The herald., 1894-08-29
THE PULLMAN SURPLUS.
Millions Piled Up for the
Stockholders.
Miserable EmolumentS for the
Workers.
Wages Cut to Fit the Depression in
Business.
Vice. President Wickes Examined by
tho Strike ommission-Ganeral
vice-Presidou ont WIckes Examined by
tho Strike Commisslon-Gsnera
Miles on the Witness
Stand.
By the Associated Press.

CHICAGO, Aug. 2S.-Iu the investiga-
ton of the Pullman strike by the ma
tional commission today, Chsuncey
Kelsey, OF the Chicago and Alton road,
testified that the lose sustained by that
road during the strike was 1856, $50.
The Chicago and Western Illinois re-
ported $21, 600; the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy, $3.50. 900 in the destruction
to property, with other losses not tabu-
lated.
Charles E. Wabb, chief clerk of the
bank at Pullman, testified that Jennie
Curtis, who claimed she was compelled
to pay back rent, has paid it voluntarily
Vice-President Wickes took the stand.
He said the cost to the company in
building cars under contract at the time
Of the strike was about 81, 100000. The
labor wonld cost about $4,000. Con-
tracts were taken on the basis Of a re-
duction OF 20 per cent. Thus, under
the old prices, the labor would cost
about $34O,O0O. Wickes admitted that
on this basis the company had reduced
receipts $4,000 and the employees
wages 100000. This, the vice-Dresident
said, looked hardly fair. but he thought
it much better than to throw the men
entirely out of employment
In answer to the chairman. Wickee
said the cut in the pav had been made
to dit the depression in business and low
selling price of cars, and not to stop
any encroachments in the profits paid
the stockholders. The surplus of $685.
000,O0 undivided profits consisted part
ly in shares whose value was constantly
deteriorating. The cost OF the cars was
counted in the surplus, go there was to
some extent fiction in the figured eur
plus.
Mr.. Wickes said that the worlds iair,
in his opinion, did not do his company
particular good. The company spent
$4,500, 600 in building new cars for fair
traffic, and the traffic was not nearly so
large as was expected. He thought the
fair work had something to do with the
cause of the strike. When the rush was
over the prices got down to bedrock and
the men were dissatisfied, He did not
think voluntary division OF the profits
in prosperous times would be better
than the present system. 1t would not
be fair to the stockholders to divide the
profits.
Wickes said the amount of back rent
due the company from strikers was
500, 900. No eviction had been made,
and there had been no orders for evic.
tion. Very little effort had been made
to collect the rent.
He said the company had contracts
with the roads it's cars run over (about
three.fourths OF all the mileage in the
country. On the territory covered by
ths contracts the Pullman company had
a monopoly.
Mr.. Wickes denied that Pullman en-
plovees were compelled TO rent the COM
pany's dwellings. He said he did not
believe that the principle OF arbitration
could be applied to man in the opera
ton OF his business. A matter of opinion
was available to arbitrste, but not the
matter Of man running his own bust
ness. The witness was questioned as to
the salaries paid 10 officers, but declined
to answer.
Gen. Nelson A. Miles took the stand
after lunch. He denied fatty the story
THAI on his arrival here from Washing
ton he had consnlted with the general
managers. On July I'd, when the con-
terence was said to have been held, he
was in Washington and arrived here on
the 4th.
Being asked i! it WAS true that he had
declared that he had broken the back
bone of the strike, the general said that
was not quite exact. What he said was
that he had broken the backbone OF the
opposition to the federal troops.
The commissioners wanted 60 know II
the troops forced railroad men to work
at the point of bayon3ts..
General Miles said while this might
have happened in come instances. he
had not been aware OF it and had issued
no orders to that effect. He said he
knew nothing about the strike.
General superintendent Sullivan Of
the Illinois Central was the last man
called to the witness stand today. He
declared that many of the striking rail-
road men had committed acts OF vio-
lence, and backed up his assertion with
tangible evidence. This was the main
point in his evidence. The balance of
his testimony was similar to that given
by preceding Witnesses.