100 years ago in Gallup

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Bill Donovan
Staff writer

GALLUP — The day of the hobo has come and gone in Gallup.

For months, people in town have been complaining about the increasing number of hobos who have been wandering the streets and begging for food and, at times, jobs.

Most apparently have just jumped off the train and have decided to make Gallup their home to the concern of city fathers who have decided to take steps to make them aware that they are not welcome.

At a meeting of the town board, a resolution was approved requiring the town marshal to arrest “hoboes” and put them to work digging a trench for laying pipe to the town’s jail.

At that same meeting, a group of ladies in the town stood up and demanded that the town government do something about the music being allowed to be played in the saloons of Gallup. No details on what kind of music was being played, and it probably wasn’t Bach or Beethoven but apparently, city leaders were not that concerned about the problem since no ban was approved.

A lot of cities have clock towers and a group of Gallupians think it would be a good thing for this area since everyone in town would only have to look up to find out what the exact time was.

This issue would come up time and time again — no pun intended — but it would fail because of the cost involved.