The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1875-05-01
Tramp Printers.
from tho Des Moines Resister.l

Probably no occupation in life has
in its ranks so many wanderers a. the
art typographical. Every printing
Office has its legends of their coming
and going. Two years ago died at
Bucyrus, Ohi9, Thomas Wallace, who
was a compositor in Des Moines
twenty-five years before. Prior to
that he was at Iowa City, and set
type OF the journal Of the first Ter
r!to'ial Legislative. He had worked.
ut the tine Of his death, in 2,7n0 diff.
ferent offices, and went to the print
ers' reward at the :ire age Of e;ghty
years. AS IN evidence of the differ
ent ages iii whic... he Piled his art,
he pulled RaMage press in 1921,
and in 1870 set type for petroleum
V. Nasby.' in Toledo, Ohio.
"Matchet'-if he ever had any 9th.
er name, no one this side Of his Chris
tenins fonnt was ever able to liscov-
|er it-commenced his career in Scot
land in 1920. The first yeal the Leg
islatnre was in session in Des ,Ioines
Natchet appeared here IA an actor,
in the first theatrical performance
given III this city. He had but one
eye, and, like most of the tramps,
had An unbounded capacity for ben
zine. lie was composition in equal
parlkof printer, actorpnd vagabon1,
and~4celled in each q practsr. Ten
or twelve years alter he trod the
boards in Dcs Moines 1t came back,
the last time travelling Oh q pass on
tue dirt road, w',ic', he traversed for
lack Of lacre whefewith to pay stage
fare. The second time he appeared
asa inter, and a good one he was,
too. II worked on the old Citizen
until he had accumulated twenty dol
lars. Then he started for Georgia,
intended to tramp the entire distance.
Two years ag" all old, grizz'ed and
wrinklet mnn entered the Register
composing-room about midnight
With easy nonchalance lie introduced
himself as "Old Matchet,' The next
day lie was given work, and the
next, being Sunday, he squandered
his days wages in forty-rod whisky,
and that night lie slept IN the press
room. HI estimated that the aggre
gate miles Of his tramps exceed sixty
thousand. One trip was from Fort
Leavenworth to California. He was
about seventy years old when be left
Des Moines, and set fine type without
the aid Of spectaclcs. His favorite
expression, when offered a ride or
when asked why he travelled afoot,
was that it '.hurt his feet to ride"
Jack Harrington is another travel
ling typographcr whose fingers have
been piled in the printing Offices Of
every State. His first exploit in life
was to spend twenty thousand dollars
lett him by al accumuIative, but
s''ort-lived, paternal ancestor. Then
he commenced to tramp and soak
himself with the WHISTLES Of all points
OF the compass. He has probably
borrowed half a dollar Of every Jour
printer in the Union, aud when he
dies will attempt to "stand of" with
his undertaken.
Sinsleterry was most remarkable
tramp. Born in Ohio, he worked at
his trade until he had accumulated
one hundred dollars. Then he start
ed out to see Mexico, which he did in
company with Zach Taylor. The
close Of the war found him at New
Orleans, and from there he started
with the expressed purpose of visit
ing every State and Territorial capt.
tai. Ten years ago his mission was
completed, Des Moines being the last,
where he worked gu estate work" to
raise money to carry him home to
Ohio. Nearly all of his tramping was
done afoot. He slept in = press room
in preference to a hotel, aud in the
time, was happy while slum-
bering III friendly hay-mow. Like
most Of those old.style tramps, lie
was an excelleD. workman, and could
have accumulated handsome pro.
perty had he not been under tho in.
flacnce of the Genius of Unrest.
Jack .Allcorn las walked until his
feet are spread out as fat as a pan
cake. 'ie has cosnted the ties Of
halt OF the railroads ip tho Union.
When bS vas fifty years old he found
himself at Richmond, Va, working
at his trade. The rebellion commence
ed and Jacks sentiments told him to
go North. The Government of the
Confederate States wanted his skill
in the Government Printing Office,
and he remained at Richmond, = gay.
coated Copfed guarding his door to
see that lie did not escape. Six
months Of this life was a dull dose,
and one evening the tramping printer
was among the missing. The next
time he saw Richmond he was swing.
ing saher in Sheridan's cavalry. 1T
tho close OF the war he again tosk tic
road, and last winter, his bead white
with age, but with a step as light as
thirty years before, the unconquera-
bic Jack came marching Into Des
Mcines on the ties Of the Valley road.
Aisl'ort period OF labor on State work
satisfied him, and he left en- route
for. New Orleans, @ ses
It's a connndrum what becomes Of
old tramps. Wallace is the only ono
Of them that has been known to die
the others are still on the 90, and
give no symptoms Of y relapse into
either the grave or quiet. Ii they
should die, they wouldn't be satisfied
in tho other world unless there was
acme Garner nf il that thor hadn't