, 1885-02-28
THET0WN OF PULLMAN
a VILLAGE DESIGNED AS A MODEL
woRKiNomAN's COMMUNITY.
woridnEs OF Philanthropio Desi ,otism-
Social Advantages. Prevalent Iesperta-
blity and Low Death Kats-rhs
Loss Of s'sponsanIsty."


New York SUM- D.
The town of Pullman Is situated on the
Illinois Central railroad, about a dozen miles
70 the south OF Chicago. 1t Is the seat OF the
works of the palace car" company OF which
Mr.. George N. Pullman Is president, and is
chiefly inhabited by the employees Of that
company and their families. Although the
construction Of the factories was not begun
until the spring OF 1850, when the site OF the
town was unbroken prairie land. the city OF
Pullman contained last September a popula-
ton OF 1918 souls.
The intention OF Mr.. Pullman was to make
1t a model community. in which the work
ingman could obtain many OF the advant
ages ordinarily secured by wealth alone. and
where the inhabitants could pass lives OF al
most IDEAL order and beauty. He put the
building Of the town under the direction of
n single architect, who was instructed to lay
out the place on scientific principles, and was
able to preserve a unity OF design which
would not have been possible under other
circumstances.
The result is told very overwhelmingly by
Mr.. Richard T. Ely in the last number OF
Harper's Magazine, and his descriptions and
observations ars accompanied by many H.
lustrations of much artistic merit We
have also a report upon the Sin iustrial, So
cha, and economic conditions Of Pullman
made by the convention OF the commission
ers 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
three days in studying the working Of Mr..
Pullman's social experiment
Both these authorities speak with admlra-
ton Of the town in its superficial aspects, at
least. 1t Is indeed a sight as rare as it is de-
lightful, says Mr.. Ely. "What might have
been taken for a wealthy suburban town Is
given up to busy workers. who literally earn
their bread by the sweat OF their brow
There are no dronss, and clergyman, Off
GERS OF this company. AMI mechanics live in
adjolnining dwellings" The place has an
aall-perva lin air of thrift and providence"
ana In the ~laborer's quarters not a delap-
idated doorstep nor a broken window,
stuffed perhaps 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 one has lis architectural peculiari-
ties. and neatly-trimmed lawns separate the
dwellings from the street The frontage of
all the buildings extends along five miles Of
solii paved streets. and there are fourteen
miles OF railroad track laid for the use of
those in the shops and the town Great cars
and expense have been expended on a scion
tihc drainage and sewage system, and a
water tower distributes through the town a
supply of water from Lake Michigan.
Among the public buildings are a pictur-
esque hotel, a church, n market house, and
an arcade, containing the only shops in the
town, a library, aud a theatre. The streets
are wide, well-built, and wherever possible
parked. The cheapest tenement is supplied
with gas and water and with garbage out
lets. THE housekeeper throws the garbage
into a specified receptacle. and has no more
caro- of it,
The library contains 10000 volumes, the
gift OF Mr.. Pullman, and has a -reading-room
with many periodicals. "The library-room
are elegantly furnished with Wilton carpets
and p~lush-covered chairs, and the walls are
beautifully painted" for 1t Is part of the
design OF Pullman 20 surround laborers, as
far as pc ssible, W it'll all the privileges of
large wealth" Nothing being free in the
town, the annual subscription to the library
Is IS. An attempt has been made to induce
the subscribers to improve 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 n fire depart
ment
In fact, the Pullman company ~sustains
everything in Pullman. 1t owns all the
land and all the buildings, which now mum
her over 1900, and which are rented at rates
varying from "a a month for the cheapest
fats to 800 a month for the largest private
house in the place. The rent usually paid
varies from S14 to SIS q month; and, as a
business enterprise, Pullman L. successful,
for 1t yields u handsome interest on the
money expended. and the land has vastly
increased in value. 1t Is also remarkable
for its healthfulness. the death rate being
only about one-half that Of the nearest town.
Tho silent educational influences of their
surroundings" we are told works a great
change In the inhabitants. Slovenly house
wives are shamed into habits OF cleanliness
and order by tbs good example Of their
neighbors and the spick and span condition
OF the town generally. "Men who are accus-
toned to lounge on their front stoops, smok
ing pipes and in their dirty shirt sleeves,
soon dress and act more In accordance with
the requirements Of ~socisty.p
And yet, Mr.. Ely tells US, the inhabitants
Of this model city are not content; and why
Because Mr.. Pullman is resolved that they
shall be happy in the way he appoints and
in no other. They cannot own their dwell
ings, for these all belong to the company
which win not sell them. They nave no part
in the municipal government and nothing Ia
say In regard TO 1t, for the company controls
everything with a despotic hand. NThe
power Of Bismarck in Germany Is utterly
insignificant" says Mr.. Ely, Awhen com.
pared with the power OF the ruling authority
of the Pullman Palace Car mpan in Pull.
man" Every tenant holds his house ON a
lease which may be terminated OH ten days
notice. and that no reason need DO given for
thu notice the lease expressly stipulates.
The consequence is that people who try
this model community, and come under the
philanthropic ~despotism OF Mr.. Pullman, are
usually very tired OF 1t after a short resi-.
dence. The velvet carpets and plush-covered
chairs Of the library. the green and closely
shaven lawns, the prevalent respectability
and even the low death rate, do not comlpen,
safe for the loss OF freedom and s~pontaniety.
1t is all very nice and proper, but it would
be more to their tastes to sit on the stoop in
their shirt sleeves and smoke a pipe, when
they felt so inclined. The u~nvarying order
becomes oppressive, and, as the statistical
commissioner say, sometimes causes a sigh
for the looser ways and the consequent
loossr morals OF other -communities." On
woman told Mr.. Ely that she had been in
Pullman two years, and that there were
only three families Of her acquaintance who
were there when she came. 1--WE call II
camping out" she added.
Tn inhabitants, being all dependent on
the company, are afraid to express their real
feelings. Large as the place ia, there is nc
newspaper through which complaints might
lind u~ttsrancs, and everybody is timid and
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