32 BULLETIN 414, U, S. DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



to the highway department, and by frequent visits of inspection by 

 officers of the highway department, the prison department, and, in 

 States where such a bureau exists, by officers of the State board of 

 health, who should report, through their bureau, on the sanitary con- 

 ditions of the camps. 



CAMP OFFICERS. 



Though the experience of a number of States has demonstrated 

 the practicabiHty of cooperation by the prison and highway depart- 

 ments through their central offices, the dual system of management 

 in the camps has not proved satisfactory. Prompted by a recogni- 

 tion of the duplex nature of the project, at least three States have 

 tried the plan of placing two men, representatives of the prison and 

 highway departments, respectively, in more or less independent 

 charge of the two phases of the work. In each case the arrangement 

 has resulted in the development of friction and bickering between 

 the employees of the two departments, caused by the clashing of 

 their respective interests and instructions. As a rule, most of the 

 differences are trivial and when brought to the attention of the 

 superior officers of the departments they are readily adjusted, but 

 before these officials are appealed to it is found that the discord 

 has usually reached such proportions as seriously to affect the 

 proper management of the camp. As an example of the petty 

 nature of these disputes it was found in one State that the camp 

 sergeant, or head guard representing the prison department, had 

 been instructed to keep all the convicts at work at all times, 

 except Sundays and hohdays, unless prevented by sickness or bad 

 weather. The resident engineer, representing the highway depart- 

 ment, had been instructed not to lay surfacing stone on a wet clay 

 subgrade. A dispute arose over the question of the employment 

 of the convicts on days following heavy raias when the subgrade 

 was still wet, the sergeant wishing to send the men to work and the 

 resident engineer refusing to permit any stone to be laid, and the 

 bitter feeling which resulted had practically paralyzed the work of 

 the camp long before the matter was brought to the attention of the 

 heads of the two departments. 



But while the appointment of two more or less independent camp 

 heads is undoubtedly inadvisable, it is true that it is extremely diffi- 

 cult to secure, within the customary limits of salary attaching to 

 such positions, one man who is capable of superintending both 

 features of the work. It would seem that the difficulty may best be 

 overcome by providing two officers, but by making one subordinate 

 to the other. It is suggested that the superintendent, or first officer, 

 be selected primarily for his knowledge of road building and for his 

 skill in the direction of men, and that an assistant, who may be 

 known as a camp officer or yard man, be appointed on a basis of 



