The Washington times., 1894-07-22
How the Great "Benefactor" and "Phi-
lanthropist" Got His Money.
ORIGIN OF THE SLEEPING CAR
The Real Inventor Sleeps in an Unmarked
Grave at Mount 0livet Cemetery in Chi
cago, While the Man Who Appropriated
His Scheme Rolls in Wealth.

forted with the angry cries Of his subject he
has retired to Castle Rest. Pullman Island.
He is rich and he can own castles and islands
and towns, all because he is the proprietor Of
the Pullman palace car system.
Plymon B. Greene died practically pauper.
His remains rest now out at Mount Olivet in
coffin which has not yet been paid for. He
died two years ago, denied during his last ILL
ness Of the little comforts which q mighty man
mighty in the power which wealth untold
gave him-was appealed to to supply. His
| widow is now living on pittance in little
frame cottage in West Adams street.
George NJ Pullman profted by the idea
born in the brain OF Plymon b. Greene, which
resulted in the sleeping car. That was some
thirty five years ago. AT that time Green and
Pullman were both poor men.
Like most geriuses, Greene was poetic,
dreamy. impractical. He could make plans,
devise schemes, and suggest inventions, says
the Chicago Herald, but there was no business
tact in his makeup, and he made no secret OF
his scheme for hotel on wheels.
Pullman, like Greene, was poor. Unlike
him he was cold and practical. He was a
| housemover. Greene was an artist. Pull
man got hold of Greene's patent.
Pullman Is Summering at Castle Rest Pull
man Island. Greene is lying in an unpaid
for coffin at Mount Oliyet.
Pullman was appealed to for a trifie to buy
medicine for Greene in his last illness. He
| refused.
| TRUTH CAREFULLY SUPPRESSED.
Pretty stories have been written about the
origin of the sleeping car-some pretty enough
to be poems. 1t has gone the rounds that
Mrs. Pullman, in a moment Of happy inspira-
| tion. conceived the idea which her hard
headed husband saw millions in. little
book has Just been published which bears the
imprimatur Of George NJ. Pullman himself,
and in it Is set forth a history OF the idea so
carefully phrased as to provide against the
publication some day oil the connection with
| the scheme of Plymon B. Greene. There is
| honesty enough in the book to be without
| claim for Mr.. Pullman that he and none other
| was the inventor, but that his WAS the brain
to first to conceive it is cleverly intimated.
The book opens with this statement:
| At just what time Mr.. Pullman first began
thinking on the subject of sleeping cars he
himself would. perhaps, find it hard to tell.
The problem had been raised by the compile
tion of what then were considered long lines
OF railroads. Mr.. Pullman WAS at that time
young man. In general way the sleeping
car and its possibilities had ioated through
his mind and he had casually discussed the
matter with friends.
His first serious attention to it, however
dates from certain night journey he made
about that time from Buffalo to Westfeld. 1t
was sixty mile ride and he occupied q bunk
in one of the so-called sleeping cars of that
epoch. During the journey he lay awake, re-
volving in his mind plans by which the car
could be transformed into dormitory, in
which there would be greater degree of
comfort and elegance. While it cannot be
said that his determination to make sleeping
car construction the occupation of his life
dates from that particular nights ride, it is
certain that he left the train at Westfield con-
vinced that he could build better car than
the one he had just occupied and dimly see
ing, even thus early. the possibility OF there
being in that direction field for his life work.
REAL INVENTOR OF THE SLEEPING CAR.
That is very pretty. 1t is the latest. II
the writer had only gone to 342 West Adams
street he would have discovered sat just
what time lIr. Pullman began thinking of
sleeping cars At that number has lived
many years Mrs. Greene, widow Of the man
who first set Mr.. Pullman thinking Of sleep
ing cars-a woman gentle and refined, who
looks and talks more like a lady than many
OF her sex who, with millions at their COM
mand, glory in the frippery OF fashion. She
makes no bitter complaints; she has nothing
derogatory to say OF Mr.. Pullman; she does
not rail at fate she merely ponders on the
strangeness Of its DEGREES which commits the
originator of an enterprise to pauper's grave
and showers riches on an associate who ap-
appropriated his friends idea.
Plymon B. Greene was born in Brandon,
VT, in 1929. Twenty years later he married
in Lowell, Mass, and in 1858 came to Chicago
Greene opened a photograph gallery at Al
Lake street. He made fair living, but was
always discontented. He was a close reader
of scientific books and was always promising
his wife that some day he would get rich on
thought he had in mind. He t0ld her it was
to devise an adjustable car berth. About 1856
he met George NJ. Pullman, who was a
struggling housemover. Greene con1ded in
Pullman and showed him the drawings OF
model which was almost completed
Indlsputable records show that Greene OBJ |
tanned patent for his plan in 1857, two years |
before Pullman's patent was obtained. |
bodyilg in general outline the principles OF |
the Pullman sleeping car Of to-day.
GREENK's IDEA PROVES SUCCESSFUL.
Greene was unable, through want Of funds,
to push his invention, and after he had made |
vain efforts for a trial on the Michigan Gen.
tral and the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy
he gave up in despair. His wife en-
couraged him, told him to keep on improving
his invention and predicted that a day OF sue
cess would yet dawn. At this stage patent
with Mr.. Pullman made advances to Mr..
Greene.
Mr.. Pullman, as Mr.. Greene soon learned,
had disclosed the inventors plans to the pro-
moter. and in utter disgust Greene sold
half interest in his scheme to Woodruff for
$500. The next thing that Greene learned
was that George NJ. Pullman obtained q
patent for an adjustable sleeping car berth
almost identically on the lines of the model
that Greene had urguardedly shown him. |
Green sacrificed his half interest practically
for song.
Time passed and Greene's idea was taking
hold. 1t was being talked Of. 1t was tried
and it was success. Woodruff and Pullman
quarreled. Pullman wanted all the fruits. all
the gain. A lawsuit ensued and Pullman
won.
Greene struggled along as a photographer.
Pullman was soaring and Greene was down
among the poor. As late as 1871 Pullman
in significant way Greene's
right to be considered the originator of the
idea. His attorneys discovered what looked
like flaw in his title to the patent Greene,
poor, poetic Greene, with the artists soul,
was asked for his signature 10 document
presented by Mr.. Pullman's lawyers. He was
told that his signature could be dispensed
with, that his signing his name was mere
[ormality that was desirable but not neces-
sary. Greene signed his name and he got
s125.
Pullman went on and prospered. Greene
was burned out in the big fire. He opened
business later at IS State street. and earned