CONVICT LABOR FOR ROAD WORK. 161 



This camp consisted of 18 white prisoners and the cost of the 

 rations was estimated by the camp officials at 30 cents per person 

 per day, which, however, did not include the cost of fresh mUk, 

 butter, and eggs. The latter supplies were furnished to the camp 

 by the county in which the men were at work. 



The estimated cost is remarkably low for the kind of food fur- 

 nished, but the camp was located favorably in a rich farming dis- 

 trict, and supphes were purchased at an unusually low price. 



A diet such as this leaves nothing to be desired as far as general 

 nutritive properties and the pleasure of taste are concerned, but 

 it is largely composed of the more expensive articles of food for which 

 cheaper substitutes might be found readily. Only under excep- 

 tional conditions can food of this sort be provided, and for economic 

 reasons its use is quite impractical. 



Following is another menu at one of the eastern camps : 



Breakfast: 



Oatmeal mush; beef hasli, or steak, or ham, or bacon, or eggs. 



Bread and butter (without stint). 



Coffee, with diluted evaporated cream sweetened to prevent waste of sugar. 

 Limch (on road): 



Three sandwiches of the following kinds: ham, egg, corned beef, roast beef, 

 bacon, or cheese. 



Tomatoes or fruit. 



Cold coffee or tea. 

 Dinner: 



Soup or chowder (three times a week). 



One of the following dishes: Roast beef, boiled ham, corned beef and cabbage, 

 boiled beef, Hamburg steak, mutton potpie, beef stew, pork and beans, or 

 fresh fish. 



Boiled or mashed potatoes. 



Stewed corn or rice, or beans or peas, or some other vegetable. 



Bread and butter. 



One of the following kinds of dessert: Pie, pudding, sweet buns, coffee 

 cake, or stewed fruit. 



Coffee, tea, or cocoa, with diluted evaporated cream sweetened. 



This camp was composed of 60 white prisoners. A contract had 

 been made for the feeding of the men at the rate of $2.50 a week per 

 man (about 36 cents per day), which included the cost of hauling 

 all supplies for a distance of about 12 miles. The food was prepared 

 and served by prisoners under the supervision of the contractor. 



The articles of food furnished comprise a well-balanced mixed diet 

 of considerable variety, with fresh meat in one form or another two 

 or three times a day, but in spite of this the prisoners were dissatisfied 

 and with just cause. The food was served in an unappetizing manner 

 and was poorly apportioned; lunch pails were partially filled the day 

 before they were to be used and were allowed to stand in a warm 

 place so that the contents soured or became stale; and the general 



