Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
THE PALACE.CAR KING.
The Remarkable Rise of Millionaire
George Pullman.
Brains and Energy Will Go to the
Front.

Mr.. George NJ. Pullman, the founder Of
the world-famed Pullman palace car sys
TEN, was born in Chautauqua county
New York, March 3, 1881. At the age OF
Ia he entered store at Westfel0. n. 7.
at a salary of $40 per year. When II
years old he, with his brother, began the
business of cabinet-making in Albion, n
z, where his family resided. Before hs
had attained his 22d year his father died
leaving kim almost the sole support Of
his mother aud FIVE younger brothers and
sisters.
The struggle under such load was G
severe one for young Pullman, butt enl!
servad to develop his indomitable pluct
and natural abilities. He found the cab
iDet-making business too small for the
support Of so large q family and trans
ferred his operations to a wider bushes:
field. The enlargement of the Erie cana
furnished him with the desired opportuni
ty and he contracted with the state OF
New York for the removal of a large
number OF building which necessitateG
the widening Of this waterway.
The venture as a contractor proved
successful and the result Melted him sew
eral thousand dollars. With this as the
nucleus for the colossal fortune he was
finally to accumulate, he came west and
located in Chicago in the year 1859, and
at once engaged in the the then novel en-
terprise of raising entire blocks Of brick
and stone buildings; in which business
he had signal success.
Prior TO his coming west, IN the year
1858, he saw, while riding over the Lake
Shore railroad, one of the primitive
sleeping cars, just then introduced. Mr.
Pullman was impressed with the feast
bility of developing the crude idea en-
bodied in the construction of this Cal
into vehicle of comfort and luxury fol-
day and night travel. During the year
1859 he fitted two ordinary passenger
cars on the Chicago and Alton railroad
into sleepers which were decided i'm
provement over other sleepers of that
date, and SO crea ted and established the
demand for improved travelling accomo-
dations.
Mr.. Pullman in the meantime had en-
gagged in merchandising and mining IL
Colorado. But in the year 1858 he dis
posed OF his interests there and returned
to Chicago. determined to devote his
energies and the means he had accumula-
ted to perfecting sleeping and parloI
cars and inaugurate q system OF operat-
ing them on through lines of railway. In
that year, 1864, he began the first Pull
man car, now known as the "Pioneer," IN
the old repair shed in the yard Of the
Chicago and Alton company.
The Pullman Palace Car Company was
organized in 1867, with Mr.. Pullman as
president, and now operates more than
1900 cars over more than 10000 miles Of
railway in America and Europe, and has
com pletely revolutionized the methods of
modern travel. In the manufacturing
and repair departments, including the
operating departments, it employs over
5000 men.
In 1880 Mr.. Pullman began what he
considers the greatest achievement of
his life. This was the building near this
city Of the model manufacturing town
which bears his name, and which, in
the short space of less than eight years,
has become one of the most widely
known oenters Of industrial activity in
the world.
The employees Of this city are more
prosperou2 and happy than the employees
nf any similar industry in the world.
l. CO prises ten manufacturing estao-
lishr,ents, all of them nearly allied to
the parent enter prise, the Pullman Palace
Car Company. It numbers population
of about 10000, of whom 5000 are men
employed in the allied industries.
The average earning Of each Pullman
operative are $5S6.85 per annum, hig her
average, it is believed, than that of OPP
eratlves in any similar set Of allied in
dustries in tbs world.
Mr.. PulIman's chief characteristics are
a strong individuality entire self-reliance,
absolute integrity of purpose and a
loyal devotion to the work in hand. Mr..
Pullman is in the prime of life and his
equable temperament, not less than his
temperate habits, give promise of length
or days, His head is massive, his fore
head high and his broad face free from
lines of care.
His eyes are brown. with an express
sion of genial kindliness, his hair, tlnged
with gray, is carefully brushed, and his
chin whiskers are kept carefully trimmed
His face is strong without severity,
gentle without weakness-fun Of reserve
force. He has great repose of manner
and speaks distinctly, but slowly, as If
weighing every word, and in voice soft
but penetrating and rather persuasive
than perem ptory.
In his domestic relations Mr.. Pullman
is most happy; he is surrounded by a
charming family to every one of which
he is devotedly alta ohed.