Honor Camps and Day Labor
By Curt Cunningham

The working of convicts on highways under what had been called the Honor System was an experiment in which the State of Washington had probably operated the most extensively of any state in the union and established its leadership therein. The thirteenth session of the Washington State Legislature provided for the working of convicts on State Highways, as recorded under Chapter 114 of the Session Laws. This law provided that all convicts physically able and not otherwise employed, may be employed upon the construction of highways, and that the State Highway Commissioner shall, when possible, use such persons in the building and repairing of public roads.

During the summer of 1906 the State Board of Control made arrangements with the Board of Commissioners of Lewis County to work a gang of 15 convicts crushing rock for macadam at the Meskill quarry in that county. The report of the Board of Control gave the details of this experiment. Notwithstanding the adverse conditions existing as to transportation and consequent enforced idleness of men at times, this experiment demonstrated that with proper equipment and a suitable force of convicts, the cost of crushed rock can be reduced 50% below ordinary contract prices. 

In the building of state roads convicts were employed at a large profit to the state, and such employment contributed much to their mental and physical improvement. Statistics showed that of all the convicts employed on the highways less than 2% escaped, thus showing that a convict camp was no menace to a community. Convicts and convict camps were used between 1906 and 1908, when the use of the convict camps was discontinued.

Beginning in 1913, the use of honor camps and day labor was used. This system of convict labor was used between 1913 and 1914 and day labor was used in 1914 and 1915. This was a different from the convict camps as there were no guards or a walled in compound. Upon requisition from the Highway Commissioner, the Prison Board of the State Penitentiary selected such convicts as they deemed eligible and worthy of consideration for service in the honor camps. When criminals are sentenced to the State Penitentiary they are given a minimum and a maximum term of servitude as provided under the “Indeterminate Sentence Law” and it was the object to select convicts whose minimums have expired or will expire while at the camp or those whose conduct at the penitentiary deserves special consideration.

Each convict signed a pledge of honor that for and in consideration of the clemency extended by the Governor and the State Prison Board in permitting him to work in the honor camp and the payment of 50 cents for each day's labor, he agrees to perform such work as may be assigned to him, obey the rules and instructions, and not to leave the camp without special permission from the camp superintendent. This pledge also provides that the wages earned prior to final release, except necessary incidentals and tobacco, shall be withheld until discharged, the date of discharge being stated therein. Special permission, however, is given to contribute part or all of his wages to his wife or children. 

Upon the acceptance of the conditions of the pledge, the Governor issued a conditional pardon to each man which set forth the conditions governing his conduct while at the camp prior to the issuing of his final pardon, and the man is ready to be transferred to the honor camp. All camps were of a light frame construction, with the exception of the men's quarters at Camp No. 1, on Hood's Canal, where tents were provided. Owing to the dampness of the climate during the winter months the use of tents for quarters was abandoned. 

In addition to the 50 cents for each day’s labor, the men were fed, clothed, and sheltered in sanitary quarters at the expense of the State. All employees of the camps were honor men with the exception of the superintendent, his foremen and such special skilled labor as is necessary to carry on the work to the best advantage. The camp clerks are also free men with the exception of Camp No. 4, where an honor man was used to advantage, as both Camps No. 3 and No. 4 were under the same general superintendent.

The disposition of the honor men toward the system is, in general, very favorable. The freedom of the camp and life in the open appeals to them and many do not hesitate to express their appreciation of the opportunity that had been extended to them. There are exceptions, however, and some in their weakness have yielded to freedom’s temptation, failed to uphold their honor and deserted the camps and others have shirked their duty and have been returned to the Penitentiary.

The disposition to fulfill the conditions of the agreement under which these men were placed in the camps was entirely within each individual’s control, and without the restraint of guards. The results to date show that a comparatively low percentage failed to uphold the trust placed in them. There were many conditions which tended to limit the practical use of convicts in the construction of highways and some of them were entirely out of the control of man.

The case where all conditions were favorable at any one time would, indeed, be an exception. In the first place, the construction must be of such a nature that hand implements may be used to the best advantage, as the State did not own stock for grading purposes, and only a small amount, if any stock, could be hired without the accompanying free labor. Owing to the time and expense of transporting the men to and from the penitentiary, it was necessary to keep them on the work site when once established in the camps, and as the cost of maintenance was a fixed factor whether the men worked or not, the question of climate became a primary point of consideration.

Superintendents and foremen with proper constructive knowledge and ability to direct free labor, were, in general, not versed in the management of convicts, and those capable of the management of the convicts were not acquainted with constructive methods. The efficiency of the men depended largely upon their discipline and the spirit with which they entered into the work, and it was observed that these factors vary proportionately to the camp's distance from the settled communities.

A large percentage of the honor men were not of the laboring class and accustomed to such work as demanded of them in highway construction, and it would therefore be an injustice to expect the same degree of efficiency as from selected free labor. Surrounded by these unfavorable elements it was the aim to give the system a most thorough trial. The work at Hoodsport and at Kalama for a large portion of the time was carried on under the most unfavorable conditions and had given the experiment a most severe test.

Honor Camp No. 2 - Pacific Highway

About the same general conditions surrounded this work as that on the Olympic Highway, but the excavation was a different class of material and slides did not interfere with the progress of the work. Over half of the excavated material was solid rock and could be handled more economically during the wet weather than the earth. A daily average of 29.7 honor men were maintained in the camp; 1.08 miles was constructed and 1.9 miles cleared and grubbed at a net cost of $11,471.47, and the unit costs compared very favorably with that for similar contract work executed under more favorable weather conditions.

Day Labor

During the year 1914 the department conducted highway construction by the use of day labor. These paid laborers were free men who lived in the camps during the construction. The sections they constructed were; the Olympic Highway from Hama Hama River to Lilliwaup, in Mason County, a distance of 9.1 miles; the National Park Highway from Mineral to Morton, in Lewis County, a distance of 7.0 miles; the Pacific Highway from Kalama to Martin’s Bluff, in Cowlitz County, a distance of 3.4 miles, less that portion completed by Honor Camp No. 2 and from Columbia River to Republic on State Road No. 4.

The cook houses were conducted by the department at cost to the men and the charge of $5.50 per week for board paid all costs of construction, supplies, and labor in connection with the subsistence department. Special effort was directed to the sanitation of the camps and the excellent health of the personnel justified the effort. Laboring men appreciated plenty of wholesome food and a sanitary camp, and these factors made it possible to secure and maintain first class labor on the work at all times. In addition to the excellent camp service, the men were paid standard wages for 8 hours labor per day.