North Park union., 1900-01-26

The correspondent of the Chicago
Record, writing from Atchison, Kan
sas, says:
This town claims to treat tramps
better than any other city In the
United States, and also contends that
It has the hobo better regulated than
any other place. 1t Is a violation of
the city ordinances here for any one
to feed tramps. They are cared for
in the city hall, where special apart
ments have been made for them, and
where meals are served three times a
day. When u tramp stops n pedestrian
on the street and nsks for money with
which to buy food. he is directed to
the city building, and box car tourists
who beg handouts" at residences are
also Informed of the tramp quarters.
The tramp quarters are looked after
by the city jailer. the police depart
ment being In the city building. When
u tramp wants lodging, he appears be-
fore the jailer, registers, and deposits
his baggage, II he has any. In the
office, as he would Mt hotel. He is
then escorted into the sleeping room.
Around the sides of the wall are hunks
very much like tourist sleeper bunks
The hunks are two layers high and
can accommodate thIrty-tive dodgers at
one time. The hunks are filed with
fresh hay every night, on which the
dodgers sleep, nearly always with their
clothes on. They have blankets, which
are kept free from vermin, and, in
fact, the room Is thoroughly disinfected
every few days. The floor is OF arti-
fetal stone and Is 30 made that the
hose can be turned on and the walls.
hunks and floor washed clean, and the
water runs through a hole in the floor
into the sewer. The tramps have cleo
tric lights and n stove, and plenty of
coal.
A new and important addition to the
tramp quarters Is n bathroom with
porcelain bathtub. and hot and cold
water. The bathroom is heated by
steam, and there is bed In the room
in which the Wandering Willie can lie
down II he is fatigued from the effects
of water.
The meals served to the tramps cost
the city 10 cents each. and. while there
IL no pie nor cake in the bill of fare.
the food is wholesome. and there is
plenty of II, and Il sufficient variety to
satisfy the appetite. Some kind of
meat Is served with each meal and also
potatoes. bread and coffee. The bill
OF fare often includes pickles, sauer-
kraut, tomatoes. beans. hominy, rice.
etc. If n tramp wants Il shave. he can
get n razor and looking glass from the
jailer. kept for the purpose. The only
provision is that he must shave him
self, or get one of his pals to shave
him. The police department does not
furnish IL barber.
In return for lodging and meals,
every tramp must work two hours on
the rock pile. breaking up macadam
for the streets. If tramp applies a
second time for lodging and meals. he
must work six hours on the rock pile.
and. II he shows up third time. he
IL fined for vagrancy. and thrown into
Jail for from twenty to hundred
days. II Il tramp Is too dirty lie is
ordered to take bath. and IL he re-
fuses charge of vngrnncy is placed
against him. and he Is sentenced so
work on the streets of the city or on
the rock pile.
Tramps are not taken care of in this
manner altogether on humane grounds.
A ne system collects the tramps under
the eye of the law for the night. and
they cannot commit offenses. Those
that fear to show their faces at the
police department are considered sus-
picious characters by the police and ar
rested. If they cannot give n good
account of themselves they are fined
for vagrnncy and the authorities look
up their records. Several crooks have
been discovered as a result of this
method and turned over to the au-
thorities in towns where they are
wanted. Often laborers are wanted.
and in such eases the tramps are in
formed where they can get work. Dur
ing the winter months the number Of
dodgers averages about fifteen night
Some hObOes must have been patriotic
and enlisted in the army. for the num-
her registered at Atchison has been
generally smaller since the war with
Spain.
Strange to say, the number of colored
dodgers Is very small compared to the
white ones.