inisces vagabond way of life
down the line that a freight
train was leaving the local
yards, so I grabbed my bag
along with everyone else, and
headed for the freight cars. I
didn’t know what to do, but I
soon learned that the hissing of
the steam going through the
brake system means that the
train leaves in 10 minutes.”
Dr. Rooney’s first-hand ex
perience was the basis for a
dissertation he did as a senior
at Gonzaga University in
Spokane.
“Most people just went to the
library and aid a glorified term
paper,” he said. “I didn’t want
to do that. I wanted to do a live
study.”
By plotting out the life
histories of these road men and
recording the living patterns,
Dr. Rooney was able to make
classifications of skid row men.
The “Fruit Tramp,” he said,
“is the one who follows the
crops and works. He is the com
mitted worker. The ‘Hobo’ is
the one who works minimally
and follows the circuit.”
People try to take a social
type and assume homogeneity,
he said, and “it’s not quite that
simple. There are also families
and single guys on the road.
Some of the single guys have a
car. They are called the
‘Rubber Tramps’.”
Corresponding to the fruit
tramps are the urban skid row
workers who live by taking in
dustrial, short-term jobs.
“Here again,” said Dr.
Rooney, “you have the
dedicated workers and the
semi-workers.”
“These semi-workers on skid
row,” he explained, “are called
the ‘Home Guard.’ They are not
beggars or bums. They work
the minimum amount to sup
port themselves, about two
days a week: one day to pay
the rent, and the other day to
buy some food. The rest of the
time they stand around ‘on
guard’ and gab with their
friends - conspicuous leisure.”
Not all skid row men
stick to one type
of work. Many
rotate between
farm work,
industrial
short-term jobs, and railroad
track repair.
Dr. Rooney said those who
work on the railroad doing
track repair in isolated rural
areas are known as the “Gandy
Dancers.” They live in a work
train and have a high propor
tion of heavy drinkers.
“On pay day,” he said, refer
ring to their folklore, “you don’t
expect to see a Gandy dancer
back until you see him com
ing.”
Then there is the “C, B, and
Q Gandy,” which translates to
mean “Come, Boil up your
clothes to get the lice out, and
as soon as they are clean,
Quit.”
“That’s life and times among
the Gandies,” he said, “Work
for a few days and you’re gone
again.”
Drunks and winos also fall in
to the classification of skid row
men.
“The drunk,” explained
Rooney, “is the guy who goes
out and works regularly but
every job ends up in a drinking
spree - three or four days to a
week or two weeks. As the need
for alcohol gets greater and the
physical deterioration takes
over, he becomes a wino.”
Surveys taken in New York,
Chicago, and Philadelphia show
that the number of alcoholics,
whether winos or drunks, is bet
ween 33 and 40 percent.
others,” said Dr. Rooney, “awM
the workers or the retired.
Drunks live long
enough
Life in the skid row
community also has its drawbacks.
“Once in Chicago, two guys tried
to roll me,” said Rooney, “and one had a
knife.” He rolls up his sleeve to show the
five inch scar on nis right arm. “I had
to fight them. I got cut up a little
Would this man with the expressive
blue eyes go on the road again?
“Oh yes, Oh yes,” he
“It would be great fun
ride freight trains H
from here to the Rocky
Mountains, or togo
ping out in Montana. It’s
beautiful there - just bring a
fishing pole, work on
ranches...”
i w
to be retired. They die in their
late 40’s or early 50’s.”
His voice trails as he seems
lost in thought. Whether he is
thinking of freight cars past or
journeys yet to be taken, the
hobo is in his blood.
Photos by Jerry Trently 8
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