The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-17
AVAST ARMY OF MIGRANTS
OYER FIFTY THOUSAND TRdMPs
COMING TO NEW YORK.
Seeking n Cover from the Blasts Of Winter
Farmers Beginning to sleep In Peace
Iiaunts of Outoaste In the Great City.

As the heat of summer begins to give
way to the cool winds Of autumn, and the nights
become chilly, Migrants leave the country to
seek winter refuge In cities. A frost, no mat
ter how slight, enlivcns their pace and men OF
the road who have walked leisurely during |
warm weather, at the rate Of from nve To eight |
miles day, Increase their speed to fifteen OF
twenty. New York, with suburbs larger than
some pretentous cities, naturally attracts
thousands Of wanderers, although Philadelphia, |
Boston, and smaller places have their share.
Thus 1t happens that while the farmers and |
country storckeepers who enjoy hardly night |
OF untroubed slumber during the summer, are
at rest, the large cities are overcrowded with |
idle mon.
Last winter, according to an estimate made
by q gentleman who has studied the tramp
question, this city alone contained at least
thirty thousand tramps This year, owing to
the depression In trade, the suspension OF
mining and manufacturing interests, which has
turned many hitherto honest workingmen into
tramps, the invasion from the country roads
cannot fall far short Of nifty thousand OF these
ten per cent. may obtain employment sufficient
to support them although this estimate IL re-
garded as too LIBERAL, thirty per cent. will seek
refuge in minor correctional institutions, and
possibly ten per cent. will be admitted to hos
pitfalls to rccuperate after their summers jour
neynss. 1t IL fair to suppose that more than
onc-half Of the new arrivals must resort to crime
and hepgarN for n living.
Each road leading into the metropolis pours
In its quota daily; tagged dirty iuotspte and
weary they are nucNing In by scores and hun
dreds. New York IL their Mecca the goal ~
thor winter aspirations their shelter against
the chilling winds of the autumn and the biting
fro-t- of December Each argues To him4elf
that ~ a city Of million souls there must he
room for one more, and 50 this vast army-a
mutluN OF UuArtuUu lAlstafnAu MhrItUrs-
come tfauihng in
"some IN RAGS and some in tags,
AMI some in velvet gowns"
nv far the greater proportion ofthe tramps
seeking the cities in winter are tramps from
choice, who would sooner beg than work, but
fear to steal Some are thieves who tramp to
steal. although keeping up appearances 10y beg
gng once In while. Tho number actually in
search. of work every man Will tell You he wants
a ioh " YOU ask him Is comparatively small. and
tho fugitvcs from justice, who travel a. far
from railroads. telegraph wires and large towns
as possible are numerous Another class Is
made up Of peddler- of trines. Their visit both
IL town and country ARE almosi a. annoying As
those OF tho begging trainpe. These are called
" fahirs," name which applies also g the low
er grades Of travelling shownen. They differ
from the other trainps to the extent OF paving
their way most NJ the time. and never stealing
In the winter. though. when confined To the
cities where their wares Will not sell. they take
their places with their companions ~ the sum
MGR. and rough it, hs best they may. IL Il
fair to say, Of these men however, that their
cr!me- seldom extend beyond jumping
hotel till" or cheating" u boarding house keep
err. and these lutte failinRS are rot unknown
among persons much higher In the social scale.
THE PEA -rICKERs.
The pea pichers ~ New jersey and the peach
pluckcrs - Delaware. Of whom about s.pl are
tramp-. mostly start from this city, and form a
class 'tistiurs from an, mentioned n l.oNr. They
are an idle. NagabOnd race. given to gaming and
drinking. grossly Ignorant and IMMORAL aud dan
g-rpus, from the fact that they travel I'm large
gangs. In New Jersey the pea-piciNcrs made
much trouble last season In suite Of the severe
tramp law OF The state and In Delaware the
peach pluckers banded together In companies u
lOl or more. and on several occasions Threatened
vengeance upon small villages wiicn refused To
supply their demands. IL was onl, the fear ~
the military that restrained them from daring
acts Of violence Some Of these men conilne
their tramplng 10 the pea or peach season. and
then return to this city, but .he majority are
professional tramps who merely take I'm New
Jersey or Delaware for the sake Of change.
