The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-22

Gus. capable and steady, and some of
them have worked for the Pullman
company for more than ten years.
Those who have been gwen work
can get food, but are still in such an i'm
poyerished condition that they cannot
help their neighbors if they would. Their
relief society Is unable 10 get more sup
plies. On last Saturday they gave to each
family two pounds OF oatmeal and
two pounds of corn meal and, hav-
ing nothing left, have suspended
operations, leaving the people in an
absolutely helpless condition. The
county commissioners of Cook county, as
oyerseers of the poor, have rendered some
assistance, but, owing 10 the limited APP
preparation, they can furnish relief but for
a short time. We cannot now stop TO in
quire into the cause of this distress. The
good people of this state cannot allow
women and children by the hundreds to
perish from hunger. Therefore call upon
all humane and charitably disposed citi-
zens TO contribute what they can toward
giving relief to these people,"
The governor has also called on the
commissioners of Cook county 10 do all in
their power in the matter.
The correspondence between Gov. Alt
geld and Mr.. Pullman began last Sunday,
when. in response to an appeal made to
him by the Pullman strikers for aid, Gov
Altgeld sent q lengthy telegram to Pull
man, calling his attention to the appeal,
and saying;
cause after years of toll their wages were
so reduced that their children went hun
CRY. Assuming that they were wrong and
foolish, they had yet served you long and
well, and you must feel some
interest in them. They do not
stand on the same footing as you,
SO that much must be overlooked The
NEEDLE in the affairs of the company. The
local overseers of the poor have been ap-
pealed to, but there is a limit to what they
can do. Unless relief come from other
sources l shall have to call q special
session of the legislature TO make APP
preparations to give bread to your old en-
ployes Ii seems to me you should prefer
to relieve this situation yourself, especi-
ally as il has cost the state upward
OF $4,000 TO protect your property,
and as both the state ana public
have suffered enough loss on account of
the disturbances that grew out of the
trouble between your company and its
workmen."
After making q personal visit to Pull
man, Gov. Altgeld addressed a personal
letter TO Pullman today. saying:
81 examined the conditions at Pullman
yesterday. and visited even the kitchens
and bedrooms of many of the people. /
learn from YOUR manager that last spring
there were $500 people on the
pay-rolls. Yesterday there were 2,220
at work, but over COO of these are
new men, so that only about 1850 of
the old employees have been taken
back, thus leaving 1000 of the old EN-
ployes who have not been taken back. A
few hundred have lett. The remainder
have applied for work, but were told that
they were not needed. These are
destitute. The relief committee has ex-
hausted its resources. 1t seems to me your
company cannot afford to have men APP
peal TO me for charity and the humanity
of the state TO save the lives Of your old
employees. Four-fifths of the people are
women and children. No matter what
caused this distress, IL must be met"
He then proposes that the rent of all
the unemployed be RENTED until octo-
Der 1.
Mr.. Pullman replied at length. saying IN
part:
while il has not been represented 10
the officers Of this company by any of the
persons Concerned that there Was any
such extended distress al Pullman as