OCR

finished construction costs for this type building averaged just under $2 per square foot of floor area. In June of 1956, Southern Peru Copper Corporation authorized construction of 3 2-bedroom and 33 3 bedroom temporary houses for Contractor families, and in early October 1956, authorization was extended for construction of an additional 37 3-bedroom houses, all in the Toquepala area. At Ilo, construction of 22 duplex 2-bedroom apartments (44 units) was authorized in February 1957. First expatriate families arrived on the project site at Toquepala - February 10, 1957, and at Ilo - June 15, 1957. These houses and apartments, of wood panels prefabricated in Lima to specification and trucked to the jobsite, wore erected in the respective area permanent staff camps and converted for use as enpleado family dwellings by Southern Peru Copper Corporation at close of construction. Also, as permanent housing units were completed, those excess to Owner Immediate requirements were turned over to the Contractor for interim use. At peak of construction in mid-1958, there were accommodations available for approximately 180 north american Contractor employee families on the project. Worker Quarters. Nearly 9,000 beds were available for native labor over the project at height of construction. A few of the small camps were portable, pyramidal tent type, but the bulk of facilities were stationary, built-in-place, wood frame, sheet metal covered, open barracks type quarters accommodating 100 and 200 men apiece, with separate messhalls of similar construction accommodating 150 to 200 each and communal bath facilities handling up to 300 men each. Wherever possible, worker feeding was let to private Peruvian operators, workers paying nominally for their own meals and excess costs underwritten by the Contractor. Minimal recreation facilities were provided in the major worker housing areas, consisting primarily of soccer fields, basketball courts, and boxing rings. An organised sports program was instituted and maintained under auspices of the Labor Relations department.