The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-14
EXPERIENCE IN
 HOUSE OF HORROR Story of a Night In Chicago
 Lodging House A TRAMF'S PATHETIC TALE Tries In Vain To seep-Big Room oc- cupied By 66 Cots Filled With
 Homeless Men-Piti-
 ful Wrecks.
A TRAMF'S PATHETIC TALE
From the Chicago News.

From the Chicago News.
 A tramp by ehoice-in other words one of the restless beings who abhor the good clothes they might wear and find glamour in wandering and hariship-passed night in a 10-eent lodging house in Chi cago recently. This is his story
 T was a stranger in the city of Chi cago and with only dime in my pockets Night had arrived. and being much in need of sleep and rest, 1 accosted the first policeman I met and inquired the way to cheap lodging house.
 T was soon in the district he referred me to-that part of State street near the old whisky row'-and found nearly every third building to be lodging house with prices ranging from 10 to 25 cents night. The buildings making the remain ing two-thirds were mostly occupied by saloons of the sbarrel-house' type l con tinued south on the street until I ar rived at a lodging house which beckoned me with Beds 10 cents, including free coffee and rolls
 Sign Means Breakfast.
 That meant breakfast for me and the stairway looked rather inviting with it's brass trimmings. I ascended one flight to the office and found myself in a room about 20 by 40 feet. In the center sprawled a red-hot coal stove, and against the north and south walls were nailed benches their seating capacity file6 with all the male characters ever portrayed by Dick ems. A few of them were reading, but the majority of them were just sitting there, probably thinking of what might have been, and all were emitting volumes of tobacco smoke drawn from pipes, cl- gar butts and cigarettes.
 Becomes the Center of All Eyes.
 Immediately all eyes were glaring at me. new face to them; another home less wretch. Straining my eyes through the dim-lighted smoke clouds, I discoy- cred in one corner cage on which was printed in large dirty letters the word Office On reaching it I found that it contained a man, and. producing the last 10 cents of my summer wages, I asked for bed The man, or clerk, asked my name. Yes, even a human derelict is supposed to have a name there After a struggle with the pencil this clerk had me register and inquired if I wished to turn in now I said no, I would smoke first. Very well, my bed was No. S5, and he would conduct me to it when 1 was ready.
 IldndSeu 10 squeeze Tn between two comrades on the bench and lighted my pipe. No one seemed to talk; just sat there in kind of stupor with misery chalked on every face. One pipe was enough, for tomorrow I must find a job, and now it was sleep I needed, and the atmosphere, produced a feeling in my head and stomach that was not pleasant.
 Gets Key From Clerk.
  to a heavy ring, about seven inches in diameter, and said Come on,' I fol- lowed him up another stairway, which opened into a large room, about 30 by so. Half way down the room he stopped and said: This is your bed
 'Inquiring as to the use of the key in my possession, was told that it opened the locker at the head of my bed and the wire ring was to wear on my leg so as to prevent it's being stolen while I slept With the words: No talking or smoking up here he left me.
 q began an investigation and found that the room contained 66 iron cots, or hunks, placed in four rows. Two windows at either end of the room, and all closed At the head of each bunk was a locker, 12 inches square and four feet in height. In opening mine the clothes hooks were expuosed. Undress- ing I hung my clothes in the locker and stretched out to, as I thought, enjoy a much-needed rest
 Rest Is a Brief One.
 'I lay on my back and for one whole minute was contented, and that was the only minutes rest got during the night l was restless and the bed was the most lncOmfOrta ble thing ever sleDt on