The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1886-09-03
AMONG THE TRAMPS.
DESCRIPTION or THEIR RENDEZVOUS
IN KANSAS CITY BOTTOMS.

IN KANSAS CITY BOTTOMS.
| How They Live in the Summer-Scenes
on Washing Days-Subjects Which
They Find Time to DIscuss-The Dis
coverer of America.
Very few persons in Kansas City, COM
paratively, have seen the tramps in their
summer quarters in the east bottoms, al
though it is sight worth seeing. The place
is not hard to find. The tramps have their
sign out in front of their summer hotel, and
if you follow the railroad track mile OF
two through the bottoms you will be sure
to know when You get there. For perhaps
a quarter Of a mile you will see the barbed
wire fence to the right OF the railroad track,
lined with Vshaped articles of underwear.
The wire fence, with its patched and tat
tered ornaments fiuttering in the wind,
skirts the base of gently sloping and
thickly wooded hill The trees are so large
and grow so closely together that it is only
chance sunbeam that occasionally finds its
way through the heavy foliage to dance
and flicker on the green sward below.
Scattered throughout the woods are number
less clear, cold springs, some OF which trickle
down the hillside while others form bright,
sparkling little pools, which make one
thirsty to look at In the hottest days Of
summer this sylvan retreat is cool and pleas
ant, and while the heat rises in waves from
the bottoms just across the railroad track,
here there is always a refreshing breeze
blowing.
SUMNER QUARTERS FOR TRAMPs.
In this pleasant wood, in the rear Of the
barbed wire fence with its washing day
Il Sr %Io hnn1 ,f
the tramps When the leaves appear in the
spring the tramps make the trees their shell
ter in the summer, and when they disappear
in the fall the tramps disappear with them
Every summer there is a regular colony of
tramps here. They sleep on the ground,
and the trees are alike their only protection
from storm and heat
Still summer is the time tramp enjoys
himself. Then life is worth living. They
toll not, neither do they spin. Yet Solomon
himself did not enjoy more solid comfort
than these same tramps. They are not
troubled about food; neighboring corn
fields, potato patches and chicken roosts
afford plentiful supply of that They do
not worry much more about clothes, for
most of them do not wear any worth speak
ing about when in summer quarters With
plenty to eat all they want to wear, and a
Hood himself the east bottom tramps pass
the summer about as contentedly as though
ripe corn stood in the fields all the year
round, and spring chickens never grew
tough
4 stranger with a sketch book in his
pocket appeared in the midst OF the tramps
few days ago, but they paid no attention
to him and did not feel at all Disconnected
when he drew forth a murderous looking
knife and began to carve out pictures of
them as they appeared while engaged in
their various timekilling devices
With most of them it appeared to be
washing day, fact which, in view OF the
popular impression to the effect that tramps
never wash, was somewhat astonishing
Most of the springs were utilized by one
or more tramps who were lazily engaged in
Washing articles OF clothing and hanging
them on the bushes to dry. They did not
wash i'll the vigorous misunderstanding
manner OF a Chinese laun'iryman, but
dipped them in the spring and rubbed them
together i'll a way that indicated that while
th,y preferred c.ean clothes they did not
propose to swat to get the dirt out.
IMPERFECT IMi1ATloAs OF NoiH.
A peculiar feature of the camp was the
humber of socks that strewed the grounds.
1t was impossible to walk thirty f>et with
out running across one and while they were
not as thick as the leaves which strew the
woods and hill in autuml they were uf-
ficiently numerous to cause stranger to
wonder where they ali came from In sew
eral places couple of tramps were heating
water in old powder cans When the water
became hot they dropped the dirty soc-s in
it, stirred them around a few minutes and
then took them out to dry. Th n they used
the water to WASH themselves. r.-
While the tramps gave imperfect imita-
tions Ct men at work, they la lily talked
with each other. Some of the subjects of
discussion were unexpected, an some the
ories advanced were unique. A dirty look
ing old fellow who had not taken part in
the washing day festivities first broached
Inc iect of strikes; but there was not
much difference of opinion on this sub e:t.
The ali agreed that strikes were Useless,
and gave excellent reasons for their beli.f
For" said one old fellow who was lying
under tree in an attitude of great abau-
don, .if men did not work there would be no
strikes; they strike because they work too
much for the pay they get; ergo, the way
to keep from the necessity for striking is
not to work" His companions agreed that
work was primarily the cause of strikes and
resolved not to become strikers under any
circumstances.
The conversation next turned on the dis
covery of America. The discussion was a
lively one Several of the disputants held
that the continent had been discovered by
the Norwegians AMI Swedes. A German
claimed that the honor belonged to his coun-
trymen.
1t was finally decided that Cabot Giscov-
cred America several thousand years before
Columbus landed A young man who had
cut piece out of fellow tramp's coat,
with which to patch the seat of his trousers,
ami who was engaged in The operation asked
ii Cabot discovered the continent, and
Columbus got the credit Of it. how it hap
pened to be- called America. This was a
poser, and no one attempted to answer it.
When the visitor left discussion on the
Irish home rule question, which threatened
to terminate fatally, had gust begun.-Kan-
sas City Times