The herald., 1893-07-24
HE'S A TRAMP NO MORE.
THE MErAMoRPHosIs OF A REG
ULAR DEAD BEAT.
The Superlntend ent Caught Young
Man Who Had Not Paid Fare and
Made Good Railroad Fire
man Ont of Him.

Trainmen on the different overland
roads between here and Chicago are re.
| porting that they are being bothered
great deal With tramps stealing free
rides. According to their official reports
it is not an unusual thing for them to
find these days half dozen dust-be-
grimed fellows astride of brskebeams or
lying fat on their stomachs on the top
of the passenger coacher or freight cars.
They say they put them off. but with
the certainty Of death they catch the
next train, ana with short walks and
long rides they make the transcontinen-
tai tour.
Superintendent Fillmore, SAYS the
San Francisco Examiner, has some re-
ports of this character, and in reading
them over to General Manager Towne
and H. E. Huntington yesterday took
occasion to tell etery OF the metamor-
phosis of tramp into respectable Los
Angeles citizen.
Fillmore is noted for his deep sympa;
thies for the unfortunate, and while at
times he has been criticised for allowing
his sympathy to bscleud his judgment,
he has usually erred in such good cause
that bie superiors have never been in
more than mild criticism to his face.
Fillmore is In receipt of a letter from
fireman in the employ OF the company
at Los Angeles. He isa young Canadian
who WAS recently married. and he wrote
to the superintendent aeking for pass
for himself and wits to Santa Barbara
and return.
THE LETTER TO FILLMORE.
In the course OF his letter to Fillmore
he said:
Doubtless you have not forgotten the
young man who was stealing Hde on
the brakebesm Of your private car sew
erel years ago. You kept your promise
OF procuring nae job it, i were willing
to work, and have faithfully tried TO
keep my promise to you about endeavor-
ing TO make . respectable man OF my
eef. I have worked my way by hard
work up to the position OF fireman and
have saved up enough money to buy
little cottage. I've gone and got married
and would like to take my wife on
little trip to Santa Barbara. am only
hoping to be able come day to become
an engineer and haul your private car
|
you fret picked me up as @ young tramp
stealing ride"
"I've cent him the rasses." eaid Mr..
Fillmore, as he finished reading the let
ter to Towne and Huntington, and then
he recited to those gentlemen the his
tory of the young locopotive fireman.
Several years ago Mr.. Fillmore was
on an inspecting tour of the road be-
tween Los Angeles and E Paso. On HE
return from Ell Paso he had several
friends aboard his car. They arrived in
Tucson early one afternoon, and, after
stopping for water for the locomotive a
short distance down the track. made a
rapid run ON the down grade for about
90 miles west of that town. On the
trip out from Tucson dinner was served
in the car, and the meal was just COM
peted when the special train made it's
next stop.
THE TRAMP DISCOVERED.
1t was then that the conductor and
brakeman discovered q yoang fellow
crouched under the -ear platform of the
car, seated on the brakebeam and hold
ing with both hands to one of the iron
rods OF the trucks. They hauled fffm
out from his uncomfortable position just
as MIR. Fillmore, in the act OF lighting O
fragrant cigar, stepped out upon the
platform. He saw the conductor haul
ing the young tramp out OF the brake
beam. He Was sight. His faded blue
clothes were covered an inch deep with
dust and his face was black with dirt.
He shook himself vigorously, wiped his
face as best he could, and Fillmore saw
before him young fellow OF frank coun-
tenance, strong and healthy.
"What are you stealing q ride for ?"
asked the genial official.
"Pve been in Texas and am trying to
get to Washington to work on ranch
Of some of my friends. All my folks live
in Canada. They are all poor, and I've
had to try and make my own way in the
world. I've had poor luck In Texas,
but expect to get steady job in Wash
ington," replied the young fellow.
"And when do you expect to get
there? ?" once more asked Fillmore with
pleasant curiosity.
I'm about four weeks" was the ear
nest reply. Sometimes it is long
while between rides, but l manage to
make sneak on the conductors for
hours at a stretch"
"Got any money!"
"About $7.50."' he replied.
WOulu you WoIA II YOU Boo
chance ?" said Fillmore, getting inter-
ested in the stranger.
"Then," as Mr.. Fillmore recites the
story, she told me he would be only too
glad to get Job. and told the steward
Of the car to put him in a spare room
and get him up Equare meal. When
we got to Los Angeles set him to work
wiping engines at the roundhouse, and
in course OF time he was entitled to pro-
motion, and was made fireman. He
is now in line of promotion to be an en-
gineer, and l don't doubt but some day
before long he will haul nae over the
same road where first met him steal
ING a ride The Young man was tramn