Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-11-18
The Tramp Question.

As was expected the question Of
method and economy in dealing with
the tramp. received considerable at
tentior from the county board and
not a few resolutions and motions
were made in reference thereto. So
much has been said by members of
the board about Lancaster's DISPOSE
ton of tramps-and some of it so
caustic as to fire up a feeling of re-
sentment-that an impartial review of
the situation is due.
The city of Lancaster has nothing
to do with boarding or feeding tran
sient paupers or tramps. Those du-
ties fall to the town and not TO the
city. If stranger needs shelter and
food he gets it from the town authori-
ties and being a county charge the
bill is brought before the county
board for allowance and payment.
On the other hand the business of
preserving the peace and security Of
persons and property inside the city
limits. devolves upon the city author
tiles.
By provision of the Lancaster city
charter, granted by the state legisla-
ture, the county Jail is used for the inn
prisonment of offenders who may law
fully.be imprisoned for the violation
Of any city ordinance. In other
words, the Jail is used as a calaboose
for the city. 1t is because of this
special and somewhat unusual provi-
sion in the charter that the city of
Lancaster has no calaboose and has
no need for one.
Until year ago it was the custom
for tramps found in the city to be
placed in the jail without legal for
mality), given supper, bed and break
fast and told to move on next morn
ing. The town board had contract
with the sheriff by which he kept the
tramps and fed them for IS cents each.
This arrangement was satisfactory
to Lancaster but not to the county
board of 1896. At that session the
sheriff was forbidden to receive and
confne any one in the jail except
when regularly committed. This ac~
ton was taken on the ground that it
was unwise and dangerous to put such
dirty, diseased, criminal vagabonds as
some tramps are, in the Jail among
the regular prisoner and also because
Lancaster ought to take care of her
own tramps.n
For the past year the method has
BEEN when tramps or suspicious
characters are found about the city,
in the evening, to arrest them on the
charge Of yagrancy, take them before
justice of the peace and have them
committed to Jail for three days. The
cost to the county by this process is
about Sc per tramp instead of rs cents
as under the old rule.
Other towns are keeping their
tramps for 80. 10, or even % cents
each, and the feeling against Lancas-
ter for permitting the arrest and com
mitment Of tramps at cost Of So
apiece is pronounced. The board re-
seinded the action OF last year, but
resolved to pay only 40 cents instead
OF 70 cents for tramps confined in the
jail
For the sake of economy and gem
eral good feeling IN the county it will
be the part of wisdom for Lancaster's
loeal officers to provide better
means Of taking care OF tram ps. Both
the town and city are interested-th
town because it must see that tran
silent paupers are fed and sheltered,
the city because public safety demands
that Migrants shall not roam at viii,
menace to life and property
Ii practicable, labor should be pro-
vided for tramps, and the excellence
and quantity of food given them
should be proportional to the zeal
shown in performing the work as
signed them. II a hearty man will
not work, neither should he eat at
another's expense.