The Portland daily press., 1897-05-17
A YOUTHFUL TRAMP
Who Walks 800 Miles from Detroit to
Portland.

Deputy Sterling was smoking his after
supper pipe Saturday night when the door
of the station opened and long legged,
brown faced, brown eyed young fellow
came into the room. He wore pair of
shoes almost new and his clothes though
old were in good condition and perfectly
clean. On his head he wore a broad
brimmed black hat which showed the
signs of hard usage and had evidently
seen better days.
In a rather shy manner, as though he
feared to be repulsed, the young fellow
asked if he could have nights lodging
He said that he had come long distance
during the day and was very tired. He
also said that he had bad cold and did
not want to sleep out doors if he could
help it. Deputy Sterling was at once at
tracted by the young mans appearance
and in fact all of those in the station
rather took to the young man whose bad
cough and forlorn condition appealed to
their sympathy.
The boy told of his 800 mile journey by
foot and freight train from Detroit
II left Detroit about two months ago, y
he said. For six years and more I had
been working in furniture factory as
varnisher and polisher and I had a good
job for knew my trade pretty well. Fin
ally the factory shut down on account of
hard times and lost my job. 1 couldn't
get any kind of work in Detroit for there
were lots of men out of work and the
most of them had families to support.
There was nothing to keep me in Detroit
and SO | thought would try and get
down here to Maine where have friends
"When left Detroit I had just two
dollars in money and this I determined
to keep as long as possible in order to buy
food. began by stealing rides on freight
trains and when 1 got put off the train 1
would walk until could ges another
ride. went from Detroit to Toledo on
the Lake Shore and then stole rides on
the same road until I got to Buffalo
Everywhere thought there was a chance
l tried for a job, but could not find any
thing to do that would pay me anything.
Sometimes I worked three or four days
just for my board until could get rested
and then would start out again.
From Buffalo went over the West
Shore to Schenectady, then 1 took the
Delaware and Hudson railroad by freight
train to Albany, from there 1 stole rides
and walked to Boston and then came on
down here by the Boston & Maine. Peo-
pie were pretty good to me along the road
but reckon there were good many
nights when 1 would have given a good
deal for something to eat. My So lasted
me just three weeks and since that time
have been obliged to go hungry or beg.
Sometimes / could get chance to earn
a little money, enough to buy little
something to eat. Finally when I got to
Boston my shoes gave out and during the
wet weather had to walk ON my up
pers. I got terrible cold on my lungs
and have been pretty sick ever since 1
left Boston. In Portsmouth gentleman
by the name of Paul Leighton bought
and gave me pair of shoes. owe him
81. 9S cents for them and I intend to pay
it back when can get work.
I am willing to do anything that will
pay me any money but much prefer to
work at my own trade that of varnisher
and polisher of furniture
The boy was given good bed in the
lodging room by Deputy Mar
shall Sterling's orders and was also given
a good meal from neighboring restau-
rant. Deputy Sterling said he would see
that the boy had all he wanted as long as
he was in Portland and he will try and
secure him position in some furniture
factory today.
Merrill said that tramping lit was
mighty hard on man and that he had
got about all he wanted of it, He said
that hundreds of men seemed to be walk
ing from one state to another looking for
work and while there were many hard
characters among them, there were also
many honest men.