Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-08-16

think 1t was about 5000. showing tha,
/ wages have been Increasing there of
iate Years, and L think this average
; VIII compare faNorably with any OF
the factories or mills around here
! The cost OF living al Pullman is less
| than in Springfield, provisions OF an
klnds are cheaper, clothing as cheap.
and rents-abouI which so much has
been Said-are about 800 per room
per month. Suites, III fat or APART
ment buildings of two, three or four
rooms, range from So to $3.50 per
month. and single or separate houses
i OF SIN to eight rooms are rented at
| 81 to SIS per month. These rents
are scheduled at much less than the
same space can be rented in the DOOR
est quarters of Chicago, and when it
Is considered that these houses are
substantial brick dwellings with mod
ern improvements, having water. cas-.
! perfect sewerage. absolutely clean
streets, adorned by lawns. flowers.
| parks, all dirt, garbage and ashes be-
! with ample Fairgrounds for the chill
| dren and athletic grounds for the
older boys and men. with fine schools
III their midst, a public library of TO-
OoO volumes, reading rooms and other
places of amusement, with an entire
absence or saloons or other degrading
iilhuences-lt would seem as though
1t would be an ideal place for a work
lngman to bring up family.
MI. Pullman'S main idea in creating
this place and its SURROUNDINGS Al hs
mas done, was that these advantages
would be appreciated and attract q
better class Of workmen from whom
the company would derive better re-
suits. He has believed that all this
could be furnished his men without
any increased cost on their part, that
Is, that ordinary rents, intelligently
and properly expended, would provide
this and yet yield a return on the
capital employed which would be sat
lsfactory. Thus far the return on the
capital invested has been less than
per cent year, and he could not
nave made the experiment on the
scale he has if the company did not
have profits from other branches Of
business separate from car-building.
with which to satisfy it's stockholders.
who are some 10000 in number and
scattered all over the country. The
Workmen are not compelled to occupy
the company houses, in fact one half
OF them do not as they prefer to
live outside at a distance where they
are not deprived of their "liberties"-
which, so far as / know, consist in
living where they can be as disorderly
as they choose, keep a COW or pigs in
the backyard and chickens in the Gel
lar. which things are forbidden on the
Pullman territory. The company does
not oblge its tenants to burn gas.
they can use kerosene or tallOw can
dies if they choose; water they have
to take from the company. as there
is no other source, but this is not a
source of profit to the company be-
yond simple interest on the capital
invested; in fact they claim now that
they are furnishing it at a considerable
loss.
MI. Pullman'S mistake seems to be
III thinking that his WOrkmen want
this improved style Of living, and yet
this is the utOpian idea toward which
our social reformers are striving to
lead us, where the city or state is to
own and manage our affairs so much
better than we as individuals can do.
Pullman should arbitrate, it is said
What for? He has offered to show his
books to prove, if necessary, that he
is now building cars at d loss merely
to keep the men at work and provide
living for them. Should the COM
pany be obliged to stand larger loss
than he thinks it able to stand, merely
to provide a better living for men
who appear at present wholly migrate
full for what has been and is being
done for them? Mr. Pullman rose
from the ranks of wOrkingmen him
self and has achieved his success by
skill, energy and hard work of more
than 10 hours a day He draws
very moderate salary from the COM
pany which bears his name, and his
wealth has not been accumulated at
the expense of the company: it is
honestly and ably managed. with no
inside rings for the benefit OF the
managers. The stockholders get all
the benefits derived from the business.
and their dividends do not exceed 8
per cent a year There is DO water in
the stock Of the company, every dol
lar of capital having been paid for
in cash at par. The railroads are in
many instances part owners Of the
cars on their respective lines and re-
ceive a share of the profits derived
from the operat ton of the cars; hence
they are as much interested as the
Pullman company that the cars should
run: they are also under contract
to haul the cars on all passenger trains
where there is a public demand for
them.
THIN CAp,c IlDD ApIJ