The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-20
AS conveniences of Almost
Every Description Afforded
Those Detained.
Correspondence OF Associated Press).

SBpcenLtaung camp OF QueenSterry,
ten miles from Chester, now contains
more than 1900 aliens.
The camp is housed in score Of
spacious factory buildings formerly
occrpied by firm of boiler-makers.
The buildings set aside for dormitory
purposes are divided into wards"
Blocks and bays" All the build
tngs are solidly built and the sleep
ing and living quarters are by no
means crowded, the number OF men
IN each ward being dictated by the
acubic feet Of air space, with due con-
eideration for matters Of light, ven-
{tilation and heating.
a central heating plant, formerly
the factory power house, furnishes
steam heat and hot water for all the
buildings There are wash houses
with hot and cold showers at conven-
lent points about the camp.
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 and streets. Sign boards paint
led with more or less elaboration, di-
erect the visitor TO villa Emden,"-
an imitation OF the famous German
cruiser, "Stadt Hamburg" "Unter den
Linden" and Windsor Castle"
Each man is provided with three
blankets and mattress for his bunk.
There are 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 ofiic-
iers who continually inspect all parts
OF the camp. Every new prisoner is
submitted to a rigid examination, and
the medical officer keeps regular office
hours, during which any resident may
consult him without charge. Every
man whom he sees is given card on
which are 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.
Big POst0ffice
The camp postoffice handles about
2,500 outgoing letters each week, and
"a rather larger amor 1t of incoming
mail. All letters are read by censors,
and outgoing mail is limited to two
letters man per week. No letter
may be longer than can be written
on two sides of an ordinary sheet OF
notepaper. The censorship of incom-
ing mail has caused some annoying
delays; letters from Germany are Of
ten In handwriting difficult to de-
cipher. Letters from the United
States are more satisfactory, large
proportion of them are in typewrit-
ing and many are of purely business
character. Nothing relating to the
war passes the censors.
There is camp library, from which
residents may borrow books of a
varied character. Newspapers are
forbidden in all the camps. Facili-
ties are given by the postoffice for
the receipts 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 purchasers of
all lfads are posted.
Much Of the routine work of gov
erning the camps is done by the pris-
oners themselves. There is head
captain for each BLOCK" a captain
Tor each "bay" and the S.lrious bays
are again broken up into messes, I'M
der charge of petty officers All these
officers are chosen by vote of the
men themselves. The captains and
head captains hold stated meetings at
-ulations for the conduct Of camp at
fairs. \
Appeals are Permitted
Z The commandant and his adjutant
have office hours during which they
may be seen on any matters which
the captains wish to bring to their at
tention. Any prisoner is privileged
TO. appeal for the remedy OF griev-
ances.
The occupations with which the
men busy themselves are as various
as the callings and trades represent
ed. A number OF men devote them
eeiyes to constructing models of sail
ing or steam ships, and derive some
profit from their skill by offering
their handiwork to the highest bid
ders. Some with a less mechanical
turn undertake outside work, such as
leyeling, laying ashes, useing the tar
brush and painting. An attempt has
been made by the trade unions to
put stop to this activity on the
ground that the laborers are not paid
union rates. A few men occupy
their leisure time in painting water
colors.
There is plenty of opportunity for
sports. Football and boxing are pop
5iilar, and prisoners without skill at
these sports occupy themselves ut
simple outdoor games, some of them
quite juvenile in character. Model
boat sailing on a small sheet of water
adjoining the compound has num-
bcr. OF devotees.
Regular Camp School
German and Austrian schoolmasters
university graduates and college pro-
fessors have united to form the fac
tifty OF camp school, which offers
day and evening classes for men and
boys. The average daily and nightly
attendance is very high, especially in
the lecture courses. The curriculum
IS on the line of higher education"
Irrlfrffft, o eou.cae ", fha0Ia0y h;rtary