The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-04

A Statement Regarding the Strike Troubles
Issncd by The CompanY.


Issued by the Company.
AS the desperate attempt by the leaders
Of this boycott" to stop business on al
most every railway in the country is
based, ostensibly, on the strike OF Pull
man car shop men inaugurated over
six weeks ago, statement OF the con
ditions which were made the excuse lot
that strike forms an essential part OF
the history, and this is given in the
following statement issued by the Pull
man company:
In the first week of May last there
were employed in the car manufacturing
department at Pullman, H.. about 6'lW
persons May 7th a committee Of work
men had an interview by arransemeht
with Mr. Wickes. the vice-president, at
sion related TO wages, but minor grey
ances as TO shop administration were
also presented, and II was agreed that
another meeting should be held May SIh,
AT which all the grievances should De
presented I'm writing. The second meet
ing was held. AS TO the complaints on
ali matters except wages IL was aIIdnseu
that a formal and thorough investigation
should be made by Mr.. Wickes. TO De
begun the next day, and full redress was
assured to the committee as 10 all COM
plants proved TO be well founded.
The absolute necessity OF the last reuuV-
ton in wages, under the existing condl-
ton OF the business of car manuiact1I-
ing, had been explained 10 the commit
tee. and they were insisting upon a
restoration of the wage scale or the
drst half Of 1893. when Mr.. Pullman en-
tered the room and addressed the COM
mittee, speaking in substance az loi-
lows: 49, ,.or,,
ser;ous denression last year we were
employing at Pullman. 5,Sl5 men, dtu
having out in wages there SoOo~0 inohln,
NEGOTIATIONS with intending purchasers
of railway equipment tnaI . WerT i" Sv
Them orders already given by otners were
cancelled and we were oblBed 10 iay
off as you are aware, larse NUM-
of men In every department, SO lIdt ps
November l. 1898, there were only apout
1000 men in all departments. or ABOUT
one-third Of the normal number. real
lied the necessity for the most strenuous
exertions to procure work lmHleuldtclg'
without which there would be sreat en-
barrassment not only TO the employees
and their families at Pullman, put also
to those living in the l mn end 500 en-
Moves who had purchased homes, ana 10
whom employment was actually neces-
sarv to enable them TO complete ther
payments.
THE coMPET1TIoN.
81 canvassed the matter Thoroughly WIN
the manager of the works, and instructed
hin, 10 cause the men TO be assured mat
the company would do everything ID lp
power to meet the competition, Whlch Nds
sure TO occur. because or the great HuiI-
Der of large car manufacturers lhdt VIZ
in the same condition, ana were en-
ceedingly anxious to keep theT men
employed. l knew that If there was any
work to be let bids for IL would be let
upon q much lower basis than ever De-
fore. (Note-The selling prices Of pas
senger, baggage, box, refrigerator, ana
street cars have in the last Two years
fallen by percentage varying In the scl'a-
rate classes from II TO Is, the average
reduction, taking the five classes. to-
gether, being "A per cent? The result OF
this discussion was revision IN piece
work prices. which. in the absence OF any
information to the contrary. / supposed
TO be acceptable to the men under me
circumstances. Under these conditions
and with lower prices upon all maleIlals
j personally undertook the work OF inc
lettings Of cars, and by making loNcI
bids than other manufacturers seCuIeu
work enough 10 gradually increase our
force from 200 TO 400, the number en-
ployed. according to the April pay rolls at
all capacities at Pullman.
This result has not been accomplished
merely by reduction in wages, but tle
company has borne its fun share by elm
mating from its estimates the use OF
capital and machinery, and In many
cases going even below that and taking
work at considerable loss, notably the
fifty-fve Long Island cars, whlch was
the first large order OF passenger cars
let since the great depression, and which
was sought Tor by practically all the
leading car-buiders IN the country. My
anxiety to secure that order, so as 10
put as many men at work as possible,
was sucn that l put in a bid at more
than $500 per car less than the acutal
cost TO the company. The 800 stock cars
built for the Northwestern road and the
250 refrigerator cars now under construc-
ton for the same company, will result
In a loss of at least Sl2 per car. and
twenty-five cars just built for the Lake
Street Elevated road show a loss Of $40
per car L mention these particulars Sc
that you may understand what the com
pany has done for the mutual interest
and TO secure for the people at Pullman
and vicinity the benefit Of the disburse-
ment of the large sums of money involved
In these and similar contracts, which can
be kept up only by the procurement OF
new orders for cars. for as you know,
about three-fourths OF the men must de-
pend upon contract work for en-
ployment. | can only assure you that II
this company now restores the wages
Of the first half Of 1898, as you have
asked, IL would be a most unfortunate
thing for the men, because there is less
than sixty days of contract work in sight
in the shops under all orders. and there
Is absolutely no possibility in the present
condition OF AFFAIRS throughout the coUn-
try Of getting any more orders for work
at prices measured by the wages OF Nav.
1888. Under such a scale the works would
necessarily close down, and the great ma
Jority OF the employees be put in idleness.
a contingency am using my best Efforts
10 avoid.
ITO further benefit the people of Pull
man and vicinity we concentrated all the
work that we could command at that
point by closing our Detroit shops en-
tlrely and laying off a large number of
men at our other repair shops and gave
TO Pullman the repair of all cars that
could be taken care of there.
INTERNAL IMpRovrM MIS-.
"Also for the further benefit OF our
people at Pullman we have carried on a |
large system OF internal improvements. |
having expended nearly $4,000 since Au- !
gust last In work. which, under normal /
conditions. would have been spread over |
one or two years. The policy would be |
to continue this class OF work to as great |
an extent as possible. provided, OF course
the Pullman men show a proper appre- |
citation OF the situation by doing what