Lying just east of the Cascade Divide and at an elevation of about 200 ft. above sea level ...  

Most of the rock of this region consists of lava in columnar structure and at Lyle the cliff rises abruptly from the river's edge to an elevation of about 1,500 ft. in rude, uneven steps. The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Ry. was built, at tremendous expense, at the foot of this cliff. At an elevation of approximately 125 ft. above and a distance back of from 50 to 100 ft. from the railroad track there was a step in the cliff which could hardly be called a bench and upon this the State Road was built. On the lower side it dropped vertically to the track level, while on the upper side the lava cliffs towered pillar on pillar with only occasional flattenings of the very precipitous slope.

This bench was crossed by so many gulches and hogbacks and was itself so steep and narrow that the work was necessarily very heavy and required a great amount of labor and material to complete a short distance.

The location of the convict camp was well chosed both from the standpoint of minimum of lost time on account of winter weather and from the more important standpoint of concentration of convicts on heavy work, thus reducing the expensive guard force and enabling the state to put up a permanent stockade and camp without the constant expense of moving as work progressed.

The convicts detailed on road work are in most cases those who are serving an indeterminate sentence, i.e., are sentenced for a term of from 1 to 14 years, or 2 to 20, etc., as the case may be. The most common sentences are 1 to 14 and 2 to 14 years. These men are not usually sent to the camps until after they have served their minimum. At the camp they are placed under the superintendent who has the entire handling of the prisoners and is responsible for their safe keeping, conduct and labor. ...

Those men who behaved themselves, did good and efficient work and otherwise proved themselves to be capable of self support and deserving of freedom were pardoned within one year from the date service began on the road. If any proved to be agitators, mutinous or lazy they were, after having been warned and given time to show proof of good intentions, sent back to the penitentiary with their good time taken from them, which means a loss of years in most cases. ...

The labor is as hard as ordinary pick and shovel work, but is harder than any work they are used to in the penitentiary. Here their work is out of doors, and they are given all of the most substantial food required. Their hair is not clipped and they are in every way dressed and managed like a gang of free laborers, except that the armed guards are standing near. ...

The State Camp at Lyle opened with a total of 27 convicts, including those employed in the ktichen and maintenance of camp. This force remained the same until March, when the number was increased. ...

[The road], covering a distance of 1.65 miles, was practically complete to within 500 ft. of the proposed tunnel by April 13, 1911. Beyond the proposed tunnel the work was comparatively light for the remaining two miles, to where the road tied into the county road, leading to the Dalles ferry with a water grade and distance of eight miles, instead of climbing 1,500 ft. and a distance of about 14 miles between towns. The new route would make travel between the west end of the county and Goldendale, the county seat, a much simpler matter than it is at present. The width of the roadway is 20 ft. and maximum grade is 5 per cent.

The completed work is the most difficult on the entire trunk highway between Vancouver and Spokane, and is said to compare favorably with Swiss mountain roads for grandeau of scenery and the nature of construction. However, the 1911 legislature neglected to make appropriations for any state roads, and the policy of working convicts on roads was abandoned, thus leaving this expensive and much needed piece of road without an outlet. ..."

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Figure No.1, showing the "Lyle Convict Camp and Stockade", Lyle, Washington.

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Figure No.2, showing the "Lyle Convict Road", Washington State Road 8, Lyle, Washington.

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Figure No.9, showing the "Completed Wall and Arch", Lyle Convict Road, Lyle, Washington.

Source:    Frank A. Kittredge, Engineer in Charge, 1912, Highway Construction in the State of Washington by Convict Labor, IN: Engineering & Contracting, Vol.XXXVII, No.26, June 26, 1912.