Economic historians tell us that the post-World War I depression that gripped the United States, the United Kingdom and other nations lasted only 14 months, from January of 1920 until July of 1921.
But in Chariton, then a major railroad hub in a small town squarely in the middle of the country, a continuing procession of homeless men continued throughout the winter of 1921-22 as the unemployed traveled in search of work.
There were no social safety nets at the time, but Chariton city officials acted late in the fall of 1921, opening the city fire station as a primitive hostel for these strangers among us.
The fire station, then as now, was located a half block south of the southwest corner of the square on South Main Street, but in a somewhat rickety two-story brick building that had been hurriedly constructed in 1881. I've labeled it, above, in an aerial photograph of Chariton taken in 1931, just before it was demolished and replaced. You'll need to right click on the image and open it in a new window in order to read the labels.
The doors to what sometimes was called the "tramp hotel" closed during early April, as spring progressed, as noted in the following front-page report from The Leader of April 13, 1922, headlined "Guests at Fire Station Notified to Move On as Weather Warms Up."
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Last week a sign was posted in the fire station notifying the lodgers that the season was closed and suggesting that the guests be on the move and seeking employment or support in other parts. The guests of the Hotel de Tramp immediately acted upon the suggestion as there was little packing to be done.
Since last fall the fire station has furnished quarters for the wandering unemployed gentry. As many as 25 were taken care of at times and it is probable that the number averaged 20 a night during the winter season. On the basis of a 120-day season and an average of 20 a day that would mean that the city fire station housed in the neighborhood of 2,200 during the winter.
Most of these 2,200 probably sought assistance from the citizens, either at the back door for a handout or on the street where the appeal, "Mister, can't you stake me the price of a breakfast" was heard with considerable frequency. As the season progressed there was a noticeable difference in the attitude of the fire station guests. Early in the season, a refusal to help was frequently accepted with surliness. The longer they stayed, the more polite they became.
The newspaper offices came in for the nightly visits of the wandering guests. They came in flocks for old papers on which to sleep. Some asked for something to "flop on." Others asked for "Harding blankets."
The fire station furnished fairly comfortable quarters for these men. There was a place to sleep, and plenty of hot water for bathing, shaving and laundering of clothes. Most of these men presented a fairly clean appearance which would seem to disprove the accepted notion that tramps have a dislike for cleanliness. It is said that one night there was a big wash hanging on the fire trucks to dry while the owners of the wearing apparel slept. An alarm of fire was turned in during the night and a mad scramble ensued to rescue the wearing apparel.
Some of the lodgers spent the winter here, it is said, but the majority of them were transients who spent but a night or two in our midst.
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