Identifier: strikerscommunis00pink (find matches)
Title: Strikers, communists, tramps and detectives
Year: 1878 (1870s)
Authors: Pinkerton, Allan, 1819-1884 Marian S. Carson Collection (Library of Congress) DLC
Subjects: Railroad Strike, U.S., 1877 Tramps
Publisher: New York, G. W. Carleton & Co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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ntirely free from police moles-tations, and are able to loll about day and night to theirhearts content, may be called a hotel. This spot, however,is a perfect heaven for tramps. The river is at hand for abath after night; the almshouse is close by, and from itabundant supplies can be begged ; they are within the city,where all sorts of tramp tricks may be played with animmediate opportunity to escape consequences. Every ad-vantage and facility is here offwed, and they are all takenadvantage of. If one could happen in upon this spot atmid-day and could remain unobserved, he could get a viewof these outcasts at their best as tramps. Sequestered inthe dark, cool recesses, beneath these heavy clump willows,would be gathered between fifty and a hundred tramps ofall ages, conditions, and sex, and all lying about promis-cuously, alone or in little knots, near smoldering fires.Here may be an old man, all alone and glad of it; there, aa young fellow with his head upon his bundle, lazily smok-
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04 TRAMP-PItlNTEKS AND TRAMP ENCAMPMENTS. ing and contemplating the clouds throngh the tremblingleaves of the trees above. At another spot are gatheredthree or four men and women, joking and chatting, andpossibly making love in their rude fashion. Another partymay be playing cards; another, earnestly discussing someproject for future execution ; while others are relating withevident relish some adventure upon the road or within thecity, where a simpleton had been outwitted, or an officerevaded and outgeneraled. But the stick and bundle areeverywhere. The laz)^, contented vagabond leer and lookare everjwhere. It matters little how the elections go,whether the banks break, or whether revolutions occur.They are all contented, at least for the time being, and arewell satisfied with life from what it has brought for the da)^ They are a study, for one cannot help wx)ndering whatmisery has been experienced before this stolid and philo-sophic acceptance of a vagabond condition was reached.The

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