The Carlisle independent., 1909-04-15

But from this
 great host of casual workers-the despair of so cielogists-the ranks of the tramps and the yegg- men" kept full. Indeed in this great aggre- gatoH of that the city pushes forth each spring and receives back each autumn the tramps might be likened to the non-commssoned 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 penologists they all spring from the soil the slums of the great city or the factory town. Freight trains carry most of them about the country Despite the at tempts on the part of the various railroads to abate the tramp evil appears to be irrepressible As fast it is subdued on one road it is sure to break out another with increased force
 The gay cat" is the lowest order of the peripa tetic underworld He is generally devitalized, in competent and lacking in physical courage There fore he sneaks into an empty box car and makes his journey slowly but in comparative comfort The professional hobo" and some Of the "yegg men," the other hand the freights and disdain to ride on anything but passenger trains, especially the much-advertised limited flyers, so they boast about it 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, curousy enough, those whose trade is setting the steel on big buildings or bridges, of nerve and daring These ride either blind baggage" (between the front-dooress-end of the baggage car and the
 
 under the cars themselves. Riding blind bag gage is comparatively comfortable but the riders are liable to have Jumps of coal thrown at them by the firemen. Holding down the rods" though, which is one of the slang terms for riding the trucks, is dangerous and dirty, but less sub ject to interruption route. It is when the train takes curve at high speed that the gay cat who Is riding on the trucks goes on his last and longest journey Sleep hunger fatigue may loosen his grasp for a second, and he goes under the hurrying wheels This of death is called "greasing the rails' which is quite graphic enough to warrant avoiding further de- scription. Thousands of "gay cats" and others risk their lives blindly in this way every hour of the 24 This item in the butchers bill of the rail ways is enormous
 There are some travellers tales that have been told so often by "gay cats' and by tramps that they have become tradition-almost classics of their kind One is the story of known Portland Shorty" He gay cat" riding the trucks on a fast passenger train in the west some years ago. TAere a bad wreck during the 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 crawled out By that time it daylight and the relief train with it's surgeons had arrived. Shorty was a of education and intelligence. Groaning with pain which not stimulated he let the company surgeon and claim agent bend over him. He'll be maimeA for life if he lives. Better settle with him well as you can" he heard the surgeon whisper to the claim agent. Shorty" signed a waiver of damages n- side of ten minutes and got s3,600 in cash He was taken to the company's hospital cared foI and cured Strangely enough he kept his money.