The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-31
EMPLOY BAD men
TO MAKE BEST OF
GEORGIA ROADS
Other States Now Adopting
Efficient Plan Start
ed in South.


labor for bodybuilding was confined
almost exclusively to a few Of the
southern states, where, it is safe to
say. the use of this labor was planned
with the intention Of securing high
way improvements at little or no more
cost than was necessary for the hous-
Ing and feeding Of the prisoners in the
prisons. In these early cases the
gang system was generally used, the
men working in stripes usually in
chains and under guards who were
heavily, armed. But state after state
according to an article by George D.
Steele in the Engineering Record, has
taken up the utilization of convict
labor in recent years, until it Is now
common In all sections Of the country.
With the growth of the use Of this
class OF labor, conditions from the
prisoners standpoints have improved
materially, though there is still room
for much more Improvement.
In 1916 An experimental camp was
established in Fulton county, Georgia,
where investigations and studies were
carried out relative to convict labor.
The average population Of the camp
|
1915 has been forty men convicts per
day.
With but three or four exceptions,
these have been negro misdemeanor
prisoners whose sentences average be-
tween seven and eight months, and
who were secured from the Fulton
county prison. The officials of the
camp consist of a deputy warden, two
foremen, one camp clerk and one night
Waterman, whose only duties so far
have been to protect the commissary.
The men are all employed under the
honor system, no armed guards being
permitted at this camp.
All the prisoners are clothed in neat
brown suits marked with the prison
er's number. There have been no es-
capes or attempts at escape up to the
first Of this year, although about 100
dierent men have been quartered at
the camp in the year Of it's operation.
Only three Of these have been sent
back to the prison or to the chain
camps, the only methods of disciplin-
ing that are used; two of these were
returned for fighting and the third for
the general dissatisfaction which he
gave and caused.
The authorities at the experimental
camp are not allowed to flag the men,
and it Is worthy of mention that this
Is the only convict camp in Georgia
where whipping of the prisoners for
linfractions Of the rules is not permit
ted. The men are treated as human
beings and are allowed practically all
the privileges Of a free labor camp
VIC I @I.1
or locked doors, except on the COM
missary building.
The privileges that are granted to
the men are Unusually liberal. The
time from their return from work late
in the afternoon until they go to bed
at night is theirs to do with as they
please, either inside or outside the
buildings. Saturday is ahalf-holiday
throughout the summer, and is usual
ly a gala day on which there are base
! ball games and other sports.
A photograph with supply Of rec
ords is placed in the building used as
the sleeping quarters, writing tables
are conveniently located and books
and magazines are there for all who
care to make use of them. The men
are permitted to write and receive as
many letters as they wish, although
all correspondence is read by the au-
| thOrities
That the food Is more varied and OF
a better class than is furnished tt
prisoners Of any other camp in the
state has been voluntarily attested tt
| in every case where a prisoner was
brought to the experimental camp af
ter he had been in one of the others
The quantities of food for each mar
| have been scientifically worked ou
and are closely adhered to.