The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-12-20
MOST FAMOUS TRAMP
VISITED NEWBERRY
RODE RODS HERE AND RODE
RODS OUT.
"A No. 1" is His Assumed Name and
He Associates With the Truly
Great.


~.-, Last Saturday about IL o'clock a
man, small in stature, neatly dress ed
came into The Herald and News Office
and asked to see the editor. He had
an intelligent face and bore the ap-
pearance of one who was sperous
At first We thought he was repre-
sentative Of some foreign advertising
agent, and desired to make contract
He seemed nervous and restless, and
: wanted no one else to be present while
he was talking. He carried with him
a number of visiting cards and busl-
ness cards of professional men and
railroad presidents which bore the
evidence of genuineness, and Whlcn
were high testimonials Of service rem
dered these railroads in preventing
wrecks and total loss of life and de-
struction of property. He announced
that he was an ordinary tramp but
known to the profession and TO the
world of "a No. l." He stated that
he had come in the night before on
The rods of the c.. n. & L. freight from
Ia1rens, and that it was late and
Newberry seemed to have an over
abundance of police force so he con-
eluded that he would spend the night
in a. box car at the depot rather than
run the risk Of arrest as at that time
he had on his overalls and was lot
erepossessing in his appearance.
He is known as probably the most
famous tramp in the world and has
frequently left on water tanks and
shanties artistically carved the
words "a No. t." with the date and
<an arrow beneath. He is we'll known
ito railroad men, and when he reached
Eewberry, he had Travelled up to that
time 482,745 miles at total expense
for transportation of s761. He has
been On the road since 1883. He has
written and published book, s'The
Life and Adventures Of A No. l." which
he sells at rs cents per copy, and
which may be obtained from the Amer
5can News Co. It is illustrated and
contains some helpful advice to boys
who are not satisfied with their home.
He also sells post cards with his pic
Sure, records and autograph on them.
On that post card is printed on one
side, champion Tramp Record: 1894
New York City to San Francisco, II
Bays and Hours; $3.50 Miles" "Con-
einuous Pullman Car Record: 1897
Helena, Montana, to Seattle, Washing
ton. 781 Miles" Continuous Passen-
ger Train Record: 1893, Bell Plaine,
Iowa, to Denver, Colorado, S15 Miles" I"
On the reverse side is the following:
*sMeal Ticket-Preserve this card,
circumstances might force you to be-
come a homeless tramp. Should you
meet me, this card will be good for a
square meal, if I am not dead-broke
myself. Yours truly, A No. 1, The
Rambler.
s.:"Be sure to read my book, a true
story of my wanderings and hardships
all over the known world. Life and
Adventures of A No. l. Thrilling from
cover to cover. illustrated. Price 25c.
For sale everywhere"
"A No. u is a lnguist, speaks and
writes four languages. He has been
around the world three times and has
prevented more than twenty wrecks,
wears forty dollar suit of clothes and
a gold watch, keeps his name a secret,
does not chew, drink or gamble.
How did he adopt his queer name?
That is a story, too. When he first
started on the road it was with an
older man. The latter was attracted
by the ingenuousness of the younger
companion, by his bright ways, his
natural aptitude for life in box cars
and riding the rods beside the grinding
wheels beneath the heavy freights
where release for a moment of the bar
of iron would have meant instant
death.
''Kid, you're all right declared the
older one at the end of a particularly
hard journey. you're A No. L. The
title has since stuck and the wanderer
has more than lived up to it, for if
ever a. hobo's life could be said to be
a. success, it is that Of this fellow. He
travels in overalls and jumper, but af-
ter arriving in a town divests himself
of these and appears in a neat suit; is
always clean shaved and has very
prosperous appearance.
Ha hoc = nrofoesion which is cary