The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-09-13
TRAMPS ON TRAINS
Peculiar Ways of That Gentry in
Stealing Rides.
& u. P. RAILROAD ACCIDENT
The Biologists Coming-Pushing Work on
the G. S. L. g. H. S. Z. &.
Ahead-Rumblings

Did you ever notice the different tricks
resorted 10 by the tramps to steal a ride
over the railroad. If you have not you are
one of the exception because on almost
every passenger train one will see the cum
ningness displayed by the tramp. In this
part of the west he experiences very
rough time of it and it has reached the
point where an amateur bum finds 1t more
convenient to ride on freight train,
where a small sum tipped to the brakeman
will secure car over one division, and II
his money holds out he need not even miss
a connection.
a short time ago a conductor on the
Union Pacific attempted to put OF some OF
the professional tramps at desert station.
This Of course they did not ike and'started
10 wade in, but the trains crew was too
much fsr them and one of the toughs in
being pitched off had one foot severely
mashed There is a number Of different
classes of this element. Some have become
"Bustee" and are heading home, others
looking for a job, and lastly the PROBES
sional. He is more expert and consequently
travels almost exclusively by passenger
train. They are hard to keep off and one
generally goes ahead at each sta
ton to keep these travellers of Of
the blind mail and baggage cars. They are
called blind because there are no doors for
the trainmen 10 go out on the platform
and "shoo them OFF, Even with this
caution, almo ST every train carries tramps.
They will ride on top of the coaches at
times, but this is not of frequent occur
renee, as they are more easily caught. The
truck is the most common place, and while
the train is going at rapid speed the bum
viii grab the brace rods and swing under,
then as soon as the train stops get out, and
when the train starts again crawl under;
10y doing this he avoids being caught by the
trainmen, who examine the trucks at each
stop. The majority Of the tramps carry
some money, but are very misery with it.
Boarding bosses along the railroad have
Quit feeding these people unless they pay.
Then is the time when they will flash a
five,-a ten or twenty dollar bill, but never
gold, as this is too cumbersome, and might
tempt a fellow partner to steal. Where
several are travelling together they are
very careful not to show ally money. and
will lie like troopers aboul being broke
AT frequent intervals the bum
will carry stock of iewelry
and cutlery and sell the goods for about
one-ti fifth Of their cost, which shows very
conclusively the goods were not purchased.
Such an outfit as this was picked up very
nicely in Wyoming a short time ago. 1t
seems an establishment in Rawlins was
broken into and robbed; kilograms were
sent in all directions, among which was
one sent to the sheriff at Rock Springs. A
telegraph operator at station
between these points heard the mes
sage. In day or two crowd of
buns were at his place and offered him
some iewelry, but he did not buy. Find
ing out they were bound west he said
he could get them out all right and the
next train that come along he put the con-
ductor on, the car was opened and til @
buns crawled in and shut the door. The
operator fastened it and telegraphed the
sheriff at Rock Springs, giving him the
number of the car and train and when it
reached there the gang were arrested with
the stolen goods still in their possession,
and the man from whom the goods were
taken did not even thank the poor operator
/ happened to stop off at point on the
Union Pacific where a branch leads to the
north, and at this point the timber around
the tank seems to have received its share
of autographs from this travelling element,
In fact there is not a foot of the woodwork
but what bears the trade mark of some
overland traveller. Some are cut into the
wood while others use common chalk and
pencils. The writing and marking is of
different characters; occasionally will be
found fancy work which shows the
sculptor was indeed an artist
When a cripple is found working his way
along, ones sympathies are easily aroused
and he has very little difficulty in going
over the line, but when he does try to beat
his way it is almost as graceful as if he
were not MANNED. l witnessed lad. OF
not over seventeen years of age, with but
one leg, swing under a passenger train
How he could do this would seem al
most miracle.
Women tramps are few and far between
but two tourists from California passed
through Ogden last week, who said they
were not begging, but they We're and pro
baby by this time are beyond Cheyenne
they went out over the Union Pacific
afoot. In another instance under nv OBJ
servation were two women sometime age
going to Montana They claimed to be the
widow and daughter of @. A. r. man and
succeeded in obtaining a small pittance tt
carry them on north and the last heard OF
them was in Montana where they were ar
rested and proved as two lunatics.
To show the names adopted by some Of
these tramps we quote: Hobo Downey
B.W.," meaning bound west, keystone
Fat, New York Nip, Buffalo Shorty
Diamond Dot, Canada Jim, Baltimore Joe
Frisco Tim, Chinese Face Kid, Pacifi,
Slim, Badly Kid, Denver Irish and hos
of others, and by these names they trave
the union over. LAvAH Il. SAyGE.