The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-04

working, and yet without spending any
time in the work house or JAIL" said
the station keeper; ''They may spend
two weeks in Washington, ana yet not
then be we'll known to our police de-
partment. If they do not remain longer,
they may return another year and spend
two weeks with us again. One OF them,
after visiting the national capital may
90 to Baltimore and live month, to
Philadelphia for two u,onths or three
months, to New York and live we'll
nigh year, without committing any
overt act or being guilty of any breachl.
CT pence whereby any Incarceration mas
result. To other larger cities they may
tramp or beat their way upon the rail-
road trains, and thus pcrpetually prey
upon the public"
One of the things most noticeable to
visitor at the station house is the man.
ner in which the average tramp sleeps.
He does not rest upon his side; for he
soon learns that his face. by coming in
contact with the board, would become
swollen, sore and painful. This little
fact early dawns upon his teaspoon
full of brains, so he avoids that diff
Guilty, and makes for himself pillow
besides, by lying fat upon his back
Joining his hands beneath his head.
Thus, stretched out upon an inclined
plane, he sleeps and shores the hours OF
night away. 1t is a singular thing that
all of these men and brethren of ours
who live without a single idea of home
or home ties are sufferers with colds and
catarrhal affections Their snoring is
so continuous that when the room is
full their nasal efforts are plainly heard
In the rooms below.
l learned the reason why no bed
clothing can be furnished to these
creatures. One of them was refused
admission to the lodging room while l
was there. He was given bed on an
iron bench in the prison cell, because
he was not only suspected of having
vermin upon him, but the station
keeper demonstrated the fact that little
articulate animals were crawling all
over his body and in the seams Of his
clothing.
To.avoid being overrun by pests OF
this kind, it is absolutely necessary that
the night lodging rooms be kept conf
fortably warm without he'd clothing,
because blankets and Other bed cloth
ing would but furnish places wherein
the vermin might breed. This is done
not for the sake of cleanliness and
comfort for the tramps, but as a means
ct protection for the policemen thero
selves.
Those who are very poor. and yet not
so far down in the scale of humanity
as to belong to the genus tramp, can
find in this and other cities comfortable
lodgings at very nominal rates. There
are cheap lodging houses in various
localities where bunk or bed can be
obtained for from ten to twenty-five
cents. The cheapest of all cheap lodg-
ing houses is only a few doors from
Pennsylvania avenue. 1t looks rather
like deserted factory than hotel; but
there is transparency over the front
door announcing chat it is hostelrie,
and that settles it. A great many poor
but respectable people, some Of them
mechanics temporarily out Of employ
ment, are patrons of this place. They
can get clean, comfortable cots for ten
cents night, and thereby avoid asso-
citation with the station house beats and
bummers. The proprietor does not do
an entirely cash business. He says:
''Some of these people occupy rooms in
my house all wintor at reduced rates,
but pay me nothing until they go to
work in the spring time. They are
honest and honorable as some of the
high-toners who live in dats and up
town hotels. All of them are more
honorable than some of the swells of
the lobby" SMITH D. Fry.