Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-15
The Boycott's Death-Blow.
PRESIDENT PULLMkN'S STORY.
lie Replies to the Charge That the Com
pany Is Obstinate.
VII VIa,-,I1 INV Itth

(New York Herald July 1ith)
Mr.. George NJ Pullman has at last
spoken 10 reject arbitration and to deny
the accusations brought against him BY
the friends OF labor.
lie arrived in this city early yesterday
morning in company with eX-Secretary-
Ol-War Robert Z. Lincoln. Both gentle
men hurried 10 the Offices Of the Pullman
Palace-Car Company in the Mills Build
ing where Firstly ice-President Horace
Porter joined them in the preparation OF
Mr.. IullrDan's manifesto.
Closetel in an inner Office and guarded
from intrusion by ever-watchful clerks,
the work Of composition and revision oc-
cupied the entire day. II was not until
$50 o'clock at night that copies of the fol-
lowing carefully-typewritten letter 10 the
public were given out:
There is hardly anything new TO be
said as to the position of the Pullman
company. but have so many Indications
o. the facility with which my expressions
and those authorized by me have become
distorted, and thus misleading 10 the pub
lie, and OF an entire forgetting OF my
earnest efforts 10 prevent the strike, that
perhaps it IS wei that l should again
make a public assurance that the dep!ora-
bic events Of the last few weeks have
not been caused by the Pullman company
taking an obstinate stand In debatable
matter and refusing TO listen 10 reason.
The leaders OF disorder have not hesi-
tatcd 10 harass the public 10y all means
in their power, because. as they say,
the Pullman company would not submit
to arbitration. and now that disorder
seems TO be quellcl they are reinforced
f, Haf I'll. f.r ap1 RI
newspapers, but so far as / know by
very few, If any, businessmen in the
country.
THE WAGE QUESTION.
"What is the demand concealed under
the MISUNDERSTANDING word arbitration?
- little more than a year ago the car
shops AT Pullman were in most prosper
GUS condition: work was plenty, wages
were high, and the condition Of the EN-
ployees was indicated by the fact that
the local savings bank had of savings
deposited nearly 100000, of which nearly
all was the property of the employees.
Our pay-rolls for that year show an
average earning Of over 500 per annum
for every person. man, and woman, or
youth on the roll. Then came the great
panic and depression Of last STUNTS er.
Many customers stopped negotiations and
cancelled orders, and our working force
had to be diminished from nearly 6,Wt
to about 300 in November. 1888 The
great business depression existing through
| out the country had naturally resulted
| in a wage depression, and the only hope
| Of getting orders was by other shops
and this, of course, necessitated reduc-
| ton in the wages Of the employees al
| Pullman
This was arranged satisfactorily as
supposed, and In close competitions, dis
regarding all account Of capital and ma
| chinery, l secured enough work TO gradu'
| ally increase our force to 400. the mum
| her on the rolls last April. Nine weeks
| ago the car shops at Pullman were work
| ing with car-building contracts on hanc
| enough to keep them going for abou
| sixty days, and with all business fore
| casts leading TO the belief that no conSd
| cradle new orders could soon be had.
| .s,The most important Of the work in
| hand had been taken by me in competi-
| lions at prices which We're less than the
| actual cost TO the company of DELIVERING
| the cars, without any reckoning for the
| use OF capital and plant. This work was
| taken TO keep the large force of men en-
| Moved. and 10 postpone. and with the
| hone OF avoiding the numberiess embar'
| easements to all classes Of people at Pull
| man and its vicinity Of closing down
| Of the works. TO prevent which the com
| many considered It wise policy to operate
| the shops temporarily at an actual loss
ACITATORS AFTER THEM.
..In this condition of things came tbs
| agitation seeking to create labor organi
| cation embracing all railway employees
and apparently other industries. 1t
/ h.. off 10
al Pullman was merely a move in th'
| greater scheme, these shops being selected
rot on account OF discomfort In them
but because OF their prominence In va
rious ways and because OF the chanc'
OF a show OF justification for a simuita
neous and causeless attack upon the rail
WAYS of the country for the use unde