Where the first cottages were built, September, 1906
Camp No. 20, Hamilton Square
[Table 25] shows the total population of the official camps for each month from May, 1906, to June, 1908, inclusive.
TABLE 25.—POPULATION OF OFFICIAL CAMPS, EXCLUSIVE OF INGLESIDE MODEL CAMP, FROM MAY, 1906, TO JUNE, 1908, INCLUSIVE
(The figure given for each month is the maximum daily total)
| Month and year | Persons sheltered | |
|---|---|---|
| 1906 | May | 13,170 |
| June | 17,274 | |
| July | 17,959 | |
| August | 18,356 | |
| September | 18,305 | |
| October | 15,558 | |
| November | 13,969 | |
| December | 14,245 | |
| 1907 | January | 14,616 |
| February | 15,149 | |
| March | 16,447 | |
| April | 17,223 | |
| May | 17,524 | |
| June | 17,592 | |
| July | 17,300 | |
| August | 15,785 | |
| September | 11,424 | |
| October | 8,916 | |
| November | 5,331 | |
| December | 3,367 | |
| 1908 | January | 1,760 |
| February | 1,700 | |
| March | 1,392 | |
| April | 1,321 | |
| May | 1,230 | |
| June | 948 | |
Although the data available for determining the character of the camp population are incomplete, from the weekly reports of the camp commanders we can derive figures which probably represent a fair average of the conditions. It appears that from September to December, 1906, about 39 per cent of the persons sheltered were men, about 31 per cent women, and about 30 per cent children. Approximately 55 per cent of the members of the camp population were at work. The proportion of persons who were at work was about 89 per cent among the men, about 39 per cent among the women, and about 25 per cent among the children.
The large percentage of men who were working is worthy of notice. There were numerous complaints during the existence of the camps that these were harboring a large number of idle, shiftless men. Those who offered such criticisms failed to take into account that there is even in normal times a considerable percentage of unemployed men who spend much of their time in public places. A part of the apparently well and able-bodied were in reality incapable of much work, and others though apparently unemployed were night workers. When the haunts of the idle were covered with ashes, it is hardly strange that they should have been found in numbers in the public parks and squares.
In [Chapter 1] the story has been told of the need felt for making some permanent provision for the refugees before the oncoming of the rainy season. The Corporation, after making a careful study of the situation in the camps, decided to adopt a separate cottage plan for temporary as well as for permanent housing, except in one locality, South Park, whose limited area gave no space for separate cottages.
On August 1, 1906, the care of the camps passed from the army to the Department of Camps and Warehouses.[77] From then until June 30, 1908, when the last camp was closed, that department had entire charge of maintenance. The Department of Lands and Buildings was responsible for the construction of the cottages built to replace the tents. The first of August, 1906, the Corporation made public its plan to build cottages[78] and let the contracts for the erection of buildings. Building began September 10, and on the sixteenth 20 cottages in Hamilton Square were completed. At least two or three months, however, intervened before any considerable number of houses could be made ready for the refugees. Before completing its work the Department of Lands and Buildings had installed in the public squares for use in connection with the 5,610 cottages which it had built, 667 patent flush closets, 247 hoppers, over six miles of gas and water pipe and over five miles of sewer pipe; also the necessary fittings, which included 325 galvanized sinks, with faucets and traps, and 624 gas brackets.[79]