The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-01-25
. A Philanthropic DespOt.


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A Philanthropic Despot.
The town OF Pullman is situated on the
Illinois Central Railroad. about dozen miles
to the south OF Chicago. 1t is the seat OF the
works OF tho "palace car" company Of
which Mr.. GEORGE M. PULLMAN is Presi-
dent, and Is chiefly inhabited by the en-
ployees OF that company and their families
Although tho construction OF the factories
| was not begun until the spring Of 1880, when
the site Of the town was unbroken prairie
land, tho city OF Pullman contained last Sep
TENDER population of s,5l3 souls.
Tho intention OF Mr.. PULLMAN was to
make it q model community, in which the
workingman could obtain many Of tho adj
vantagcs ordinarily secured by wealth alone,
and where the inhabitants could pass lives
OF almost ideal order and beauty. He put
the building OF the town under the direction
OF single architect, who was instructed to
lay out the place on scientific principles, and
was able to preserve unity OF design which
would not have been possible under other
circumstances.
The result Is told very entertainingly by
Mr.. RICHARD I. ELY in the last number OF
Ha,per's Magazine, and his descriptions and
observations are accompanied by many Illus
trations OF much artistic merit. We have
also report upon the industrial, social,
and economic conditions Of Pullman" made
by the Convention OF the Commissioners
of Labor Statistics OF the different States
That Convention met last June in st. Louis,
and. according to agreement, assembled
again In Pullman in September and spent
Al -
PULLMAN's social experiment.
Both these authorities speak with admira-
ton Of the town In Its superficial aspects, at
least 1t is indeed sight Us rare as 1t is do
lghtful, says Mr.. ELY. "What might have
been taken for wealthy suburban town is
given up to busy workers, who literally earn
their bread in the sweat Of their brow"
There are no drones, and "clergymen. off,
ccrs Of tho company. and mechanics live In
adjoining dwellings" The place has IN all
pervading air Of thrift and providence" and
In the "laborers' quarters not a dilapidated
doorstep nor broken window, stuffed per-
haps with old clothing, is to be found"
The houses, which are OF brick, are built in
groups OF two or more, and even in blocks,
but each ono has it's architectural pecullari-
tics, and neatly-trlmmed lawns separate the
dwellings from the street. Tho frontage Of
all the buildings extends along five miles OF
solid paved streets, and there are fourteen
miles OF railroad track laid for the use Of
those in the shops and the town. Great care
and expense have been expended on scien-
tific drainage and sewage system, and o
water tower distributes through the town a
supply OF water from Lake Michigan. Among
the public buildings are picturesque hotel,
a church. market house, and an arcade,
containing the only shops In tho town, H.
brary, and theatre. The streets are wide,
we'll built. and wherever possible parked.
The cheapest tenement is supplied with gas
| and water and with garbage outlets. "The
housekeeper throws the garbage into spec
flied receptacle, and has no moro care of it,"
Tho library contains six thousand volumes,
the gift of Mr.. PULLMAN, and has a reading
room with many periodicals. "The library
rooms are elegantly furnished with Wilton
carpets and plush covered chairs. and the
walls are beautifully painted" for 1t is part
OF the design of Pullman to surround Ia
borers. as far as possible. with all the privi-
leges OF large wealth." Nothing being free
In the town, tho annual subscription to the
library Is three dollars. An attempt has
been made to induce the subscribers to i'm
prove their taste in reading: but, as is
usually the case with such libraries, three
quarters OF the books taken out are works
OF fiction. There Is a handsome free school
building, common livery accommodations
are provided, and the Pullman Company
sustains a Fire Department.
In fact. tho Pullman Company sustalns
everything in Pullman. 1t owns all the land
and all tho buildings, which now number
over fifteen hundred, and which are rented
at rates varying from 81 a month for the
cheapest fats to 500 month for the largest
private house In the place. The rent usually
paid varies from $l4 to $25 a month; and, as
business enterprise. Pullman is successful,
for it yields handsome interest on the
money expended. and the land has vastly in
creased In value 1t Is also remarkable for
Its hoalthfulness. the death rate being only
about ono-haf that Of tho nearest town.
Tho "silent educational influence OF their
surroundings" we are told, works n great
change In the inhabitants. Siovenly house,
wives are shamed into habits OF cleanliness
and order by the good example OF their
neighbours and tho splck and span condition
OF the town generally. "Mcn who arc &C.
customei to lounge on their front stoops,
smoking pipes and in dirty shirt sleeves,
soon dress and act moro in accordance with
tho requirements OF society"
And yet, Mr., Ely tells us, the inhabitants
OF this model city are not content: and why2
Because Mr.. PULLMAN is resolved that they
shall be happy In the way he appoints and
in no other, Thoy cannot own their dwell
ings, for these all belong to the company,
which will not sell them. They have no part
in tho municipal government and nothing to
soy In regard to 1t, for the company controls