National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-05-19
THE KING OF TRAMPS,
WHO WALKS WITH A wHEELBARRow
Fifteen Thousand Miles, and Still Going Re.
porter Tackles an Odd Visitor Another
Ohio Man Who Has Distinguished
Observation-Disclosures Nan.


porter Tackles an Odd Visitor Another
Ohio Man Who Has Distinguished
Himself WheelbarroW Nan.
A gaunt-looking man, with long, un
kempt hair and beard and care-worn face, sloucheC
down the Avenue yesterday afternoon, when he
was overhauled by REPUBLICAN reporter. The
! strangers costume was curious compound of the
! picturesque garb of the border scout of the dime
novel order and the unromantic store clothes Of
/ the East. His hollow eyes were shaded by the
wide brim of a weather-stained SLOUGH hat, his
coat was sort of ragged buckskin tunic, with the
remnants of fancy fringe on the skirt while his
| Dreeches were of modern inconvenent pattern
which civilized men are compelled to wear,
though they were in much need of securing and
repairing. The reporter saluted this unique and
Weather-beaten specimen of humanity by lnquir-
ing, Are you the wheelbarrow man.?
Yes" replied the stranger, and then, as II in
tuitiyely recognizing a fellow tramp, he asked,
Are you a reporter" The scribe DOTTED his last
years cable-brim and admitted the soft impeach-
ment. While the reporter was talking one by one
the promenaders halted to gaze upon the Rip Van
Wrinkle figure Of the wheelbarrow man, until a
large crowd had collected and made successful in
terviewing very difficult task
"If you will come down TO my place this even
ing viii tell you ALL said the stranger.
The police then dispersed the crowd, and the
wheelbarrow man skulked on his way, like a yell
low dog in strange alley. At the appointed time
The reporter presented himsclfa at
THE wHEELBARRow MANS HOTEL,
a two-Story tavern-redolent of sour beer and
cabbage-on Pennsylvania avenue, between
Second and Third streets. When the reporter in
quired for his new found friend healthy looking
no ,,hn cd 10 ha in, &c In
establishment. replied: I" Sit down, young man,
and 1 will see ifhe is around" The reporter sat
down and listened to the remarks of the guests.
which were mainly directed at the various credita
bic points of the bar-maid's makeup" His
musings were finally interrupted by the appear
ance of the lank wheelbarrow man himself, who
procured lighted candle from the bar-maid and
motioned the reporter to follow him. Out through
dining-rOO and q smoking kitchen into back
yard, whose wretchedncss was half illuminated by
the Pickering candle, the reporter followed. The
tall figure before him strobe on through the dark
ness, and the reporters heart jumped into his
throat as he thought of the men who might have
been
LURED OK
in the same way to meet their death in some hid
den dungeon, and he instinctively hid package
of car tickets constituting the most valuable of his
personal effects, in hole i'll the lining of his vest
The strange conductor halted under a shed in
corner of the yard, and when the candle. which
had been half cxtinguishcd by rain drops, fared
up, the reporter deserted i'll one corner an incon-
gruoJls head and i'll another the covering figure of
a strange animal. That's my wolf" said the
man. Il can do anything with
him." and to prove his assertion he rolled the
brute over on the ground. Il got
him near Fort Wallace, Kansas" The man then
focused the rays of light upon the other corner
and brought out TO view ali old worn wheelbarrow,
upon which were packed numerous boxes, bun
dies, blankets, frying pam and other articles nee
eSSary TO the outfit OF 4 traveller. The reporter
then turned his attention TO the man himself His
name Is r. Lyman Potter, and he has just claim
to the title of King of Tramps On the 10th of
April, 1875 he started from Albany, y. V. on Il
wager to walk 10 San Francisco i'll DO days, trund-
ling a wheclbarrow containing 100 pounds all
the way. He completed his task fifty-five days
ahead of time, having walked 400 miles
He left San Francisco On the Sth of Deem
Der following to walk back with his wheelbarrow
He was TO walk against pedestrian named Teddy
nyer, but as Feddymyer did not hold out Potter
ook circutous route, showing his wheelbarrow in
III directions through the great West. He arrived
II Maryland last fall and wintered in Baltimore.
he has now started out on his spring campaign
The whcelbarrow looks rs though it would not
0i VI Liz tliapiti;itcu
Wheel has been mcndcd with ropes, and the whole
establishment looks like its owner-about worn out
lie has large number of curiosiies including
makes and specimens picked up along the road
md several blank-books filled with signatures
office dating marks, State seals and other evil
fences that he has been to the places he claims to
lave visited.
81 have walked fifteen thousand miles" said |
Potter. The reporter thought that lie must be /
pretty tired, but, cOnceaiing his emotion inquired.
What are you doing hcre?"
well, am going to Europe, and 1 thought l !
ught to come to the capital of my own country
rst. am going back 10 Baltimore and ship for
Europe, and go through the countries there with
ny wheelbarrow The people here haven't treated
ne white" indignantly continued Mr.. Potter
Out West never had to pay hotel bill or a
'hisky bill. Then 1 wanted to get permit to
how my curiOSitics and was refused. got per-
ATS in every other city. As l am here l think l
hight as well take in one other State, so will |
ucsS, go over to Virginia"
when are you going?'
1 think l will go to-day. l will go with my
'heclbarrow up the Avenue and sell some of my
Ongs as go, and make few dollars that way"
Where were you borne
Il was born in Ohio-Marietta Ohio: but have
wed nineteen years in Albany. / have three
hildren there. The reason | don't 90 home is
nat II get there with my children | can't get
way. The reporter imagined that he saw tear
listening III one OF Potters eyes, but the candle
luttered at that moment, and when it Jared I'D
gain there was nothing but the same tired look,
nd the man continued: 4" l will go over to those
ountrieS in Europe and collect such curiosiies as
can. and when come back will start out like
arnum with show. think there is small for
Inc in it for Inc if live OF course if don't live
INT h1r1oo ,-pI1iJ Il
" Here's what 1 always carry with me-" con-
nued the king of trampS, drawing out of some
ysteriouS recess about the whcelbarrow a long
X-ShOoter
= Do you ever ave 10 use it,
" It's funny thing that the Indians never
othered me. They thought was foolish Ihave |
ept with the ties. have been fired at by tramps
iough, and was poisoned once. 1 was shot at t
the streets of San Francisco, and had my ear !
ed"
" You've seen pretty hard times, guess re- !
?aTked the reporter.
" Well have had fights with bears and mountain f
CHS, and been run over by wild cattle, and
andled pretty roughly. / camped outside of d
altimore with gypsy, continued Potter, in his t
mbllng way, as he retrGced his steps through the G
lrd with the reporter. THAT is, he was called 8
'psy. There are very few real gypsies in this '
untry, but there are lot of men who go about \
C country horse trading {
As the reporter took his leave Mr.. Potter put in
s hand piece Of paper on which was printed
e Song of the Wheclbarrow Man. dedicated to
Lyman Potter, by Samuel Booth, San Francisco. [
H. and fully protected by copyright The first e
inza OF this inspired production is as follows: n
he started from Albany five months ago, 3
nd trundled his wheelbarrow steady and slow, a
storm and in sunshine, through dust wind and Is
rain, ~
ur thousand odd miles trudged the wheeIbarrow Il
man.
.->--
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