The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-09-21
The GENUS HOBO
THEY ARE DIVIDED INTO
CLASSES BY RAILROAD
MAN.

Railway Employees Journal: Spe-
cial Agent r. +. Brown of the T. p.
& W., who has been making a study
of the genus tramp for many years,
tells some interesting facts about the
Weary Willies," especially the rod
riders, thus:
"Tramps are divided into six differ
ent kinds, as follows: Kids. hoboes,
stew buns, blanket smtiffs, gay cats
and jungle buzzards.
THE kids leave home between the
ages of IA and 30. They beat trains
all over the country. They beg, steal
and serve time in Jail, which makes
them eligible to enter the hobo ranks
at the age of 20 years.
A hobo is between 20 and 80 years
old. He can make a moving train
going from Is to 20 miles an hour
with the pet cock of the engine wide
open to blind him and keep him off.
He will stop in town until driven out
by the police.
He will rob a box car, roll a
drunk, steal chickens for the jungle
buzzard, build fires inside of box cars
in cold weather, use the railroad
company's material for the construc-
ton Of small shanties, terrorize the
occupants of section houses, rob sta
tons and farmhouses, beg at juno
ton points, assault trainmen, blow
safes, and some of them rise to the
dignity of beating up a police officer
and making good their escape. The
hobo is by far the most dangerous
tramp.
"A stew bum is what is left of a
hobo when he becomes over 80 years
old. He cannot make a passenger
train n more. He hides away on
the freight trains when travelling and
gets on when they are stopped.
Drinks hard when he car get 1t.
Helps the jungle buzzard to cook in
the Jungle, is an ex-convict, for he
has done time in state prison. He Is
a broken down hobo that came up the
line from a kid. He Is between 30
and 40 years old.
THE blanket stiff is a degenerated
working man. You will find also
blanket stiffs who come up the line
from kids and hoboes, but as they are
between so and 60 years of age they
are harmless. They stow away in an
empty box car so they won't fall of
the trains. Railroad men treat them
kindly because they are old. They
carry a roll of old gunny sacks or old
carpets to sleep in. Working in the
western states. they carry blankets TO
sleep in while going from place TO
place. but do not mix with tramps OF
any kind.
"A gay cat is a we'll dressed young
man who mixes with tramps in order
to get over the road. The hobo
makes the gay cat do the begging at
junction points, because OF his GOOD
appearance. They are between 20
and 40 years of age. They are from
all trades and professions.
"A jungle buzzard is a cross be-
tween a prize fighter and a jungle
cook. When there Is a large crowd
in the jungle he will appoint the
committee on bread, potatoes, chick
en-. beef. hogs, coffee, sugar and mon
ev. He cooks the mulligan with the
assistance of the stew buns, whom
he makes step lively. He laso beats
nm any tramps around the camp who
don't contribute to its support. He
Is generally between 35 and 40 years
of age and was once an able fellow.
"Tramps on the Pacific coast start
north about the first of March. They
keep going north until about the 18th
of September, when they whirl about
and start south for winter quarters.
A majority of them go as far south
as New Mexico and Arizona. ] have
met tramps at Portland, Ore, in DC
tober and / have seen the same fell
lows at FL Reno, Tex, in December
They told me they were looking for
work, but knew better"