Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-23
THE TRAMPS' REGISTER.


A Voraci0uo Record Of Arrivals and d.
With the air of one doing his duty and
whose mind was duly impressed with the
importance of the work in hand, young
man with bronzed features, grimy fin
gers, rusty coat, well-fringed pantaloons
and shoes which had evidently parted
company with backing many months
before, stood in the shadow of the high
fence near the narrow-gauge ferry land
ing carving the last letter Of the words
"Phila. Joe"
Whats that for 2" he repeated in re-
ply to the question of a Chronicle re-
porter. why. I'm putting my name on
the register, so my friends will know I'm
in town.
1--we been on the road from Philadel-
ply now only about a month--nOt bad
time. considering the way these con-
ductors and brakemen SO after fellow
when they find him taking free ride.
Now I'll put down the date and tell where
I'm going next. Just room there next
to that knot to put Los Ang.' You don't
see the good of it2
Il guess you never break-beamed it
over overland and haven't much Of an
idea how many friends you can pick up
in that line of travel. and about whose
welfare and future travels you get to
have such a kindly regard. How would
/ know that Kalamazoo Pete, who was
my chum in New Orleans in 1883, had
been here three months ago and left for
Portland with Charley. the Kid, if I
didn't see it registered up there on that
stringer ?
Just take a look at the records" he
continued, with wave Of his hand in the
direction of the fence. "Theres Lead
vile Lew" sail he, pointing to the very
irregular carved letters high up on one
OF the boards; "knew him in Kansas
City two year, ago. He struck town last
week, and ! haven't seen him yet, but
he'll give us a hint which direction he
intends to take before he leaves.
Maybe you won't believe it, but
there's a register of this kind kept at
every important station along the road.
You see, break-beaming isn't conducted
with the same degree of safety it was
years ago. and we make shorter laps.
There isn't the same sympathy Shown
by the train hands toward our set.
"You never heard of tramps racing
across the continent, did you II Why, l
know two crack break beamers-Shorty
oCcpucuS duu TlcuCHy NiAdAO - wiz
started out of Boston on the same day,
each bent on making the best record to
San Francisco. 1t was a good deal Of
satisfaction for Frenchy to register first
at Omaha, but when he got to Ogden,
there was Shorty's sig, with date two
days back, and beat yer in big letters
below. At Elko they met. and at Truckee
Frenchy was one day behind; but. as
you'll see by the record over there,
Stevens got beat two days. after all. A
good deal OF interest is taken in these
long-distance contests by everybody on
the road.
"How does a new arrival find the reg
istering place? Why, he asks the first
break-beamer he meets onstriking town.
Here comes a fellow to register now.
Guess I'll slide. He might want to bor-
row my knife, and itwould be the last I'd
ever see of it. I'm dead on to these
commynistic chaps, and he's one of
EN-"
The reporter watched the newcomer as
he approached the fence, pulled huge
lead pencil from his pocket. and made
the following entry in the tramps' reg
lister:
Victoria Slim. Ard $. :. lay 18th.
1886, from FL Paso, Texas, De. 18th,
1885. Bound for Salem. Oregon June
the Dist. 1886" -lSan Francisco Chron-
(clo.