Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-04-15
A BOY TRAMP.
He Usually Rides on Passenger Trains
Because Time Is Money.

He Usually Rides on Passenger Trains
Because Time Is Money.
George Hughes, a young man about
twenty-five years of age, who is known the
country over as the 'boy tramp" was in
st. Louis yesterday. Young Hughes has a
remarkable record. He has probably trav-
sled as extensively in the United States as
any of the Vanderbilts, but his trips have
not been characterized by the luxurious
ness of those of the great railroad magnate.
Nevertheless, the young man has frequent
ly travelled on special trains and enjoys the
distinction of having been hurried through
to his destination at the rate of sixty or
seventy miles an hour. He has Travelled
from Maine to California and from Tampa
bay to Puget sound, and yet has never paid
one cent of railroad fare in his life
The young man has made three trips
nearly across the continent and back and
has spent several winters in the SOUTH In
the spring he always goes north to remain
during the summer months, but does not
remain in one place any length of time.
He shifts about from place to place, but
generally keeps to the north of a certain
latitude on account of the hot weather.
For all his pleasures cost him little or moth
ing, he is quite aesthetic in his tastes and
selects the place where he thinks he would
like to spend the summer or winter months
with much the same caution or concern
as would the weather. sojourners there.
At the least calculation, young Hughes
says, he has Travelled no less than 49, 900
miles. He assumed a rather languid, don t
care air as he proceeded to tell the story of
his travelsto man on Washington avenue
yesterday evening. 'Let me have ciga-
rette, please" said he before he began his
narrative. The favor granted, he lighted
it leisurely and pulled away silently for
few moments before he spoke. II have
been travelling around the country for
about ten or eleven years, and have seen
as much of it as l care to see. have been
in nearly every state and territory in the
Union in that time, and have seen all
kinds of people. started out when 1 was
lad about twelve years old and have been
at it ever since. I am none of your COM
mon tramps want to say right here.
never beat anybody but the railroads.
never beg for anything to eat unless it is
an absolute necessity, and can also say
that it has been necessity but very few
times in my experience.
II am pretty handy at most any kind of
work, and have picked up little knowl-
edge on pretty nearly every subject. When
strike place think will like I search
for employment as waiter in hotel, eleva-
tor boy, helper in any kind of machine
shop or carriage factory. I am pretty fly
with paint brush, and can letter and
stripe as good as anybody; but I am most
at home in rolling mill. was almost
born in an iron furnace, and can do any
thing from straightener to pudding and
T 1off
at the rolls, and can shove a hot bar of iron
through and back as easily as could eat
my supper.
81 never had much schooling, but will
wager know more about the geography
of the United States than any high school
graduate in St. Louis. I can tell you the
principal industries of any large city in
the Union, how they are lighted, street car
systems and the like. l came from Terre
Haute, where my father is employed in a
rolling mill. left home when mere boy
just for the sake of seeing the country, and
I have had pretty rough time of it ever
since. have gone whole days without
food or water and have nearly frozen to
death once or twice. I generally manage
to wear pretty good clothes, and l can al
ways say that have earned them by hard
work. When l get a good job I hold it as
long as can, but never stay with a poor
one.
1.-THE hardest trip ever made was, be-
lieve, several years ago when was on my
way to California. The trip was fine until
got into New Mexico, and then the real
hardships began. There was another fell
low with me, and we locked ourselves in a
box car We were in the car for four days
going across the American desert and had
eaten everything we had before the trip
was fairly begun. We had no water after
the first day, and when we got through
finally we were nearer dead than alive
Yes, I have rode on the trucks under cars,
under seats and even on top of the passen-
ger coaches, where you are always in dan
ger of being killed at any moment. I never
ride on freight train if I can get aboard
passenger, and prefer special train TO
any. You see time is money, and 1 like to
hurry through. When go home again I
think will settle down there for good."-
st. Louis Globe-Democrat.