The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-15

small percentage OF tho men have been
found to he afflicted with the wander
lust Some of this class are sailors and
some are simply ordinary tramps
Some of the causes for their condi-
ton were given az follows: Drink. III
ness and lack Of funds due to being
hid OF.
One Of the highest type Of sppli-
cants was a man OF middle age. an in
terestinG sociological case tending to
show In his life the development Of a
tramp. The man was formerly a bank
clerk earning $500 year. After
working IN ono bank for twelve years
and saving "A little money he started IN
business for himself in q small way.
He failed. and unable to obtain work In
his own home town went 70 another
place near by.
Being further unable to obtain en-
ployment. he went to another city. His
funds were beginning to give out He
accepted odd jobs and lived from hand
to mouth. His clothes began 20 look
frayed and worn. He could not obtain
work, partly on that account. Hts
money at last gave out and he found
himself homeless and on the streets.
The man continued his wanderings.
First. from going from place To place in
search Of work, the man became in
terestcd in travel and became i1nbued
with the wpnderlust. After that ne
simply travelled. working at odd Jobs
when he could get work.
In this way no has g.ne three times
around the world. He is man Of
native intelligence, fair ability and nor
NAL in all other ways. He does not
drink or smoke and has no lad habits
Two thousand men crowded the
lodging house one cold night this win
ter. They were given breakfast next
morning and about sixty Of them who
had been in the lodging house before
remained behind for several hours ant
! cleaned up tho institution, while the
others went out to look for work.
ut IL not true that the men who come
here have to work. as one I. w. W. sgi'
,ator put It. until II o'clock In the morn
Ing, when II Is too late for him to gel
a lob" said Commissioner Kingsbury
I'VE keep but sixty men TO clean the
place. and these are men who have beer
here before and who are not averse e
making up for favors received by doinG
= little work"
Inc writer ana q frIeud. attlTeu IN OF
clothes, went through the routine OF thu
lodging house together with 1900 othel
men one night last week They entered
at s o'clock and at that time found tina
there were already 800 men in line.
The large reception room WAS wei
lighted by electricity and down a shor
hallway and to the left they entered .
large room with wooden tables ant
benches. At the right was a long coun
ter where bowls of soup and bread anc
coffee were being distributed. Eaci
man took his coffee and bread or souI
to a table. Many Of the men devoure,
their food ravenously. The coffee wa
poor. the soup fair and the bread, which
IL baked on Blackwcll's Island. was OK
cellent.
A scrutiny Of the men at the tables
revealed that few OF them were trsmps
Most Of them seemed TO be laborers %
mechanics out OF work. Cndoubtedl,
| some Of them were regulars" At tn
tables each man was intent on eat,n!
and there was little conversation.
With the others the writer and hi,
friend arose from the long tables anC
made their way to the lines forming Z,
register. To each man was handed AT
envelope in which, az one man with .
sense OF humor said, Ito put youl
| Jewelry." There was marked cOntras