The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-13
He is Willing to Work and Only
as Last Resort Does He
Beg.

S6s
This is a story of the hobo written
by a hobo. it is the story Of life on
the road and life in the city as the
hobo lives It, written by man who
has been living that life for seven
years. It was written by Joseph Co.
hen for the New York World.
At first lived 1t because / had to
because / could not find the work
for which sought. Now / am living
It because / have become accustomed
to the free life and like 1t. expect
to continue my wanderings over tho
country. Yet l am prepared to say,
as the result of my experience, that
most hoboes would be glad to leave
the road and settle down TO comfort
able home. Also that there has been
a lot of bunk printed about the men
who are variously referred to as Tho
boes,' "tramps,'' gay cats" "stiffs"
and weary Willies.'' This ! am 60
ing to try TO set straight.
The hobo life is one which, above
all else, spells hardship-hardshlp on
the road and hardship in the city. BY
1.-THE road" / mean every railroad In
the country and every town and vii
lage in the United States. 1t is here
that we go every spring when we leave
the city-some in the hope that We
will be able to accumulate stake
which will carry us over the coming
winter, and others just because we like
TO wander.
Those who got that stake last sum-
mer are living pretty comfortably
now in lodging houses along the Bow
cry. Those who did not are living
where and as they can, lucky il they
can get a small job one or two days
a week that will gain them the few
pennies that their living costs.
New York for the Winter.
1t was along about last October or
November that most Of us began to
strike for New York. The nights
were getting cold then-too cold for
comfort in barn or under the ledge
OF a haystack.
The first thing that ninety per cent
OF the hoboes did after alighting from
a freight train was to visit the John
son lodging house in Jersey City or
the municipal lodging house in Man
haitian and there fumigate his cloth
ing and clean up.
This was helpful in two ways. II
he was going to go out and look for
work his chances of getting 1t were
improved by cleanliness and neatness
If he was going to seek for certain
kinds of charity his chances we're bet
tered in the same way.
Having washed up, let us see what
happened.
There were many who went out the
next day seeking for employment and
promising themselves that II. they
could get job they would forsake
the life on the road and settle down
Few who made this resolution kept
it, however, for the reason that they
did not get work-at least not steady
work.
Ways and Means.
Having failed in this, the hobo re-
mains at the municipal lodging house
for a week, or. if he is lucky, two
weeks. When he has exhausted the
hospitality Of that place he becomes a
man with but single object in life
that is, TO make little piece Of
change each day which will buy him
the permission Of Hopping in Bowery
lodging house.
If he can't do that he goes to some
mission and listens TO the service I'M
til he falls asleep. After the services
are over, at 10 o'clock, il he didn't
get saved" and so win himself bed
he goes down either to q mission on
the Bowery near Second street, or the
All Night mission at No. Bowery
lie may remain in either all night.
During cold winter nights, witt
snow an inch thick on the ground,
have seen men under the Brooklyn
bridge trying to sleep beside fire
Some would sleep; others would watch
for the cop. When they got too cold
they would go TO the postoffice build
ing and hang around the corridors
for a while to get warm. Others rur
the risk of trying to sleep in hall
ways. knowing that if they are caught
they will have to face charges Of vag'
rancy or unlawful entry"
Yari0us Ravens.
II man is half way clean he car
go to the Grand Central station ant
sit until o'clock in the morning
when everybody is ousted. But one
cannot go there frequently, for a:
soon as he Is recognized for what hi
is, he will be arrested. Another stun
for a man who has nickle in his
pocket is to get aboard ferry boa
and dodge about so as to remain there
all night.
When one passes the Twenty-secont
street side Of the Flatiron building hi
can often SEQ from fifteen to twenty
unfortunates trying to get little nal
while the policeman Is looking ovel
the rest of his beat. The same thinl
may be seen on Thirty-fourth stree
after a. m, and on Fourth avenue
opposite Eleventh street. At each o
these places there are gratings tina
permit little warm air to come VI
from underneath the sidewalk.
There are one or two places on thu
Bowery, where, IL one can scrape vi
a jitney. he can get a glass OF bee
and a free lunch and stay all night II
the bargain. Also there are BUS!
Jacks" and 'Beefsteak Johns wher'
a dime will buy a meal, after which
one may sit until 6 a. m. Then 1t is
case of going out and searching To-
breakfast until Z, when the Squire
ing room opens.
No doubt those who have visited
Cooper Union library on a cold morn
ing have been surprised at the larg'
~ roadare faund fhara IT,