The record-union., 1894-08-29
THE PULLMAN STRIKE.
TAKEN BEFORE THE
COMMISSION YESTERDAY.
wicks Tells of the
Contracts Taken on the Basis of
Reducing the Price of Labor,
Special to the REcoRp-ux1oN.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
CHICAGO, Aug. 28.-In the investiga-
ton of the Pullman strike by the
National Commission to-day, Chauncey
Kelsey of the Chicago and Alton road
testified the loss sustained by that road
during the strike was S2S6, 1850. The
Chicago and Eastern Illinois reported
S2I, 600 loss, and the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy, Sl5O.000 in destruction
to property, with other losses not tabu-
lated.
Charles E. Webb, Chief Clerk of the
Bank of Pullman, testified that Jennie
Curtis, who claimed she was compelled
to pay back rent had paid it voluntarily.
Vice President Wickes took the stand.
He said the cost to the company for
building cars under contract at the time
of the strike was about Sl,400.000. The
labor would cost about S240000. Con-
tracts were taken on the basis of reduce
ton of 20 per cent. Thus, under the old
prices, the labor would cost $40, 900.
Wickes admitted on this basis the COM
pany had reduced receipts $4,000. This,
the Vice-President said, looked hardly
fair, but he thought it much better than
TO throw men entirely out of employ
ment.
In answer to the Chairman, Wickes
said the cut in pay had been made to TIT
the depression in business and the low
selling price of cars, and not to stop any
eucroachment on the profits paid to
stock holders. The surplus of S25, 100000
undivided profits consisted partly OF
shares, whose value was constantly
deteriorating. The cost of the cars was
counted in the surplus, so there was to
some extent fiction in the figure sur
plus.
Mr.. Wickes said that the Worlds Fair,
in his opinion, did not do his company
particular good. The company spent
S4,500,000 in building new cars for the
fair traffic, and the traffic was not nearly
so large as was expected. He thought
the fair work had something to do with
the strike. When the rush was over the
prices went down to bedrock and the
men were dissatisfied. lie did not think
a voluntary division of profits in pros
porous times would be better than the
present system. 1t would not be fair to
the ockholders to divide the profits.
Mr.. Wickes said the amount of back
rent due the company from strikers was
Si00.000 No eviction had been made and
there were no orders for eviction. Very
little effort had been made to collect the
rent. He said the company had contracts
with the roads. It's cars run over about
three -fourths of all the mileage IN the
country. on the territory covered by the
contracts the Pullman Company had a
monopoly.
Mr.. Wiclxes denied that Pullman en-
ployes were compelled to rent the COM
pany's dwellings. He said he did not
believe the principle OF arbitration could
be applied to man in the operation OF
his business. A matter of opinion was
available to arbitrate but not the matter
of a man running his own business. The
witness was questioned as to salaries
paid to officers, but declined to answer.
General Nelson A. Miles took the stand
after lunch. He denied fatly the story
that on his arrival here from Washington
he had consulted with the General Man
ayers. On July I'd, when the conference
was said to have been held, he was in
Washington, and he arrived here July
4th. Asked if it were true that he had de-
clsred that he had broken the backbone
OF the strike, the General said that WAS
not quite the exact facts. What he said
was that he had broken the backbO OF
the opposition to the Federal troops.
The Commissioners wanted TO know IL
the troops forced railroad men TO work at
the point of bayonets.
General Miles said that while this
might have happened in some instances
ne had not been aware of it, and issued
no orders to that effect. He said he knew
nothing about the strike.