The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-06-30
BY JOHN II. CRAIGE.

According to our leading sociological
authorities, somewhere in the neighbor-
hood Of 100000 members of the vagrant
classes started from points in the east,
south and middle west during the pres
ent and two preceding months for the
west to be present at the big fight
This may seem an enormous number.
but when 70 Is considered that there
are over a million habitual Migrants in
the United States II does not seem out
OF reason that one-third OF tlaeat shoustl
start Tor the spot which holds the event
OF greatest Interest and the greatest
promise Of gain for them of any in the
country.
The inducement which is drawing this
army OF the underworld westward Is
two-fold In the first place, during
fight week In Reno thousands OF tour
lists and excursionists will be dumped
into the town. each OF whom will have
his little roll Of $40. $40 or 500 or so.
All OF them will be laboring under in
tense excitement and animated by holt
day recklessness. and gambling and in
toxication will run riot.
No greater opportunity could be i'm
agined for the dips. cloth-cutters, moil-
buzzers. prop-Eetters and other gentry
Of that ilk to ply their trades with a
maximum profit and minimum risk. and
probably there will be a killing made,
without precedent In the annals OF the
underworld.
The other reason, which swayed by
far the greater number. is the interest
in the event for its own sake.
Interested On Sports.
Proba bly, the things OF greatest in
terest TO the average vaErant outside
OF conditions affecting him and his
well being directly are the doings OF the
sporting world. The sporting page II
the newspaper Is the only page he ever
reads Towns might be burned TO the
ground. and nations go TO war. and the
tramp know nothing about IT. yet he
knows all about all the fights. races.
wrestling matches. etc. that have tax
en- place since the deluEe. and he viii
reel off at n moments notice with mi
croscOpic accuracy the record OF kid
McSwat OF Pine Valley" or any other
obscure pug OF whose very existence the
average man Is ignorant
The greatest interest ever felt In a
fistic battle has been aroused In the
upperworld by the coming contest An
interest ten-fold as intense was felt
in the underworld. Very likely every
tramp in the world at one time or an
other determined to be present at the
big fight II IS estimated that one out
OF three OF them started.
The tramp army may he roughly d.
vidcd into four classes. The criminals
yeEEs. dips, etc. travelling as tramps'
the good people" the Ray-cats. or
vorlrnen out on a tramp. and the tin
can buns. or lowest class OF Migrants
All these classes blend into each other
by imperceptible gradations. yet each Is
distiact. and holds itself more or less
aloof from the others.
The criminal or yegg element makes
its winter quarters in the vicinity Of
New York. PHILADELPHIA Chicago and
other big cities They endeavor 70
travel west making n series Of clean
ups which might be compared to the
one-night stands Of a theatrical com
pany. One member OF each gang usu-
ally IS well dressed and presents n neat
appearance. He scouts ahead. discOv-
CONTINUED on Page Threc.)