The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-10-26

ACoLONY OF TKAMPS.
A Curious COnlmunily-IIOw The
Ragged IEaScRlS Pass Their Time.

ACurIOuS COMMUNICATION The
Ragged IIaScRlS Pass Their Time.
Correspondence Of tho Philadelphia Press.
Ina woodland on Darby road in one
Of the most picturesque sections OF
country in the vicinity Of Philadelphia,
there is u certain little community or
settlement Of tramps. During the day
thew lounge around fires Of brushwood,
made in u little stony hollow, sometimes
singing, sometimes cooking or mending
or washing, sometimes drinking, Occas.
ionally some Of them spurred by nppe.
tite or tired Of idleness, go out into tho
fields and gather herbs or flowers and
bring them into the city 10 sell, and with
the money received buy whIskey, upon
which they all get drunk and make the
woods ring with songs and boisterous
laughter, or savage cries. The size Of
this motley gang varies with the time
and the seasons. II hardly ever numbers
less than twenty, and has reached TO
eighty. There are men and women, old
and young. Nearly all day long, as ]
have said, they linger around the fires
in the wood, and when the weather is not
unpIeasantly cold they also sleep out I'm.
der the trees, but in the winter, and
when storms OF great violence occur i,
they take refuge in barns in the neigh.
borhoOd. Upon beautiful wooden
knoll they have set up little cabin made
Of logs and the bark OF trees. In stony
hollow in the side Of hill, where they
pass much OF their time, they have ket.
lies and pans and other household uten.
ala, and a wooden tripod upon which to
hang a kettle over fire, and strung from
tree to tree lines upon which to hang
their clothes to dry. They fare we'll.
They beg from the farmers in the neigh.
b1rhOOd, who dare not refuse them, and
lear even to murmur at their demands.
Any Oilense to them might result IN the
burning OF the barn or home OF the
helpless offender. 1t is no wonder that
man should live in dread with gang
Of lawles' yagabOnds about his door and
no protection near him for himself or
bis vile or daughters. This community
seems to be governed by master" and
mistress 1.-THE latter an old, white
haired wretch who has been known in
the vicinity for years. They receive the
allegiance Of all the others, and refuse
admittance into the circle 10 such appli.
clnls as do not, for any reason please
their fancy. OF course, their authority
iinot always submitted TO, but to great
extent they are the rulers OF the colony.
The society generally ia not inviting, and
Individually it is repulsive. So many
lOW.brOwed, scowling, savage human be-
ings one seldom meets with in the same
day. II an honest laborer looks contemp.
tnOusly at them they scowl in return or
multer threAteningly; il u curious stran.
ger so too near their residence they
warn him of, or il he laugh at their
patched garments Tapping in the breeze
they curse him; ii he aIludes TO them as
bummers" they rise in their majesty
and pour forth their indignation. Now,
to break up this settlement is n question
which has ayitated the minds Of The far.
mers round about for long time. Win
ter does not destroy it. All last winter
the tramPs could be tracked by the foot.
prints on the snow from the barn
where they slept to the hollow in the
WOod', where they had gathered together
an immense mound Of leaves and wither.
ed brush. No one is willing to order
them oil; Its not safe. They have been
tolerated until patience has given way,
and how TO get rid Of them is problem
which is vet In he snlvaJ