The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-15
IN HOTEL CORRIDORS.


They were talking of the danger of the
spread OF contagious diseases and the IN.
cenyenienee OF the quarantine, WnSn t oiiS
OF his experience with the quarantine I
was travelling in Texas about ten years
ago doing as printers did in those oayss;ii
that is. would work In one town until
1 got tired OF it and would then go to any
ways providing the trainmen did not
throw me off before I got there. | had
been working in San Antonio, when the
spirit moved me to go on to Galveston
had a farewell time with the boys ana
took a e-door-sleeper out OF town.
do not know how far I had gone when
the trainmen made me get out. I had no
money, but that did not bother me IN
the least. as ! was used to it. I wan
dered into little town and found the
enough to get something to eat. The edi--
ter gave me two days work, but as did
fare. I walked out of town. 1 walked for
a few days and came to a town where
was sure I could get work. or at least
could get a square meal. was stopped
on the outskirts of the town by a man
with shotgun, who asked me where 1
was from and I told him the name of the
place in which I had worked. We are
quarantined against that place and you
can't come in this burg he said. You
Will have to walk on did not know
that they had the yellow fever in the
town and put up strong talk, but II
off or gel shot. 1 moved but the guard
gave something to eat. At the next
Looked IS 4hn11eb I vro,lId have 10 90 to
work on farm until the scare was over.
1 approached a farm house and asked for
a hand-out,. but instead of giving, me any
thing the farmer reached for his gun,
making a few remarks about the blanked
tramps spreading the fever. l was up
next place I begged 50 hard that the
guard consented to tell the members or
in bad shape and needed aid A COM
mittee came out and I showed them that
night and got me on a train for Calves
ton. I almost starved when I got
had a great respect for the shotgun quar-
antine as it is observed in Texas. 1 re-
NAMED in Galveston until the scare was
Overt had to, for the town was quar-
Speaking of tramps" said another Of
the group. reminds me that / had a lit
tie experience in that line myself in my
yer to San Francisco in order to get a
job that was waiting for me there. I
ticket and did the next best thing-I paid
small amounts to the brakeman on the
freight train for the privilege of riding
in box cars During my trip I met a
great many tramps- Some of them We're
beating their way just as 1 was They
method of going about the country look
regular buns among the tramps I met
and found that they were very inter-
esting class of people. Those who made
a regular business of tramping knew all
about the different towns. and just how
the city authoritiss treated tramps. Where
there was a town at which the fare in the
city jail was good the tramps all knew
it and would be sure to make that town
and get run in. Some of them had reg
ular routes which they would visit. Al
though the regular hoboes all knew each
other there was lack Of fraternity be-
tween them which surprised me. I never
understood it until later when I met a
tramp who was serving a. long term in
jail and acting as trusty. He told me that
1t did not pay man who was in the
business to become too familiar with an
other tramp. because, if he did he would
be sure to give away the soft snaps that
he knew of in the way of easy Jails and
good grub He told me that he had a
list Of several towns in the south where
the jailers were mighty good men and set
a splendid table. He said that as soon as
he served his time he intended to go to
one of those towns and commit a petty
crime in order to have a good place to
spend the winter. You see he said, If
I had told any one about it they would
get there before do and would spoil my
game a fellow has to keep. those things
quiet, if he wants to get along easy |
know of two places in Southern Califor-
MIA where going to Jail is better than
having an income, because you don't have
to bother about anything. You bet tell
the other hoboes that them is tough
towns; would be a jay to put any other
guy on learned that tramping was a
business. but one"