The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-09-06
PULLMAN A WITNESS.
PALACE GAR MAGNATE GIVES
HIS TESTIMONY.
ne Gives the Strike Commission Informa.
tion Concerning the Pullman Works
Wickes Declares that the Company Lost
100000 Rather than Close the Shops.
Explains His Position,


George NJ. Pullman was called be.
Iore the Labor Commission in Chicago,
n testified for three hours. He
spoke OF the motives which had
caused the conn any to build its plant
In the way it had done and to provide
homes for its wOrkmen. He said that
the object in bui ding Pullman was
the establishment of a great manu-.
featuring business on the most sub
stantial basis possible. Because he
recognized that the working people
were the most important element
which enters into the successful opera
ton OF any enterprise he decided to
build in close proximity to the shops
homes for the wOrkingmen of such
character and SURROUNDINGS as would
prove so attractive that the best class
OF mechanics would seek that place
for employment in preference to 9TH
ers.
Accordingly (Mr. Pullman continued),
the present location Of Pullman Was Sc
iected. That region OF the country was
then very sparsely populated, u very few
hundred people, mostly farmers, living
within a radius of perhaps a mile and q
half or the site selected, where there are
now living some rs. 900 people. 1t was not
the intention to sell to workingmen homes
In Pullman, but to so limit the are l of the
town that they could buy homes at con-
venient distances from the works if they
chose to do so II any lots had been sold
In Pullman, 1t would have permitted the
Introduction of the baleful elements which
1t was the chief purpose to exclude from
the immediate neighborhood Of the shops
and from the homes to be erected about
tnenl. The MAN wal tn nrnVfda hn,nnC L.
the first place for all people who should
desire to work In the shops, at soma BILE
rentals, with the expectation that. as they
became able and should desire to do so,
they could purchase lots and erect homes
for themselves within convenient dis
tances. or avail themselves of the oppor-
tuntty to rent homes from other people
who should build In that vicinity.
AS a matter of fact, at the time of the
strike 563 OF the shop employees owned their
homes. and 461 Of that number are now
employed In the shops; $50 others at the
time OF the strike lived outside. and in ad-
dition an estimated number of from 200 to
300 Others employed at Pullman were own
ers OF their homes The relations of those
employed in the shops are. as to the shops,
the relations Of employees to employer, and
as to those and others living in the homes,
the relations are simply and only those Of
tenant to landlord. The company has not
now. and never has had. any interest what
ever In the business Of any of the stores or
shops in the town. They are rented through
and managed by outside parties, free from
any control by the company. The people
living In the town are entirely free to buy
whore they choose, and, as a matter Of
fact. the large disbursement in wages at
Pullman, amounting to an average Of
". 800. 600 a year. from September, 1880. to
July. 1894, has created a great competition
for the trade of Pullman In the surround
Ing towns, as well as In Chicago, the nat
ural result Of which would be to bring the
prices of all merchandise down to a mini
mum
The basis upon which rents were fixed
originally in 1881. said Mr.. Pullman, was G
per cent. but the actual operations had
never shown a net return Of 6 per cent.
For several years the investment returned
q net revenue Of AZ per cent. but during
the last two years had netted a revenue OF
only 3 SO per cent.
In answer to questions by the Commits.
sioners the witness told of the contracts
for work undertaken by the company at a
loss in order that the men might be kept
at work. He said that up to the time
Of the strike the company had lost over
$50. 900 in pursuit Of that policy. Mr..
Pullman's further testimony revie wed his
utterances In pamphlet form and newspa-
per interviews which have been made pub
Tic heretofore
Wickes Testifies.
Second Vice President Thomas II. Wickes,
of the Pullman Company, on being called
60 tho ctund said that tho contracts 70 bon