The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-08-23
DISTRESS AT PULLMAN.
GOVERNOR ALTGELD VISITS THE
TOWN IN PERSON.
Claims to Have Found Thousands oil
People on the Verge of Starvation.
Letters Between Altgeld and Pull.
man-Appeal for Charity.

Tie myself, SAID Governor Altgeld
today, "and if anything considerable
were to be done the money would have
to come out of the gogernment's
finances. L might convene the legiss
lature for the purpose of making an
appropriation or might make an ap.
peal to the people of the state. L
think we have gone to the bottom of
things now and can proceed intelli
gently"
Tie governor used these words ut
the close of conference with the
committee respecting the Pullman
strikers, who at the invitation of the
governor met at his office to give him
Information regarding the starving
strikers. He was told that 2496 tami-
lies have been helped since the be-
ginning of the strike, and that about
$4,000 have been given the relief COM
mittee, all of which has been expend-
ed. 81 don't know what just method
shall take to aid these men," said
the governor, "but something must be
done. have written Mr.. Pullman
regarding the matter. L received a
reply, but am not at liberty to make
the contents of the letter public" 1t
is possible thar Governor Altgeld vi ill
issue proclamation setting forth the
pitiable condition of the strikers and
calling for aid.
The governor tonight issued the
following proclamation addressed to
the people of Illinois and especially
those of Chicago: "There is great
distress growing out of the want OF
food in the town of Pullman. More
than thousand families, or in the
neghhorhood of 5000 people, are desti-
tute, nearly four fiths of whom are
women and children. The men have
endeavOred to get work but were un'
able to 90 80. AS a rule
the men are d superior
class of laboriDg people, industrious,
capable aud steady, and some of them
have worked for the Pullman COM
pany for more than 10 years. Those
who have been given work can get
food but they are still in such an i'm.
poverished condition that they cannot
help their neighbors if they would,
The relief society is unable to get
moro supplies. On last Saturday it
gave to each family two pounds OF
oatmeal and tw) pounds of corpmeal,
and having nothing left it suspended
operations, leaving the people in an
absolutely helpless condition.
The county commissioners of Cook
county as overseers of the poor have
rendered some assistance, but owing
to limited appropriations they can
furnish relief but for a short time.
We cannot now stop to inquire the
cause of this distress. The good peo-
pie of this state cannot allow women
and children by the hundred to
perish of hunger. L therefore call
upon all charitably disposed citizens
to contribute what they can toward
giving relief to these people. The
governor has also called upon the
commissioners of Cook to do all in
their power in the matter.
The correspondence between Gov
ernor Altgeld and Mr.. Pullman last
Sunday, when iii response TO
a number of appeals made
to him by Pullman's strikers
for assistance, Governor Altgeld
sent lengthy telegram to Mr.. Pull.
man calling his attention to the situa.
tion as set forth in the appeal and
saying of the strike: at is claimed
they struck because after years of toll
their loaves we're so reduced that
their children went hungry. Admit
ted that they were wrong and foolish,
yet they served you long and well
and you must feel some interest in
them. They do not stand on the same
footing with you, for that much must
be overlooked. The state of Illinois
has not the least desire to NEEDLE in
this affair of your company, but it
can not allow whole community
within its borders to perish of
hunger. The local overseer of
the poorhouse has been appealed
to but there is limit to what he can
do. cannot help them very much
at present, 80 unless relief comes from
some other source / shall either have
to call an extra session OF the legisla-
ture to make special appropriation
or else issue an appeal to the humane
people of the state to give bread to
your recent employees. 1t seems to
me that you would prefer to relieve
the situation yCureelf, and especially
as it has just cost the state upwards
of $50, 900 to protect your property,
and as the state and public have suf-
fered expense on account Of disturb
ances that grew out of tue trouble
between your company aud its work.
menu
After making q personal visit to
Pullman, Governor Altgeld today ad-
dressed letter to MIR. Pullman say
ing: 81 examined the conditions at
Pullman yesterday, visited even the
kitchens and bed rooms of many of
the people. learn from your man.
ager that last spring there were 1860
people on the pay rolls. Yesterday
200 were at work, but over 600 OF
these are new men, so that only about
1900 of the old employees have been
taken back, thus leaving over 1000 of
the old employees who have not been
taken back. A few hundred have
left. The remainder have applied for