Evening journal., 1907-06-14
SAYS TRAMPS
DON'T TRAMP
But Steal Rides, Rob Stations
and Assault Train
Crews
GIVES FACTSATC CONFERENCE.

MINNEAPOLIS. Juno 1f.--At the
National Conference Of Charities and
Corrections today o. Il. Lewis of New
York read paper on the "Vagrancy
Problem in the United States" In
which he said that American railroads
kill more railway trespassers every
year than the combined totals Of pas
sengers and trainmen killed annually
Nor do these striking figures show
signs Of decreasing from year to year.
In five years. from 1901 to 1905. 23.9Gi
trespassers We're killed on American
railroads. in comparison with 1929
employees and only 1860 passengers.
Thousands of vagrants use American
railroads. as an easy means Of trans.
portation from city to city or state
TO state American vagrants are not
pedestrians.
Many railroads in eastern states are
greatly troubled with vagrants. Presi-
dent McCrea of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road reports that the 200 vagrants ar
rested for trespassing in 1906 are only
a small proportion OF the total number
of vagrants constantly travelling over
that railroad. President Murray of
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad says
that trespassers make trouble for
trainmen and in train-runninR Acci-
dents caused by them are not infre-
quent. The robbing OF cars. freight
houses and stations IS practically OF
daily occurrence. on some New Yori;
Central lines west OF Buffalo II seeIns
impossible to keep vagrants Off freight
trains. They are driven off passenger
trains. but in some cases extra stops
must be made TO unload them.
The amount of loss from tho theft
OF railroad property and pllfering OF
freight cannot be estimated They
steal rides, annoy train crews. commit
.thefts. interfere with train signals.
place distractions on the tracks. aud
stone trains.
Lack Of Corporations
The principal reason for the large
number Of vagrants is the lack Of CO.
operation between the railroads and
the towns and cities along the lines in
prosecuting and convicting vagrants.
Railroads wish to put the vagrants on
at or near stations. while towns are
generally unwilling to stand the ex.
pense Of the prosecution and mainten-
ance Of vagrants. who have no claim
upon the town. The Pennsylvania
Railroad receives little CT no assists
ance from local authorities; frequently
when taken before a magistrate a
vagrant is discharged or released from
county Jail within day or two
County commissioners claim It imposes
tain vagrants in Jail at the eNpenst
of the taxpayers On the other hanc
tho Philadelphia Sc Reading finds fairs
ready cooperation.
The cost to railroads from vagrantl
injured or crippled varies very much
The Baltimore & Ohio states tha
through its regular crops of surgeons
and physicians the company extend.
such immediate attention to the injur.
ed as common humanity imDels. with
out distinction as to the circumstance
of the unfortunate. Where hospita
treatment is imperative, and not ex.
tended by the authorities it is moi
withheld because of expense TO th'
corporation. Similar practice is fol
lowed with the dead. and annual az.
gregate is an appreciable one. on tn,
PENNSYLVANIA. for the year endins
June 30. 1906 54S persons were kllel
many were, not vagrants. but persons
using the railroad as highway
The Chicago & North Western Rail-
road spends several thousand dollars
a year in hospital expenses. The Fri
estimates its. expenses also at several
thousand dollars annually. The New
York Central lines west of Buffalo on