The sun., 1910-01-30
HOBOES DE LUXE.
Instead of Hitting the Ties Tncy RIos
In the Coaches.

"In the army OF the Intentionally un-
employed there is a nondescript battalion
at the edge OF the forests in this North
western country says a writer in the
st. Paul Pioneer. "and in the wooded parts
Of Canada north Of Lake Superior that
prosecutes each year q unique campaign
against honest toll.
the man9uvres are unlike those OF
the tramps who, as inclination prompts
or luck permits. meander hither and l9Dn
In box carr. or on brake bans. trucks or
oowoatchers. The members OF this odd
fraternity OF the tinbered lands. by a
peculiar system which they work eight
craftily, have their generous appetites
amply satisfied and ride about In o;;sh-
ioned day ooaohes or tourist sleepers and
do not do hok Of work or pay one oent
for all they get.
The approach Of winter brings this
peculiar type OF tramp to the fore. He
appears ostensibly as an applicant for
labor in the woods. The lumberjack
has the long end OF the bargain. would
he but take 1t. He is offered bigger wages
than men Of his kind can get in any other
occupation in the winter. but an odd oper-
alton OF his odd mind prevents him Qf
|,
from seeing 1t that way. Perhaps IL is
mere vulgar desire to get something Tor
nothing that directs him. Perhaps IL is
ambition to prove himself to DO OF sur
passing astuteness.
Whatever his motive. his methods are
well understood. and by nobody better
than the man catcher. Man catcher
No. there is no peouage In the forests OF
the North. At least none has been dis
closed. The man catcher, however. Ia an
established institution. He IL not kidd
napper. He is the legitimate right arm
Of the recruiting service Of this army
Of the woods-the strong right arm.
Bigger by a good deal than the b0unoer
In barroom or a gaming house, his duties
are far more arduous and difficult to
perform.
to do his share toward the satisfaction Of
the always big demand Tor men TO reap
the harvest Of logs makes a declaration
OF his intention to an employment agent
in the Twin Cities or Duluth. Forthwith
he is on easy Sstreet-for him. He gets
a meal ticket ON which he oan eat until
a gang ia made up, and then he receives
a ticket TO the town nearest the point
where the timber outing is IN be done.
II he is broke he is likely 20 recsive enough
money for the simple incidentals he
requires.
at is the man oatoher's business to see
to it that the laborer thus enlisted does
not 90 astray. His task is heroulean, espe-
ciallv hard when the train or boat upon
which the gang OF men have taken passage
nears its destination. There is a reasonable
tendency among these rough men TO do
what In this quarter Is called 'yump the
yob.' Although the reasons are not always
apparent and the actions sometimes are
attribute BILE to whim or habit. il In usually
the case that the 'yob' is jumped so that
the Jumper may avoid paying for his
transportation. For it is the custom in
the timber tracts TO deduct from the first
wage the amount IL has cost the lumber
company to get the laborer to the fAeld
OF operation.
II he is a real hobo OF the woods, one Of
ths many who have no intention Of works
ing, and 10 clever enou0h to elude the man
catcher, he thus is enabled 70 move about
from place TO place under unusually
favorable conditions for n tramp and az
the expense OF the employment agencies
and employers. Tramps OF a. criminal
bent also find this system a cheap and
easy means OF moving about from one
profitable field 20 another