The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-14
PeffisD yGOOdSC CO
How the Foundations of IA Great In
uustry Were Laid.

uustfy were Lalu.
Denver Special to st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat.
Col. r. E. GoodelI, of Denver. was the
man who gave George NJ. Pullman his
start In life, ana at this lime, when Tie op-
e~rations OF Pullman lave become the cen
ter Of an interest as wide as the continent,
IL is Instructive 10 look back at the small
beginning from which grew one If the Iarg-
est concerns in the world. In 1888 Colonel
Goodeu was superintendent of the Chicago
< Alton railroad. Sleeping cars were just
beginning to make their appearance on a
few of the roads in the East.
And pretty rocky affairs they We're
said the Colonel last night, recalling the
circumstances They had three decks made
of rattan, the top one being Just the WldIn
OF a man and those below widening as they
descended. There was nothing that we as
sociate with a sleeping car, no clean sheets
or other cOnveniences. and they Were, IN
fact, but makeshifts. The Alton was a road
peculiarly adapted to sleeping cars, as 1t
made the run between its terminals IN a
night, so we concluded that we would look
into the matter. There were three compa-
MES making sleeping cars, in a very small
way, and operating them on the New York
Central and Pennsylvania. 1 think Pullman
made his appearance then with his idea, on
which he had got a patent. He was a young
man or about twenty-eigh or thirty, ana
he impressed me so strongly with his
earnestness n the thoroughneSS win
which he explained al the parts of his tr-
yention that concluded that i would pre-
fer him to the established concerns, be-
cause he would more likely put MS pest
efforts in the work. The road made a con-
tract to remodel two old passenger cars,
Nos. Q and 10. and he took them to our
shops at Bloomington, where the insldes
were removed and refitted according TO his
orders. Those were the first Pullman cars.
The terms OF the contract were that the
company should stand all the expense OF
maintaining the outside of the car, while
Pullman looked after the interior, or. one
might say, the portions wherein II differed
from the ordinary car, and those are prac-
tically the terms OF all contracts which ne
has made with the railroads since.
Il must say that Mr.. Pullman broke his
contract, and he broke 1t in a peculiar way.
He wasn't content TO put in what his con-
tract Obliged him TO, but every car that ne
turned out, and we socIl had half a dozen
some little touch that made IL more at
tractive. He had the genius to perceive
t rsysRPu n1tip ngsh money Gon ihto rs S0Tn0r = r iIcbh I RE
made. 1t was a short time before persons
buying tickets would ask II there were
Pullmans on the train, and other roads
were compelled to come to him. He did
not rest with a few roads, as some men
might nave done, but extended his business
until it reached the extent that we all
He has perhaps the most remarkable
business capacity of any man 1 ever met.
HIS enterprises are managed IN the most
he can turn TO the record of any car, no
matter in what part of the United States
or Europe IL may be running, and tell pre-
cisely what il costs. o much it earns,
the expenses for repairs and all other mat
terS connected with IL. He forms his Opln-
ions with great rapidity and expresses
them simply and clearly. Much of his
business is done travelling. Presidents and
superintendent of roads come to his car
and in half an hours conversation arrange
the detsils of business for perhaps a year.
While i have often heard him spoken of as
autocratiC. l have always found him TO be
easily approached by those who wished to
see him., and his manner was affable and
cordial. He doesn't grow enthusiastic over
anything, and i never saw him excited"
Colonel GcOdell takes pleasure in showing
a pass good on every car belonging to the
company on either continent. Il have
can count on my fingers the fellows who
seem TO remember IL, and George VI. Pull
man is one of them. This pass is mailed
every year SO that it comes to me on New
Years morning, and / think a great deal
more OF IL than can be measured by its
mere value or convenience"