The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-08-31
the squalid misery of lower San Fran

Si10'AA nioCI J VI iONcF C6u CEaD-
cisco.
Why, he said, I'd rather be q dog
and lick the cobles of San Francisco.
than be the welthiest rancher in Cali.
fornia.
All! thought the reporter, here, then,
We have the reason why the tramps
will not leave the city, and go out into
the smiling valleys, where peaceful
brooks 60 murmuing by. where the
teathered songsters in joyous exuber-
ance trill out their liquid melody. AMI
where at night the soft lowing of the
herds is the only sound that disturbs
the senses of man. The reporter, too.
had been wsnderer from the Golden
City He, too, had dwelt in lovely
valleys. had climbed the high Sierras:
had sailed on the waters Of that
Pearl of the Serras,' Tahoe-whoss .
crystal sheet gave back the loving
glances of the sun with smiles as
bright. and he, too. had felt as did that
wretched vsgrant, that he would rather
return aud be
THE HUMBLEsT IN ALL THIS PROF d
CITY
Than remain king over q mountain
fairy land. In answer to his inquiries,
the reporter learned from this returned
tramp that work could often, but not
always, be obtained by those who were
willing to labor. They could, he said,
get few days work of the hardest
kind only when the farmers got short
OF help or when the regular farm hands
were insufficient in number to do the
work. After the hurry was over, they
were generally paid off and turnc d
adrift again to wander On as before.
But, asked the reporter. you do not
always walk in your travels through
the country?
Oh, no, answered the tramp; We
often get lift from some passing team.
and sometimes we catch horse nibbl-
ing along the road and ride him, but
that's risky fur feller, for, If we are
caught, the chances are we gets laid up
in some country Jail for a month or so.
But do you not often get ride in
the cars queried the reporter.
Look a-here, young feller. where the
ID have you been all your life; you re
awful green. OF course we does We
manage to smuggle on board somehow.
and many a mile | have rode on the
kreak bar of car, with my legs dang
ling but few feet from the cuSsed
wheel; and many time have | been
pulled out from there and lett behind
at the first station. But it sometimes
happens that when we climb aboard q
moving freight train, and naturally
expect to be kicked off at the next place
which expectation. he said. with u
CHASTITY smile, was often realized we
would help the boys at the brakes or
fire up on the engine. by which course
we generally got to ride quite ways.
Were you ever put off a train while
it was in motion? the questioner
asked.
On. yes often; but they would gen.
orally slow down q little for US,
and then we had to jump for it and
take our chances; but that did not al.
ways happen. Very often if two or more
would get aboard and only brakes
man or two around, wo stood 'em off
until the train was stopped and all
hands had joined in the row. You bet
your life we gave them lively tussel
up at Stockton the other day. You see
there was big crowd Of US fellows
aboard making for this city, and when
the train boys undertook to play that
game we were too much for them. and
JUST RUN THE TRAIN
For short time. tell you. pard,
those fellors as runs that road have
made enough out of this people in Cali
fornia to let q few poor devils ss haint
got no money ride free once in while
without making such HI OF fuss
over it.
After agree ing withhim fully in his
structures on the conduct of heartless
monopoly. which, in its monstrous in
humanity. refused even to allow poor
tramp to ride free on its trains, and
force him to the dire necessity at one
and the same time of wearing out his
oxford ties and the wooden ties OF the
blosted corporation in HE laborious
oCnitH ioi WIN, tuC iCpoi'Ci "S"s N
fit of philosophical reasoning, and
began to study the tramp:with view
TO discover the reasons, either human
or immortal. for his existence. or for
what purpose he was originally ere
sted. For what earthly or divine use.
thought he. as he gazed upon the.
wretched. ungainly. slovenly looking
creature before him. had an allwise.
just and far-seeing Deity famed into
him the breath of life! Gould it be
that he bad simply made him to grow
up from a young aud innocent child to
mans state, apparently rich in health
and. strength of muscle. to be .
wanderer on the face of the earth: To
be always a houscless. homeless vag-
rant, too indolent even to rob, or lack
ing the nerve. skill and energy requir.
ed to commit some desperate act OF pill.
Iage or destruction? To linger behind
the throng in this world OF action.
where but TO endeavor means TO sue
ceed