The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-21
FOR A QUARTER.
A Messenger Boys Long
Trip.
How Boy Tramp Travelled IO,ooo
Miles on rs CentS-Wiiliam
Carson's Story.

William Carson, better known in local
messenger circles as Kid" Carson, has
just returned from journey of about TO-
900 miles over the principal trapscont IT,
mental railroad lines of the United States
Young Carson had only % cents in his
pocket when he undertook the task of
"beating tue road" and was eminently
successful in seeing the Worlds Fair, as
was his hearts desire. After reaching
Chicago he Travelled on to New York and
from that city he returned to San Fran
cisco over very cratic route. arriving in
this city few days ago.
Carson was in the employ of the San
Francisco District Messenger Company al
Kearny and Suffer streets, and can be
seen at the office almost any evening of the
week.
Carson is a. lad of small stature, but
lofty bearing. He told his story yester-
day with no small amount OF self-Satis-
faction which WAS shown upon his fairly
shaped features in forcibe expressions
that spoke louder than words.
Upon the fact that he Is San Fran
cisco boy ION the sunny side of seventeen
summerel and thoroughly initiated and
even hardened knight of the call box, the
boy tramp laid much stress.
II left San Francisco seven months
dSbt hV NOhimOhSCNt anu Gp
mind fully that l would see Chicago or
bust"
Kid declared that he had never read
Mark Twain's "Roughing IT, or even
given any particular attention to any of
Bret Harte's works. bat he said he learned
10 put the emphasis on the ''or bust"
from hearing the expression used at
local show of the thunder and lightning
kind.
II had % cents in my pocket when L
started out, for l considered that nothing
was between myself and the Worlds Fair
which would be bali so hard TO beat as
the Oakland ferry. Finally / decided 10
save my quarter and wait for the news
paper tugboat."
Young Carson then told about his ride
from Oakland 10 Omaha over the Central
Pacific. He was thrown off the "blind
baggage" two or three times. Then. fol
lowing the advice of "Weary. Raggles,"
with whiskers filed with brake-beam
dust. he crawled under passenger coach
and made himself comfortable on one of
the iron beams that secured the air
brake. Carson was novice at this sort
of travelling, and fell to wishing himself
back in San Francisco In the district tele-
graph Office when the train commenced
TO move at thirty miles an hour rate OF
speed. He thought that Old Father Time
was surely going TO call next OUT at any
moment. but he chung to the brake
beam with the tenacity Of dying miser
crashing his bag of gold.
Carson's tramp companion, the man
with the surplus of capillary growth,
rather seemed TO enjoy the ride. He
sucked at short clay pipe and leaned
back on his peril0uS seat with an air of
supreme cOntentment which froZe young
CarsoD's blood and made him dream of
the comfortable pace that never killed
FOurth-street carhorse.
Ogden reached after corioc oF
yiclsstudes and trials which would even
have shaken full-grown mans confidence
In human nature, and Carson's first at
temptto prove that man is not altogether
unselfish struck him with an earthquake
of surprise. He requested square meal
OF Nevada rancher ana was told to go to
place believed TO be hotter than the 1000
level OF the Con. Virginia mine. Neverthe-
less, the trainmen gave the boy something
10 eat once in while and he managed to
reach Omaha q little the worse off for
flesh. but equally light of spirit.
Having parted with the company of the
man with the uDkempt wbiskers, Carson
started for Chicago alone. 1t took the
young tramp quite while TO make that
part OF his trip. He was thrown from the
train time and again and arrested upon
suspicion" several times. BE worked
for his meals washing dishes in the hotels
at the different towns on the road, and
rode the brakebeam whenever opportunity
presented. He finally reached Chicago,
worked as messenger boy while in that
city, and having visited the Worlds Fair
grounds aud seen the wonders of the ex-
position. he left in few weeks for New
York.
1t was over part of the distance between
the two great cities that Carson made his
famous trip in toolb0x under a Pullman
car. he slipped into the box during the
night. BE had with him paper bag filed
with bread and meat and small bottle of
water.
The boy suffered no small amount of
misery In his coff1nlike quarters, and the
rumble of the carwheels during his twenty
hours OF confinement has so affected his
hearing that he is somewhat deaf to this
day.
Carson did not stay long in New York
City. but left for Buffalo. Two reporters
for the Herald were detailed to find him,
but he got away before he could be inter-
viewed. dispatch was sent to Buffalo,
but he had left the city and was on his
way to San Francisco.
Carson did not have any more money
when he left Buffalo than he had when he
started East from San Francisco. He rode
blind baggage" "boxcar" and "brake-
beam" all the way home. reaching this
city In good health. but somewhat the
worse off in the matter Of clothing.