Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-02
TRAMPS IN CALIFORNIA.
They Travel I'm Compa nies Under q
Sort Of Military Discipline.


Sort of Military Discipline.
From the san Francisco Chronicle.
The tramp evil has become so serious
that the Southern Pacific is about to take
strong measures to check it, message
was received yesterday that 211 tramps
had taken possession of a train at Ashland
Ore. with the intention of coming to San
Francisco.
The tramps have used the freight trains
as If they owned them. They have Travelled
In organized companies from Portland to
Ell Paso and back again. Each company
has captain, and the number in each band
Is so great that sort Of military discipline,
that is as against the railroad, is enforced.
Trainmen are powerless to put the tramps
on and when the company has succeeded
in doing so, 1t has met with loss caused by
the malicious acts of the evicted men. The
wreck near Lordsburg, N. NJ, and that
which occurred near the line of San Mateo
county recently are believed to be the spite
work of tramps.
corded, the tramps travel up and down the
railroad. A gang which left the San Joa-
quin valley for Ell Paso no sooner reached
the Texan line than its members began to
beat their way back to California.
just now San Francisco is the objective
point for the tramps both north and south.
The hegira from Oregon is perhaps the
larger of the two streams of tramp immi-
grants and every encouragement seems to
be given the tramps by the Oregon people
to leave the state. They are told of the
fine winter climate here so much milder
than Oregon weather. and are assured that
they will find the Californians a hospitable
people.
The Portland Oregonian, in a recent is
sue, recites the fact that party of unem-
ployed, sixty-eight in number, had left on
la ettth Rr trui in for ha lar
climate of California, and that they had
been promised a free ride in the box cars
to the California state line. Arthur Nc
Arthur organized the tramp party He and
the captain and several other members of
the party saw the chief of police of Port
land and obtained passage across the Will
annette to Albina, where they took the car
Capt. Beary of the tramp party made the
following statement:
I'VE intend to go where We can get work.
In our party are thirty-one loggers, fifteen
miners, a railway ticket agent, two cooks,
waiter and seven brakemen. Most of
them came here from the Sound. We are
honest men and want work We can't get
employment here and we do not want to
impose on the good nature of the city board
of charities officials any longer. Some Of
our party may be bad men, but l promise
that no one will violate the law. Most Of
our men are well educated and i myself
a graduate of a college. 1 came here
six years ago with some money, which
lost in specializing, and have since been
working in logging camps. The chief has
treated us very well. and If everybody
uses us the same we will be Fortunate"
Yes" said Macarthur, alive and happy
when get to Frisco. Jeminyt L don't
know what makes me so jubilant. 1 feel as
If fell off Christmas tree"
why didn't you men join the army?"
asked the chief.
said Beary, but We gave it up when the
party was formed"