Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-01-08
GERMANS AGAIN
OCCUPY HISTORIC
BARRACK HOUSES
WhirIigig Of Time ForcibIy.
Demonstrated by ImpriSon-
meot of kaiSer'S Soldiers.
by English at Dorchester

Guard If honor for King George |. the
fortunes Of war have made the present
oecuniets the enforced guests of the
british government Another strik-
ing instance of the whirlgig of his
toIy was the discovery by the German
prisoncrs while excavating roads for
mn addition to their camp. of the
homes Of French prisoners who died
in The barracks during the Napoleonic
wars.
over 5000 German prisoners now
occupy the camp, and additional huts
are being built for more. The old
barracks were inadequate 10 house
an of the prisoners and streets OF
huts extending over both slopes of IA
little valley form a small town for
their accommodation. The whole
camp Is surrounded by a wooden and
wire fence inside of which barb wire
entanglements form barrier domi-
mated by sentry boxes from which a
souad Of guards armed with rifles
overlook every possible avenue Of es-
cane. These sentries are the only Wis.,
lille evidence of human restraint for
except few commissioned officers
assisted by four scrgeants and a small
squad of red cross orderlies there is
not a single British soldiers inside the
compound.
For the first time since German
war prisoners have been brought to
England unofficial neutrals were al
lowed to inspect one of their camps
aud an Associated Press correspond
cnt was personally conducted over the
place by the commandant, Major w.
G Bulkeley, ID. S. O., who not only
allowed him to see everything in the
place bun permitted him to talk freely
in private with the prisoners
Bad Weather Conditions.
The visit was made under the worst
possible weather conditions, a heavy
cold rain having flooded the lowlands
near Dorchester. The camp. located
on sloping hllsides, escaped the ac-
tual floods but the mud Of the un-
paved streets was deep and sticky.
The prisoners. paid two pence an
hour for such work, were busy digging
paved drainage bitches which will
soon make progress about the place
much more comfortable. Several OF
the huts were leaking, but the occu
pants. who do not care to be separat-
ed from their units preferred to await
their repair rather than move into
other huts in the new portion of the
camp.
Many of the prisoners occupy the
old artillery barracks a long row OF
brick buildings with stables on the
ground floor and quarters for the
men above, The stables, well warmed
BIZ sheet iron stoves, form primitive
but comfortable quarters, while the
rooms above. each equipped with from
two To four hunks. are the prize quar-
ters Of the camp. The other quarters
are in long rows of temporary wood
en- hmts each housing about thirty
men. An are warmed with sheet iron
stoves and in estimating the comfort
of the camp this feature stands out
in thr viewpoint Of the neutral OBJ
server. who finds the prisoners nuts
considerably more comfortable thah
the average grate-heated London
house.
In the old barracks are we'll equip
ped tailor and boot shops, where the
prisoners of those trades repair the
uniforms and footwear of their COM
rades These workmen are paid SIX
shillngs weekly Many of the prls-
oners arrive with their uniforms and
boots in wretched condition, and the
tailors and hootmakers are kept very
busy. These workers were the most
contcntcd looking of the prisoners. eH-
cept he cooks ana other kitchen
workers. who are also paid for their
work The only unpaid work in the
camp is the actual care OF their own
quarters by the prisoners.
Kitchens Well Equipped.
Each row of huts has a well equip
ped kitchen where the daily ration is
cooked This consists of one-half
pound of beef or mutton. potatoes
seasonahle green vegetables. white
bread and soup. The meat is of good
quality and is well cooked by the
skillful German chefs Coffee is pro-
vided in enormous quantities, and
Judging from cup enjoyed by the
correspondent is better prepared than
the beverage retailed under that name
in any but the best restaurants in Lon
don
Bath houses and lapndrIee are al
most as literally sprinliled over the
camp as kitchens. The baths are well
equipped with showers and foot baths
for which an unlimited quantity or
hot water is constantly supplled.
Besides the regular prison hospital
there Is Il dressing station where pa
tents who do not require actual hos
pital treatment go for the dressing OF
old wounds and injuries and massage
treatment The cots In the hospital
were occupied by seventeen patients,
some suffering from maladies incident
to the cold wet weather and others
who were victims OF gas poisoning.
In The old handbal court of the
barracks the prisoners who desire to
make the best use Of their leisure time
attend a unique school The place has
been rooted over and the conventional
school masters desk is placed on Il
Platform above rows of benches oc-
cupied all day by classes studying az
extensive curriculum.
The corps messes together and mas
very comfortable quarters. In the
center Of the mess hall hanging IRON
the ceiling is the following motto III
German: We Germans fear nothing
on earth except God This Is also
he spirit Of number of notices
scattered about the various huts. The
officers in charge of the camp report
&C that the problem of discipline gives
them little trouble. There are, OF
course. minor attractions of the rules
but these are usually corrected by the
German chief sergeant major and ms
assistants There have been only i've
attempts to escape from the camp ana
with the exception of a threatened
mntiny when for few minutes the
prisoners refused TO respond TO the
parade call. there has been nothing to
suggest serious trouble.
Iostofiicc Busy Place.
The postofflce of the camp Is the
busiest and most popular institution
Of the place. During the Christmas
rush parcels werc arriving at the rate
Of l,S00 daily. These are opened IN
the nraoanna nf thoff ractpfonfS and