The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-04-08

them gay cats" -
But from this
great host of casual workers-the despair of So
ctoicgists-the ranks of the tramps and the yegg-
men" are kept full Indeed in this great aggre-
cation of men that the city pushes forth each
spring and receives back each autumn the tramps
might be likened to the non-commissioned officers
and the "yeggmen" to the commanders of regi
ments and brigadiers These gay cats" are sim
ply the private soldiers. But no matter by what
name they are known to penologsts. they all
spring from the same soil; the slums of the great
city or the factory town. Freight trains carry
most OF them about the country. Despite the at
tempts the part of the various railroads to
abate the tramp evil Il appears to be irrepressble.
AS fast as n is subdued on one road it is sure to
break out on another with increased force.
The gay cat" is the lowest order of the peripa-
tefic underworld. He is generally devtalized in.
competent and lacking in physical courage There
fore ne sxeaks into an empty box car and makes
his journey slowly, but In comparative comfort
The professional hobo" and some OF the "yegg
men," on the other hand, scorn the freights and
disdain 10 ride on anything but passenger trains
especially the muchadvertised limited flyers.
they can boast about ii afterward and vaunt them
selves around the campfres of their kind.
There are not few gay cats" however, who
travel on passenger trains and these are curiousiy
enough. those whose trade is setting the steel on
big buildings or bridges men of nerve and daring
These ride either blind baggage" between the
ft8nt-dOorleSS-en OF the baggage car ana the
locomotive tender). on the trucks OF the wheels
under the cars themselves. Riding blind bag
gage" Is comparatively comfortable, but the riders
are nabie to have Jumps of coal thrown at them
by the ffremen Holding down the rods" though,
which is one of the slang terms for riding the
trucks. is more dangerous and dirty but less sub
ject TO interruption en- route. II is when the train
takes curve at high speed that the gay cat"
VINE Is rtding on the trucks goes on his last and
longest Journey. Sleep or hunger or fatigue
may loosen his grasp for a second and he goes
under the b0rrytng wheels. This manner OF death
Is called "greasing the rails" which is quite
graphic enough to warrant avoiding further de-
sciption. Thousands of gay cats" and others
risk thoir hives blindy in this way every hour OF
the "a This item In the butchers bill Of the rail-
ways is eBcrmous.
There arc soms travellers tales that have been
told go often by gay cats" and by tramps that
hey have become traditon-almost classics Of
their kind One is the story of a man now known
as Portland Shorty" He was a gay cat" riding
the trucks a fast passenger train in the west
some years ago. There was bad wreck during
rhe night and many were killed. Shorty" Gov
cred with dirt and blood and really very seriously
hurt finally succeeded In extricating himself from
the wreck and crawied out BY that time IL was
daylight and the relief train with its surgeons had
arrived shorty man of education and
intelligence Dreaming with pain which was not
stimulated he let the company surgeon and claim
agent bend over him He'll be manned for life
II ne lives. Better settle with him well you
can" he heard the surgeon whisper TO the claim
agent shorty" signed a waiver OF damages in
side Of ten minutes and got $500 in cash. He
was ta1en TO the companys hospital, cared for
End cured. Strangely enough he kept hts money