National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-02-19
TRANPs TRAMP.
An Army Of Idlsrs-A War Of determination
Aid far thu UeaervinR Poor

Aid Tor the Deserving Poor.
The Wandering Jew perhaps was the first pro-
fessfonal tramp, but since his M the p 'ofe;sion
has constantly been receiving new cIuIsitfonf,
and the nineteenth century has turned out un-
numbered numbers Of them. There is an army OF
tramps In the country-ever moving, ever chang.
ing, dirty-shirtsd, poorly. clad, filthy, idle
horde, who go from town to town, making it o
business to shirk honest work and prey upon the
tender, charitable feelings of the soft hearted.
To become Q successful tramp requires no little
genius. Tramping Is o name for systematized
peRgary and idleness. One sees the tramp st dusk
atkirg them to please do them 9 fayor-which
favor, II granted, would be the unsecured loan Of
nickel. When night falls they make their way
to some station. house. 1t takes but short time
for tramp to learn city, and to know exactly
what sort Of accommodation each station. house
At night in the dodgers cell In the station.
house the foot weary are huddled together, and
spend the night in comparing notes. What q
fellow-idlers is his stock In trade, and he ques-
tions carefully any fellow he may meet who may
ma nsed from some me-, neig city when
way the habits Of the police and the locality Of
the most comfortable station-houses in every city
When in the morning he Is turned out Of the
station and shifts the fresh air, hs takes pull
two at his old and grimy wooden muller, buttons
his coat over his breast and hunts for q lob Of
cleaning spittoons or sweeping out bar-roorn.
During the day he will loaf about, doing a little
the utmost the supreme isziness Of his 9Ie fe &C.
There is an army OF them, in tattered clothes,
working hard to shfrk work, making weary pill
Rrimages all over the land, hobbling on through
life with nothing to worry them, except II is q
blistered foot or sore throat sometimes hungry,
sometimes surfeited with broken victuals, all Of
them carrying easy consciences.
tramp has no anxiety for the future. The
great principle Of his philosophy is that the
waiting patiently for the world to pay its debts.
IL was to this class that Major Richards re-
ierred when, a few days ago. he sent the follow
CAPTAIN BROCK: Order an advances along the
whole line on the tramps. Try TO bring on gen.
eGal engagement. Tho tranps have their Skin
This city has become an Eiysium for This class Of
pilgrims. Don't let the attack end In skirmfsh.
A. q. RICHARDS,
Major and Superintendent
This was the result of council eff war. piece
OF strategy that would have done honor to NIL
tiades or Napoleon followed. The trsmps we're
heater. There are eight station-houses in the
District, and It has been the practice OF the
tTamps, when they come into the city, to make a
round through all the stations, stopping night
round, when they got back to the first station
they could easily persuade the station keeper to
give them lodgings again by making up a story
Of misfortunes that had occurred during the
week since they had met.
In this way tramp could stay iu the city
several weeks, sleep In the stations evnry mig b.,
and always receive the kindest treatme1 t, while
some poor unfortunate, who really deserved aid,
and was not as shrewd as the professional, would
be cent to the work-house In a few days. But
the tranps wers beaten at their own game.
After eli the dodgers had come in fos the night
the station keepers in the several stations left
the station In charge Of the sergeant and took q
round through the city, oyerhauling the dodgers
cells in every, precinct. By comparing notes
day twenty five were sent down TO the WORK
house as Migrants. The news spread through
the whole fraternity, and since that night the
trQmnl m ha
There rs class of INDECENT people who have
suffered from the hard times and lack OF work
who are really deserving. A number of citizens
have organized an association to furnish lodgings
to this class. They have obtained the permission
OF the District Commissioners to use the old Cen
trail guard house, on Louisiana avenue, for the
purpose, and the upper rooms OF the building are
being cleaned up for the purpose. The rooms
viii be ready for the reception Of dodgers by Mon
day, 1t is expected. Here the lodger will no. DO
sent away hungry 10 the morning, but will be
furnished with breakfast. A number of ladies'
Of the city intend to open next week q place on
Seventh street, between NJ and N, where those
out OF work and deserving can procure breakfast
or dinner.
1t will be impossible for either the gentlemen
or ladies to furnish aid to the poor without con-
tributing something to tho support OF the tramps,
Tor they are bound to turn up where anything can
be obtained for nothing, but with the operation
extent In discriminating between the worthy and
the unworthy. The winter Is nearly over, and
their institutions will not have so many demands
upon them as they would had they been estsb-
will net be greatly bothered by tramps, as they
will be able to find good quarters outside. An
observing detective, speaking of traups last
evening, remarked: 1.-THE tramps are going the
the grass and they will turn their toes and git up
and git.n