New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-09
TRAMP LIFE IN THE WOODS.
AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE IN WIS
CONsIN RECALLED.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

Sir: On reading The Tribune Of the "a inst. my
/ attention was attracted by clipping from Inc
St. Paul Globe" entitled The Town OF tramp
VILE" with headlines stating that tramps were !"
possession Of deserted village In Wisconsin. Inc
! novelty of the idea aroused my curiosity tha'
rcod with interest though incredulously. but was
] rreatly surprised afterward to be able to verify
the article to some extent. The names Oh ING
places. the description Of tho country ana even
the habits OF the weary dweliers IN i'aHp''"e
were familiar. 49,, ,>~,..
! Coun,v wis. in the neighborfood Of the Brute
! River Vast pine forests cover the entlre horue'"
! part of the State bordering on Lake 0"ie'.o
! Tho land was surveyed some fifty years ago ny tne
Government but otherwise remains the FOREST
! nrimeyal unredeemed from nature. Inc ooo-n"n'
berod sections are accredited 10 the c"'e"so w
popI nt,nneapols and Omaha Railroad az iDdeH-
nity land for sections occupied BY settlers on 'he
land grant but the- title has never pee" pei
fected and probably never VIII De, LOT ie"'o'''
will not attempt TO explain. In course "a '.nv ~,
proclamation from the Interior department WE,
declare the LANDS unearned by the ra'i,o"" anu
omen TO settlement but in the mean time the es'0"
will continue as now. wilderness.
Az the time write Of there was "o'en.e". ~
! settlers 10 pre-empt these odd sections as "o'e,
ment land with the end in view OF get'''s ~
/ 70 the pine timber. The leader charged eao" y.
| his followers a fee. and undertook manas'ne''
NJ the scheme He claimed to have private ~
formation from Washington that the lana "ou'a
| soon revert to the United States. ana ahhounI.u
| that the first settlers on the ground wouiu aeq.'
| n-,or r,gh.s A part Of his following consisted OF
| Western mon, but more largely IL came ii
| Maine I heard that some had mo1tgageo CT So.u
| ,her farms in the East to equip Themselves ioi
| tho venture IL their scheme 10 acquire pine ia'us
! failed they naturally would become s'ia'i"e" -
the woods unable to get away, or stlll wditi"s anu
,,nqinr 70 hone Of success Besides these settlers
! "a hxa
find life there congenial. 1t Is the region ~ w
| numbering camps which worked only III INC
| winter and often the men. who are OUT y. e
| poyment during the summer. take 10 ''e 49,
| and sometimes remain there. Inc business
| nross,on to-day must have largely Increased inc
| number of the unemployed. For them the ~oou'
! afford ready asylum a house sufficient TOT t''ei
moods can easily be constructed OF trees OF aoai
doned shacks be utilized Inc uee.' VI" -
are plent!ful in the forest. and the FISH apouhuhs
! IN tho streams supply food, and comforts o'ie'
! than tobacco and lie in the open air. are I'M
| necessary. -.
| There was a freedom among the den.zens OF 'ho
| forest in helping themselves 20 whatever tney nap
pened 70 find unguarded. The owners OF me 'hiSS'"s
property took their less phlosophcaly' iea''|'he i
missneas on their part. and that efforts 10 receive
would be futile. The proper remedy vas 10 wal. io
an onnortunty to retake the article. or something
else of equal value Anything derenct OF aoaiuo''eu
| became common property, particularly lob "'S
and 90 a deserted village might readily reco'he III
! hab!tel by these woodsmen ! can therefore u'deE-
stand that tramps have possession o. CleVe'oh'
| II II has been deserted, and also how me lhhdo'-
! ants exst-hat is. supply themselves Win ""d'
constitute their necessities of ifeand why TO case
| OF starvation has ben reported among tnein IheE
| are genus tramp, peculiar 10 the country tney IN
| habit 1 think the writer In The st. Paul G!ope
| made a mistake in classifying tnem IN the species
| known Weary Wiggles.' found principdlE ~
fully settled and civilized countries; in 'sreuitufa!
| communities with farmhouse kitchen-GooTS whe'e
they receive handouts and where may he found nay
rlcks and barns. aifordng opportunities FOR rest
This kind OF tramp does stalk deer in the Forest
but confines his hunting to fowls on the roost after
dark. The tramp OF Douglas County. WIS. as
have found him. is front!ersman. the pioneer OK
civilization expert hunter and fsAer who Is hard
ened rough life OF the woods. He does hot spare
pe S oR 6s rs ge he has The Of
civilization. the other hand. is motor ousy averse
Men Of different types are thrown together in the
woods, and life there. like politics. makes strange
a cabin built by a settler who did not think i
to S of nf of my M now
married and respectable and lives IN Boston: Inc
Of work ana Tampns. perhaps distnciively
tramp than We, but better htted by experience and
out his experience and cooperation we. would not
hayS IN the a0s @ ye h ee5f ar Sellers V TO
live there long enough to acquire title TO me ands
the iassinai,on Of llie in the woods rorn,nu ~.
woods for deer. and wading the streams. throwing
| flies for trout responsible only TO ourselves and
each other and bound by no rules or regulations
garded by all the jewellers in that region. as still
& e be the mekd from af arSf IN TO i've
under such conditions.
cieyedo lon IS Situated. but we knew OF It by name
We frequently reached the halfway point. a de-
et%n I Norher on Paee Rao"d and hs
lake. There was trail from the railroad TO Cleve-
cason TO pass the night these camps. wrapped
in their blankets on the deserted hunks of the
common property and customarily not used harder
than the requirements Of short stay warranted,
Tested inherent trait Of his nature to boards
from the roof for hrewood. When at times got
long distance below this camp in fishing
down the river we took TO the bank to return. and
found relief from running on line through the
woodD ny compass in striking what was known
! tho Cicvedon road. wagon path through the
woods then grown up to grass. Clevedon to us
only name. place to the north, beyond the
| logging camps. which gave its name to the road
aT o nnE na at 10 no we never or
talked with any enc who lived there Those who
o r mat h. rect poke . Of coming from the
woods We would have got to Clevedon and been
! among its present inhabitants.
Reading the article in your paper revived recol-
ections OF n bit Of past history so far outside the
d M to Would al ike c sa on e
NewYork. June 4. 1897.
| AN APPEAL FOR INDIA AND GREECE.
| To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: The needs OF the people OF India at the pres
| ent time are so great. and little appre-
ciated by those not familiar with the condition OF
| affairs there especially among the poorer class OF
| natives, that trust YOU will permit me TO place
before your readers certain facts which feel
will inspire many OF them TO take active steps 10
relieve the needs of those unfortunate people.
| In journcying through India from Bombay 10
Calcutta by way OF Jaipur, Delhi. Lucknow and
| Benarcs / witnessed sights which terrible
10 give in detail. and heard from reliable OF
the still more appalling state Of affairs in the up
country districts and in the villages off the lines Of
| railroad.
From all quarters rumors reached me Of the ter