The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-07-21
nm n ruxInA1's IllpLoY.
Hot xxaetly Like Siberian Slaves but
Far from Z Happy Lot.

Not xxaetly Like eiberian Slaves, bui
Far from : Happy Lot
President Debs, of the American
Railway Union, on the day the great
strike was declared on, said, 50 the
dispatches read: For the past five
years the Pullman company has
been systematically starving its EN-.
ployes to death. There is not free
man, woman or child within the
confines of Pullman's jurisdiction.
"Those who accept employment
in his company are as much slaves
as the Siberian exiles. I would
rather be a starving, ragged tramp
erect with my manhood, than be
George M. Pullman, the monument
tai tyrant of this world, with his
millions"
This part of his diatribe in re-
gard to the systematic starving 10
death of the employees is, of course,
if taken in it's literal sense, gross
exaggeration, but that part in re-
gard to the actual slavery of their
positions being counterpart only to
that Of the Siberian eAiles is true il
the word of Pullman conductor
who has been many years in the
service can be relied upon. And he
speaks chiefly of the experience of
conductors, whose place is e. favored
one compared to most Of the en-
ployes of the great comfort giving
company of which George M. Pull
man is the head.
The writer, when coming to New
York from Chicago soon after the
fair. was a witness to two incidents.
both amusing in themselves, but
hardly worth remembering, except
as they indicated the petty hard
ships to which the supposed auto
crat of the sleeping car is subjected
by the rules of the Pullman COM
pany.
MYSTERY OF THE SHOES.
The occupant of one of the Sec
tons was raising great hubbub
because one of his shoes was miss
ing. The porter was explaining to
the conductor and the traveller that
he had BACKED the shoes and re-
turned them to their place.
"But," said the gentleman who
had lost his shoe, there is only one
left now. Do you suppose any
body would be fool enough to steal
Just one shoe, when he could have
both just as easily?"
II doan't know bout dat, sab, .
said the porter. II BACKED both
of 'em and put 'em back just where
1 got 'em." :,
"Look under the next section, .
ordered the conductor.
The porter did so and brought
forth another shoe, but it wasn't a
mate to the gentleman's.
That's not my SHOE" he said.
THAT thing is no good and mine is
new"
This discovery of an odd shoe
under the adjoining berth only
the mystery. The porter
got down on his hands and knees
and felt around under both berths
for more shoes; none were forth
coming. He arose perspiring and
perplexed.
Oats bout the most strangest
thing l ever did see. It's more like
witches than bu'glars."
"Maybe that gentleman" sug
gested the traveller, indicating the
other berth ''has put on one of his
and one of mine."
This seemed improbable, however,
as the occupant of the next berth
was apparently sleeping calmly and
contentedly, not yet having risen
for the morning additions. He was
aroused and declared that he had
on no shoes; that his we're in his
valise and had not been out since
be retired. The porter swore that
when he cleaned the car before
starting the unblacked and minated
shoe found beneath the berth had
not been there.
Fortunately the traveller who
had missed his shoe had a pair Of
slippers which he put on, after in.
forming the conductor that the
would have to pay him
for his loss.
LIGHT ON THE PUZZLE.
The conductor afterward re.
to the writer who knew him
very we'll This thing will cost
me SIS. He will make a formal
complaint to the company. The
company will pay him, and S. will
be kept out of my salary. That's
the way it is. The company never
loses anything, no matter what hap
pens, and there's hardly a week
goes by but we lose enough to
make big difference to us, and
through no fault of our own. Now,
I'll tell you where the mystery in
this shoe business comes in. But
it don't make any difference. III
have to pay that IS anyhow.
You see the second traveller
the one who said his shoes hadnt
been out of his valise since the