Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-17
doom AOBO[S' HEAVEN
Police of Council Bluffs to Clean
Up Notorious Camp of
Tramps
ITS FAME is NATION WIDE
Stopping Place for Hoboes on Their
Trips Across the country-Few
Criminals in the Camp and Good Or
der Maintained by "PoIice" sys-
tom.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Council Bluffs, Sept 17.-"Hoboes'
Heaven" or the Clearing house for
tramps," the great summer camp which
the Migrants passing between the east
and the west have built up just above
Council Bluffs, is to be broken up, and
the police and sheriffs of Omaha and
Council Bluffs have joined forces for
the purpose of Cleaning out" the
greatest camp of tramps in the United
states. Heaven" is not the abode
of any regular number of tramps, but
instead, is the stopping place, the rest
ing place of thousands and thousands
of tramps who drift in, stay day
or two, and drift onward again.
II counted $50 men in the camp one
day last summer" says Chief of Po-
lice Richmond of Council Bluffs. 1.-TWO
DAYS later / made another trip to
Heaven" and while there were more
than 100 tramps scattered around, not
a single one of these had been there
when 1 paid my former visit
The camp has attained national re-
nown among boxcar travellers and 1t is
certainly an ideal place for a tramp
camp Situated close to Big lake, with
plenty of shade trees and fine grass,
and by the side Of the great freight
wards where trains from all directions
on sixteen different railroads pass at
all hours of the day and night, the
Weary Willie who tires of the road
may rest few days in peace. While
those of the species who have already
recuperated may catch freight and
go on his way without much trouble.
The tramps have constructed huge
fireplace, and there are many articles
Of kitchen USE 1t is a rigid rule that
none of these utensils are to be car
ried from the place. but all are TO De
left for the free use of any tramp
who may be in camp, and this rule Is
adhered to without an exception. Ihere
are many large pans and pots and
cans, and, altogether, the tramps are
well supplied with camp facilities.
For sleeping purposes there are hun
dreds of empty boxcars. In these, the
tramps curls up at night and sleep.
When they wake UP in the morning, II
the boxcar happens to have been put
in a train and sent out, it's all right
with the involuntary travellers.
The tramps have police system,
and no fight nor rows ever take place
in Heaven" 1t is an unwritten law
that there must be no trouble OF this
kind as long as man remains IN the
camp.
For food while resting, the tramps
forage. Many of them travel in bands
Of which one or two are appointed
cooks The others hustle for the
GRUB" Sometimes 1t is secured by
begging. When that source fails, the
tramps have recourse to purchasing
from stores In Council Bluffs and
Omaha.
Once in a while, when a robbery has
been committed in Omaha or in Coun-
Gil Bluffs, a raid is made on Heaven"
and the criminal is picked up by the
police. But more usually the culprit, II
he has been staying in Heaven" gets
out Of town via the "side-door Pull
man" line before the officers can get
him.
However, some strange finds have
been made by the police at the camp.
For instance, last spring, son OF the
mayor of Gutenberg, Sweden. was ar
rested at the place. He was under an
assumed name and had been paroled
from the Iowa state penitentiary by
Governor Cummins. Papers in his pos
session proved absolutely that the man.
or rather his family, was Of high stand
ing in Sweden Also, they proved that
the man had served with Dewey in the
battle of Manila bay and carried a
medal for bravery on that occasion.
Only last week Marion Hedgepeth.
one of the most notorious train robbers
and holdup men in the west, was found
to have been making his headquarters
over at Heaven for couple Of
weeks. Hedgepeth was arrested while
crossing the bridge into Omaha, and Is
wanted on charge Of robbing safe
in Council Bluffs. He was only recently
paroled from the Missouri penitentiary.
where he yet has twelve years to serve
If his parole is revoked.