4tels. has only this crooked old road
connect II with the lowlands back
Catskill. except that in summer
he the Otis inclined railroad train
pes up and down the steep side Of
" mountain.
a coed road was badly needed. and
10 state appropriated $4,000 to
Id the four-mile stretch. with the
1derRtsnding that II should be done
convict labor. There are not
10uRh laborers In the immediate
<lehborhood to build II anyway. The
- road Is 80 dangerous that every
~ since the camp has been pitched
here, the prisoners say, wrecked
ntomobiles are towed past down the
NH.
a 10 the prisoners from Sing Sing
ne Job Of building the road was hail.
"a with JOY. The frst batch Of 20
Who came up were selected as a re-
Fard for good conduct and were given
NE choice OF going or remaining in
Sing Sing. Strange to say several
who had the chance declined The
4tnte highways department built the
camps. and the finishing touches are