The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1895-01-30
IN ARMY OF TRAMPS.
ARE MARCHING Jon JACKSON
LIE ONE THOUSAND STRONG.
IN. Hen Roosts as They Go. Men
Wore Thrown Out of Employ
,oant bv the Destruction of
the Orange Crop Now

mani bv the Destruction of
the Orange Crop Now
Dangerous.
1,cKsoNvILLE, FLA. January 25.-The
.oh 70 jacksonville of 1000 tramps
ID orange packers may not become 81
,ons as Coxey's to Washington, but
sponel may prove equally as interest
mo. The destruction of the orange crop
tbe December freeze was a serious
'or,,tv to the commonwealth of Florida
reneral. The growers lost nearly all
s last YEARS income, and many of them
id paid none of the years expenses.
8rndeed. so general and severe was the
s4oct of the freeze that real destruction
Losulted in many instances. Families
hat were expecting to buy winter cloth.
mo- and family supplies by the proceeds
Il their orange crops were left SILVER
mo in the cold, and have since been
besieged by their various creditors.
Every incoming train brings many
ramps. These people are not in search
IN employment, as a rule, and even have
10 trade or occupation. They beg and
teal AMI barely exist, so great is their
amber. In some localities this class
sweled to large number, and the
reouency of their demands for food is a
nepance to the citizens. 1t is not an
unusual thing for these to go in body
N dozen or a score TO a house and
Remand food, with threats and ours
be-. Along the lines of railroads, the
&itizenS are sorely put to by the frequent
balls for food and the common insolence
Ind threatening attitude ofithe tramps.
Added to the general depression in
FLORIDA is the great number of voorhees,
ben who lost employment by the de-
*tructon of fruits and vegetables.
thousands of men who had substantial
Employment in orange growing and
sacking are now discharged and sent
Bway penniless. Their employers could
Dol, in many instances, pay them even a
art of their wages, and so greatly
Aeduced are the orange growers in some
ROunties that they. are unable to pay
heir taxes and will petition the state
eovernment to loan them the money to
aOit. Below Tampa, in the orange belt,
Ahe voorhees, orange packers were left
4 a sad plight, Scantily clad in their
ummer garments and penniless, it was
DOT singular that they should be moved
q recklesSness. Many of them being
EOung men, and of alroving disposition,
snd unincumbered with families, deter
Rined to enter the tramp profession.
u Their we'll worn and tattering clothes
fitted them for the general initiation and
EithOut ceremony they became full
edged knights of the highways. The
original band was small, numbering less
pan one hundred, but in a few days it
&ecame nearly a thousand strong. The
#tte army attracted the attention of
spany professional "bums," and every
Nay many Of them joined the ranks. 1t
NaS decided at general consultation,
Rhch was pompously held around big
*re made Of wood from a railroad wood
Pck that the purpose of the army was
q OeSiege the city of Jacksonville and in
defiant manner help themselves to any
pa everything that pleased their fancy.
#Aey agreed to enter .the city an unor-
#anlzed body, so far las the authorities
*Oud see, but in case of meeting with a
eOaH from the city they would quickly
ana themselves together and open a
MOung revolution to obtain their de-
lands At first they would appeal to
le authorities for protection and homes
the spaces of their natural lives,
'uey so desire. Upon refusal of
pVSe demands the army would disregard
II laws of the city and do thefts, de-
E'au food and lodging of whom they
'@Seu and do violence when it Ibecame
~ pleasure. 1t was further decided
- the members of the band should
IN companies consisting of from ten
1'Vy members, and that they would
O07ea leisurely along to Jacksonville.
F'0ofalngly lunches of them were scat
'eu along the line of Florida Central
renlnsular railroad, while others
r''i were put on the line of Jacksonville,
"n pa and Key West railroad. 1t was
greed that they should all come to
,'ASonVllle at the earliest day possible,
D1n they would insist upon being fed
Z" clOChed through the winter Thus