Strange "a II may seem there are men who walk
almost every year from New York 10 the Della
ware peach region and on arriving refuse to
ate camhlors and these sharpers join them In
tho season - fleece them Of the pittance they
cxrer- en1nA thsH tAil tihs. and this done they
CrtnGsrrv picking. which l. swampy, disagree
able work, Uh,,ahly we'll paid. attract, what may
bee called the re- pectahle tramp, but Is iat below
! the notice OF thieves ana hesEAr7 ll'N, DER
RES (. Ne! guess not DO YOU want a Teller
t. 10 a ruftiu' = said one of these Ecntr> To The
writer. Even lght. honest work b too heavy for
/ them. while chopping wood "a their special
] illumination. " one farmer got tho best OF IA,
/ though. last year. said the same veteran who
/ us and we A. 10 COR grub Yes saws the old
| man. YOU Kin uaNr supper and he'd ana break
fast il YOU ID 4cip NE ia with my hay tins alter
! noon We'll, We told him We MAS in hurry and
/ moved on. What d. you think that ola cuss
/ duney ID II he didn't send boy OF his II on
| horseback I've or Blk miles up the road 70 warn
| the mel hhors not 90 give US anything cause we
/ had refused 10 work. when We got to a house we
was n fused even drink Of butternlilk. and we
never tumhlcd TO what was up TIL We met mat
imp OF boy coming down the ROAD GRIMM az
Us like Niger minstrel. We didn't get any
supper that night, aud the boys took the joke
pretty bad In many sections the farmers nave
| a provision 81 wood on hand all summer express
Is Tor the benefit of tminps. Those that viii "a"
or chop and split wood are fed, but they are
about one in hundred
New York distinctivey local tramps IRE the
beer neuds. who may been seen In all parts OF
tine cts In the dawn OF the morning decautini
the iregs pf lager beer kegs into their tin meas
urcs. These measures are generally empty tomato
cans soddcn, from frequent libations 81 stal ane
impure beer These unfOrtnnAtes crawl and
slin. through life like the abjcct outcasts they
! are and diving, are thrown into paupcrs graves
How they Eve or where hohoady Knows ana no
I body scuIns to care. At the rrst break OF dhw
they crawl from their holes ana begin thuiT
search for the nauseous beverage which seem
to be their chteI support. No" ana th.l one 4"
them may be- seen munching "A crust, but a.
rule they -uh,ist upon the drcgs of beer. The
travel In couples and hmicahly share the liqui'
a. soon A. a can H. filed When the sun rise
tucy sliuN back into their dcns ana are not See
again uutu another day breaks. They are sci
dom known to beg or steal, nor are they Ire
qUent applicants Tor lodgings III the stato
Another class Of bocr nends are Italians. VIII
gather the drcgs Of beer and sell them To com
patriot, az from Two 10 three cents a quar-
Man, of these are regularly employed 10y spocu
lufit" fpioW-cOuutrNmcu, ana the sale al IN
disgusting compound has long been regula
business In parts Of Baxter Crosby Mulberr
and other streets. 1t Is impossible to give ia
exact number Of the beer lcnis, but from sN I
seven Thousand Is rather below than above III
marx. Unlike the Othor beer nends, the Italian
are willing aud anxious 80 work. and seldul
| continue long IN this business, becoming urga
! grinders. ragpickors or lahOrers.
4 The first to seek winter quarters are the hes
gng tIAlnIrs, Whose summer life h mainly passe
In the ppou air. Tho thieving tramps, hoWeve
= | who are bold enough To take bigger risks, 80
, | dom fail to- find shelter in "A barn or outhous
In default of these there are always haystao h
. under which they slumbrr peacefully
though they knew not poverty hunger or ear
! Hence they remain on the road until after IL
Indian summer sometimes even until the ir
a SNOW. Since tranping became general fe
, farmers fail to visit their barns ana outhous'
q before going To- bed, aud IL requires Ingenuity q
the part of the trtmpH To secure lodgings. lhe
10 general custom Is 10 recOhnoiire barn bcto
: darh. walN ON a short distance and then va
1 until tht inspection IL over should the par
q comprise more than three members they sep
e rate and meet In the morning. This seldom IA
b pens, however, except ia New Jersey and Del
, ware. and within few miles of New \ ork, (,
u ~ a rule professional tramps travel IN coupl
D, TRAMP Lodging HOUSES.
tl.. r.r.tI In y.