SECRET SHACK: Homeless man lived for years under a bridge; Mayor Daley "concerned."

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ^ | 12/13/2004 | AP

[rwa265]

SECRET SHACK: Homeless man lived for years under a bridge Associated Press 12/13/2004

CHICAGO - For three or four years, a homeless man achieved the impossible: He found a cheap place to live on pricey Lake Shore Drive. Actually, Richard Dorsay lived under Lake Shore Drive, in a wooden shack built into the beams and girders of the drawbridge that crosses the Chicago River. On Sunday, Dorsay was evicted after another man arrested in suburban Streamwood told police about the home under the bridge.

Police arrested Dorsay at the bridge Thursday. He was taken to Streamwood, where he was released without being charged. He was, however, charged in Chicago with criminal trespass to property, a misdemeanor.

Dorsay's father came by the police station Sunday to take him to his home in Burr Ridge. "I've always hoped that he would find a place and he would seek employment," Gary Dorsay told the Sun-Times. "He is strong enough and bright enough to do something."

Mayor Richard Daley said Dorsay illustrates the homelessness problem in the city.

"They're there for a reason, for shelter," the mayor said. "And that's the concern we share."

[rwa265]

"They're there for a reason, for shelter," the mayor said. "And that's the concern we share."

The reason is he is a lazy bum whose own father says "is strong enough and bright enough to do something" - other than watch TV or play video games. If this illustrates the homelessness problem in Chicago, Mayor Daley, how much concern should there be.

[Salman]

bump

[martin_fierro]

Richard Dorsay lived under Lake Shore Drive, in a wooden shack built into the beams and girders of the drawbridge that crosses the Chicago River.

Grt lttl fixer-upper
EZ access to highway
Rvr vu

Downside: house turns on its side once every hour.

[VisualizeSmallerGovernment]

Dorsay was evicted after another man arrested in suburban Streamwood told police about the home under the bridge.

It's just as well. The Homeowner's Association fees were killing him.

[reagan_fanatic]

Well, at least when they salted the bridge he had something to put on his sandwich.


/insensitivity off

[Mike Bates]

Well, at least when they salted the bridge he had something to put on his sandwich.

But the salt probably isn't too good for his TV, microwave, space heater and PlayStation.

Oh the humanity.

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[gopwinsin04]

lmao! Upside: Scenic upside down view..

[billybudd]

There are too many stinking bums in Chicago. At least they got one off the streets. 6,099 to go.

[Conspiracy Guy]

This is an outrage. The government should leave this homeless man alone. Being homeless is his lifestyle and the government is interferring with his pursuit of happiness. He needs to form a homeless rights group.

[freebilly]

Send him to Santa Rosa, CA. Nice weather (albeit a bit rainy this time of the year), plenty of other homeless to socialize with, great parks to sleep in, homeless encampments under every bridge. Why, this is Homeless Heaven!

[joesnuffy]

That's funny...also show how much maintenance is being done and how thorough the inspectors are...

[Mr Ducklips]

I used to date homeless women exclusively. When the date was over, I didn't have to drive them home.

[Rakkasan1]

since he lives under a bridge, would we zot him for being a
troll?

[dead]

Dorsay was evicted after another man arrested in suburban Streamwood told police about the home under the bridge.

That other man was Billy Goat Gruff.

[GrandEagle]

On my way to work we have a bridge that anywhere from three to five folks live under at any given time. The three have been living there since I moved out that way in 1992. The put up a Christmas tree and even erect a Flag on the 4th of July. Once, I had my window down and the guy came up and asked for money. His sign read "Stranded - need money to get home". When I told him that I had seen him there for at least 10 years, and that if he had not made it home by now he probably wasn't, he just smiled with that all knowing "you caught me" smile, and moved on to the next car. I've even watched a couple of them switch shifts and the "crippled" guy handed over his crutched the the second shift, walked across the highway, got into his SUV, and drove off. Obviously he was just visiting.

[stan the beaver]

Took 'em at least three years to find the guy? They should fire the inspectors and janitors.

[GrandEagle]

Most of us just let them be. Their not really hurting anyone, other than being a nuisance.

[Hatteras]

"They're there for a reason, for shelter," the mayor said. "And that's the concern we share."

Bull DOokie. Your concern is having a vagrant, a bum, a piece of human debris hanging around on the wrong side of the tracks. If it was the bum's concern, he would have gone back home to his daddy already.

[Kokojmudd]

What a bum. He could at least make an appearance on Monster House!