CONVICT ROAD CAMP, FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA. 7 
DESCRIPTION OF THE CAMP SITE. 
The preliminary arrangements for the experiment were completed 
and agreed upon in October, 1915, and work on the construction of 
the buildings was begun November 3. Various causes, including 
bad weather, the slow arrival of building material, and disputes over 
right of way of the road to be constructed, delayed the opening of 
the camp until January 10, 1916. On that day 17 men were trans- 
ferred to the camp and set to work cleaning the buildings, gathering 
firewood, and other chores incident to the opening of the camp. On 
January 12, 16 additional men were selected and sent from several 
camps, and road work was begun. Not until January 17, however, 
was the camp manned to capacity. Eight more men were received 
on that date, thus increasing the population to 41. As the quarters 
would accommodate only 40 conveniently, one man was returned on 
the 19th of the month, and from that time the population of 40 was 
maintained as closely as possible. 
The camp was operated under the cooperative arrangement until 
August 23, 1916. On that date the convicts were transferred from 
the experimental camp and confined in cages at the county fair 
grounds. This step was taken by the county commissioners without 
the consent of the Federal bureaus. It was explained as an emer- 
gency measure necessary to complete a race track at the fair grounds 
in time for the Southeastern Fair, and the commissioners expressed 
their willingness to hasten the return to the experimental camp and 
to extend the operation under the cooperative arrangement for a 
period equal to the time lost, but it was believed by the Office of 
Public Roads and Rural Engineering that it would be difficult to 
resume the experiment along the old lines, particularly in respect to 
discipline, and the cooperation of the Federal bureaus accordingly 
was withdrawn. However, after the convicts were returned, the camp 
remained under Federal observation to a certain extent until it was 
moved to a new site on November 22. 
The first work selected for the experimental camp by the county 
commissioners was the grading of a section of the Powers Ferry Road 
approximately 2 miles in length. (See fig. 1.) Accordingly, on 
November 9, 1915, a camp site was selected about 3,000 feet from 
one end of the road. It was an almost level plot of sufficient area to 
accommodate all the camp buildings, from which the ground sloped 
away in all directions. The part selected for the accommodation of 
the main buildings was free of trees, but was covered with a heavy 
growth of tall grasses. The part selected for the stable and corral 
lay to the north of the clearing in a growth of pine trees. These, 
while they afforded no shade for the quarters, were in such position 
as to protect the camp effectively from the cold north wind. The 
soil consisted of about 3 inches of top soil overlying a micaceous clay. 
It was sufficiently porous to absorb water rapidly aud did not become 
