UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 





BULLETIN No. 414 ^ 



Contribution from Office of Public Roads and Rural 

 Engineering 



LOGAN WALLER PAGE, Director. 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



December 15, 1916 



CONVICT LABOR FOR ROAD WORK. 



By J. E. Pennybacker, Chief, Division of Road Economics, and H. S. Fairbank, 

 Highway Engineer, Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering, and Dr. W. F. 

 Dkapee, Passed Assistant Surgeon, United States Public Health Service. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction 1 



Systems of convict labor 2 



Road work for convicts 6 



Efficiency and economy of convict labor 17 



Management and operation 29 



Records and cost accounts 34 



Discipline and methods of control 54 



Camp location 65 



Water supplies 69 



Camp sanitation 89 



Health conditions and care of sick and injured 115 



Quarters and structures 127 



Clothing, camp supplies, and equipment 145 



Rations for convicts at road camps 157 



Bibliography 191 



Appendix 193 



INTRODUCTION. 



Within recent years the policy of utilizing convict labor in road con- 

 struction or in the preparation of road materials has received serious 

 attention by State legislatures, and a number of the States are now 

 actively employing convicts on road work, while other States are 

 earnestly seeking information on the subject. 



Among the many problems involved arc the following: 



(1) Whether it is profitable to use convicts for road construction, 

 and if so, under what conditions; 



(2) The systems of discipline and management productive of the 

 best results; 



C3) The character and economy of structures and equipment best 

 adapted to conditions in various sections of the country; 

 (4) The character, preparation, and cost ^ of food; 



' It must be borne in mind that all prices of foodstuffs, clothing, and camp e(iuipmcnl iicrcin f|UotPd 

 are those prevailing in 1915. 



Note.— This bulletin Is int<;ndfd to givt; State ofllcials in charge of road work accMirate and coiniirelicii- 

 sive information on the use of convict labor for building roads. 

 53577°— Bull. 414— l(j 1 



