The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-08

Tn ImpIuux1ous KNIGHTS OF THE
HIouwAYs.-The tramp is upon us'Eith
reupwed persistence. he knocks at your
door in lie morning, and his jerk at the
door bell CRATES upon your first sweet
dream at night; he heads you of on the
streets, and perseeutes you in your count
ing room; he Sppears Ut your kitchen
doors, and makes the household nervous
over the suspicion that the lines are being
laid for iirst.clAss burglary; he turns up
In the street In the dead Of night, and
when you meet him you feel that you are
not safe until he is out OF sight. Tho
tramp seems 10 be only useful as pro
moter Of the hardware trade, especially
In the bolt line; and an encouragement 10
the manufacture Of firearms. His pres
ence has cultivated, to marvellous ex-
tent, an indifference as to the severity oil
means TO be used as protection OF houses
and persons. Houses which never toIeF-
aled firearms before now bristile like lori
reEses.
In IN interview with Capt Davis, Chiel
OF Police, u reporter learned that me
prospect is that the tramp nuisance VIII
not be so extended rs during the season
OF 1855. The frosty, niPping nights Of
November brought them by squad"
and companies to the City Sergeant for
permits 10 sleep in The police court room,
ret The number has not been so great as
during the corresponding month last
wear. This is owing probably to the fact
that the officers this year hold them
under strict surveillance. Last year the
great public complaint was as to
the pestiierous and persistent uppli'
cation for charity, and the utter i'm.
possibility Of discriminating between the
worthy and unworthy. The tramps have
piled the begging business with such To-
duslry that people who gave freely at
first, 10 find frequently that they had been
victimized, now find it quite easy TO re-
fuse. They have become accustomed TO
the constant demand, and have come to
look upon the "inslitution" Of tramps as
something which should properly come
within the scope OF official management
AS u stupendOus nuisance, and even
peril, against which they have the right
10 claim protection, as they would against
smallpox or hydrophobia.
In the coIrse Of the interview with
Capt. Davis, heretofore alluded TO, II
came out that from thirty to forty "vags"
are Accommodated with lodging nightly in
the police court room, under the Court
House. Some OF these, however, are ma
tive bummera, who are furnished with
season tickets. Tramps who go TO the
City Sergeant and ask for lodging are
furnished with a permit which is good
for two nights only. AT the end OF that
time they must move on" or be arrested
as vagrants. Occasionally u desperate yag
declares that unless he is accommodated
with lodgings and breakfast, be will be
under the necessity OF "breaking in some.
where The impertinence OF the con.
fismed tramp is without parallel, and
be will threaten arson or burglary right
under the noses Of the officers OF the law.
Such characters are generally put behind
perforated checker.board, u situation
which they prefer to lodging by lime
kiln or nocturnal wandering through
the city. ttg ..-s.
II the city had a wall around it, and
could afford to maintain guaEd to keep
seedy travellers from scaling the ram.
parts,-we might counteract the tramp
nuisance, 10 the increased affection Of
cities that had no walls. Considering the
times, Wheeling has been an example Of
prosperity, and has probably given more
employment 10 labor during the working
season than any other city; but never,he-
less the chills Of winter bring misery to
our doors, and raise r question which de.
serves deliberation and thorough treat
ment.