Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-23
PULLMAN PROFITS.
Business of the Company as Viewed by
One of Its 0fiCers..-Pay of Con-
duCtOrs and POrters---Laundry
Bills and Dead Heads.
correspondence Times.JOurnal.l


Correspondence Times-Journal.l
CHICAGO, May 16.-Coming up to
this village the other night from St.
Louis on the Chicago and Alton | fell
in with a most agreeable travelling
companion in the person of a promi-
nent attache of the Pullman Palace
Car Company, and in the course of
the evening a chat with him pumped
from him considerable information on
the subject Of palace a business
which was new to me and | think will
shod interesting light on a subject
probably dark to a majority of the
Times-JOurnal readers.
Why is it" l remarked, that
your company steadily refuses to make
any reduction in your rates? You
charge as much for a nights ride on
one of your cars as you did when every
thing else was twice as expensive as
now? If you could make money then
you must be fairly submerged in
golden showers now"
There" Quoth the p. P. G. man,
is where you, in common with all the
rest of humanity, labor under a great
mistake. If the public could Just
take an inside view of our affairs, all
this idea of the tremendous profits of
the Pullman Palace Car Company
would take a little different shape.
Why, the people seem to think we
have nothing to do but build a lot of
elegant cars, hire porters and con-
ductors at allow price to run EN-, and
then sit down and take in cash by the
cart load for the use of those accom-
modations."
You certainly must allow that
you are not going to the poor house
very fast?' s.
Perhaps not, aud | will not say
that u company is not doing very
fairly in a business way, but while
some people seem to think we might
declare 100 per cent. dividends every
year, the fact is that many railroads,
TO say nothing Of other mercantile
corporations, pay bigger dividends
than the Pullman Palace Car CON-
pany.n
What dividends do you declare, if
1t is a fair question 2
Last year we declared eight per
cent"
" Is that ALL"
Every bit, and not a few railroads
pay ten and some even better. The
members Of the Illinois legislature,
who came up to Chicago to investigate
US with reference to the bill regulat-
ing and reducing our rates through
this State, opened their eyes when our
books were thrown open for their in.
spection. We keep complete records
Of all different branches Of receipts
and expenses for years back, and when
they looked into the subject they were
satisfied that such legislation as that
contemplated would be unjust. A
good many people and papers said they
were bought up, but our worst enemy
would be similarly convinced by SINH
lar examination.
What is the nature Of your prin.
cipal expense items p
Well, the cost Of the cars is of
course very great, because they are
not only finished regardless Of cost.
but are made much heavier and
stronger than ordinary cars. For in
stance, in every car are two very
heavy Oaken timbers, running the en-
tire length of the car, which are never
used in ordinary cars. and which make
IL impossible 10 break a Pullman car
in a railway accident. Our cars may
take fire and burn, or in a collision
the windows and other glass may get
smashed, but you never heard Of one
being smashed up. 1t would be I'M.
possible. II may seem strange 10 you
but it is a fact that never yet has ono
Of our conductors been killed on duty
that's pretty good evidence Of the
safety Of our cars
How much do you pay conductor
and portersY'
Conductors get from $50 to $50
month, and porters from $40 10 SO
according 10 the run"
How docs it come that such (;
difference is made in the pay Of por
tiers ?"
Well, the porters always max,
more or less by shines and other littl,
pcrquisites according 10 the import
ance Of the points between which the.
run, and their pay is regulated 10
certain extent by that fact. Why, Of
some runs the porters will take in a
high as two or three dollars In a singh
night. The run from Chicago 70 81
Louis, for instance, is considered on.
Of the best"
What are your highest aud loves
receipts IRON single trips z
On some Of tie loug runs, Tx
New York 10 Chicago. AZ much as 81.
10 500 will sometimes be taken IN
while on some roads We will O At
loss every trip"
Why do you run On such a road I
u, Simply to keep Die budness 4
baud, with 4 view Of doing better I
the future.