The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-07-18
Nr. PuIlnzn's Reasons for Refzsing to
Arbirste.

George N Pullman, In m interview in
New York Friday. said that the depioTa-
ble events Of the last two weeks have not
been caused by the Pullman Company
refusing 10 listen to reason in deiatahle
matter. He said that little more than a
year ago the shops at Pullman were ia q
prosperous condition; work WIS plenty.
wages were high. and the condition Of the
employees was indicated by the fact that
the local Savings Bank had had of savings
deposits nearly S7ts.0a, Of which nearly
all was ihe property Of the employees.
The pay-rolls, he said, fur that year show
au average earning Ofover >s1Per annum
for every pcrson-nisn, woman, OF youth
--cn the roll.
Then came the business depression Of
lasl summer. orders fell or and the work
ing fOrcs had 10 be cut down from six
thousand to two thousands employees.
The only hope OF getting orders 70 keep
the works going Was by bidding fpr work
at prices ~ low, OF lower, than could he
made ny other shops. and this, OF course,
necesSitaied reduction Ia the wages OF
the employees At Pullman. This was
satisfactorily arranged. and the force of
the shops was increased 20 four thousand
two hundred IN April last In May the
employees demanded the restoration Of
their former wages. Il was explained tO
them thst the Company was then paving
more than Il was receiving for it, con
tracts, and - an assurance Of this fact
they We're allowed 10 examine the books
and contracts. This seemed 10 settle the
trouble far time, but, under the excite
nieut of recruiting iato a new crganiza-
iiun, the men abandoned their work and
closed the shops.
''Arhitation always implies acquies-
conce in the decision Of the arhiirators,
whether favorable or adverse said Mr.
Pallmaa. -Tiow coald I, as President Of
iAe Pliman Company. consent to agree
that, If any body 0f Inon not concerned
with the Interests Of the Co.apany's share
holders should. ~ arbitrator. f1r any
reasons seeming gooi u them. - decree.
/ would open the shops, employ woFkmen
II wages greater than their work c1uld
NfaAA Ap4f anu NtftlAlaislN l-lA- 4-AiAtfti-
poliey Indefinitely; or be accused Of a
breach of l,iti2 Who will deny that such
a question + plainly not q subject q ar
biiration? l. j. not then unreasonable
that the Company shoald he asked to
arhitraies''
In regard 10 the charges that the stock
of the Company is heavily watered. Mr..
Pullman said that the Company Wa
organized twenty-seyen years ago wiki n
capital stock q - ,000Do, of which two
thirds represented appraised value Of it.
ears. then held by three oWners, and one
thir,i represented It, franehis,.-. contracts.
ets. The Company has grown - until
now it, capital i sbiOo.Ooa Every share
Of this increase has been offered 70 stock
/ holders. and sold 10 them 81 % others IN
the ordinary course of iuSins~> al no.
les than par in c.lsh. - that for every
share vf increase outstanding the Com
/ pany has received sl00 in cash. There ar.
over four thousand stockholders u the
Company. of whom more than one-haii
are women and trustees 81 estates. and
the average holding Of each stockholder
= now eighty-six share, one-ffh Of
them holding les than SiN shares each.