The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-17
ROBBED HIS FRIEND
HOW GEORGE vi. PULLMAN GOT HIS
SLEEPING CAR INVENTION.
Poetic PIymOn ID. Greene Who was
the Real Originator Died IN Pauper
and Pullman Refused Him Aid.
Chicago Herald.


per. His remains rest now out at Mount
Olivet in a coffin which has not yet been
paid for. He died two years ago, denied
during his last illness of little comforts
which mighty man-mighty in the power
which wealth untold gave him-was ap
pealed to to supply. His widow is living on
pittance in little frame cottage in West
Adams street. George NJ. Pullman profited
by the idea born in the brain of Plymon
b. Greene, which resulted in the sleeping
car. That was some thirty-five years ago.
At that time Greene and Pullman were
both poor men. Like most geniuses. Greene
was poetic, dreamy, impractical. He could
make plans devise schemes and suggest
inventions. but there was business tact
in his makeup, and he made no secret of
his scheme for a hotel on wheels.
Pullman, like Greene, was poor. Unlike
him he was cold and practical. He was a
house mover. Greene was an artist. Pull
man got hold of Greene's patent Pullman
is summering at Castle Rest, Pullman ISL
and. Greene is lying in an unpaid-for cof-
fin at Mount Olivet Pullman was appealed
to for a trif1e to buy medicine for Greene
in his last illness. He refused. Pretty sto-
rieS have been written about the origin of
the sleeping car-some pretty enough TO
be poems. 1t has gone the rounds that Mrs.
Pullman. in moment of happy inspira-
ton, conceived the idea which her hard
headed husband saw millions in. A little
book has just been published which bears
the imprimatur of George NJ. Pullman him.
self, and in it is set forth history of the
idea, so carefully phrased as to provide
against the publication some day of the
connection with the scheme of Plymon B.
Greene. There is honesty enough in the
book to be without claim for Mr.. Pullman
that he and none. other was the inventor,
but that his was the brain TO first con-
ceive 1T is cleverly intimated. The book
opens with this statement:
WRITTEN TO DECEIVE.
AT just what time Mr.. Pullman first be-
gan thinking on the subject of sleeping
cars he himself would, perhaps. find it hard
to tell. The problem had been raised by
the completion of what then was consid-
cred long lines Of railroads. Mr.. Pullman
was at that time you.ig man. In a gen.
eral way the sleeping, car and its POSSIBLE
tiles had fioated through his mind, and he
had casually discussed the matter with
friends.
His first serious attention to it. how
ever, dates from certain night journey
he made about that time from Buffalo TO
Westtield. 1t was a sixty-mile ride and he
occupied a bunk in one of the so-called
sleeping cars of that epoch. During the
mind plans by which the cars could be
transferred into dormtory, in which
there would be greater degree of comfort
that his determination to make sleeping-car
construction the occupation of his life
is certain ANN that a he left the train at West
field convinced that he could build better
car than the one he had just occupied. and
dimly seeing, even thus early, the posi-
there being direction a
field for his life work"
-. That is very pretty: 1t is the the latest latest If
the writer had only gone TO 3f2 West Adj
ans street he would have discovered Eat
| just what time Mr.. Pullman began think
ing of sleeping cars AT that number has
| lived many years Mrs. Greene. widow of
| the man who first set Mr.. Pullman think
ing of sleeping carS-a woman gentle and
| refined, who looks and talks more like
| lady than many of her sex who, with
| millions at their command, glory in the
| lippery of fashion. She makes no bitter
| complaints she has nothing derogatory to
say of Mr.. Pullman; she does not rail at
| fate; she merely ponders on the strangeness
| of its DEGREES which commits the originator
| of an enterprise to a paupers grave and
| showers riches on an associate who apprO-
| priared his friends idea.
THE IDEA IN GREENE'S BRAIN.
Plymon B. Greene was born in Brandon,
| VT, in 1899. Twenty years later he mar
| ried In Lowell, Mass, and in 1858 came TO
| Chicago. Greene opened photograph gal
| lery at AZ Lake street. He made fair liv-
| ing, but was always disconnected. He
| was a close reader of scientific books, and
was always promising his wife that some
| day he would get rich a thought he
had in mind He told her it was to devise
an adjustable car berth. About 1856 he met
| George NJ. Pullman, who was a struggling
| HORSEPOWER. Greene confided in Pullman
| and showed him the drawings of model
| which was almost complete.
| oh CHI hot
| obtained patent for his plan in 1857, two
years before Pulman's patent was OBJ
/ tanned. Greenes patent was for Sleep
| ing car, embodying in general outline the
| principles of the Pullman sleeping car of
| to-day. Greene was unable, through want
| of funds to push his invention, and after
he had made vain efforts for trial on the
| Michigan Central and the Chicago. Bur-
| Hngton & Quincy railroads he gave up in
| despair His wife encouraged him. told
him to keep on improving his invention,
| and predicted that a day of success would
| yet dawn. At this stage a patent pro-
| motor who had been on intimate terms
| with Mr.. Pullman, made advances to Mr..
j Greene. Mr.. Pullman, as Mr. Greene soon
| learned. had disclosed the inventors plan
| to the promoter. and in utter disgust
| Greene sold a half interest in his scheme
70 Woodruff for $500 The next thing that
, Green learned was that George NJ. Pull
| man obtained a patent for adjustable
| sleeping car berth almost identically on
the lines of the model that Greene had
| feed his half interest practically for a
| song. Time passed and Greene's idea was
| taking hold. 1t was being talked Of 1t
| was tried and i: was a success Wood
| ruff and Pullman quarreled. Pullman want
| ed all the fruits all the gain. lawsuit
| ensued and Pullman won.
GREENE GOT 1925 FOR Ills NAME
Greene struggled along as photogra-
| pher. Pullman was soaring and Creme was
down among the poor. AS late as ISL
Pullman acknowledged in significant
| origina tor of the idea. His attorneys dis
covered what looked like law in the title
to the patent. Greene, poor. poetic Greene.
with the artists soul. was asked for his
signature 10 document presented by Mr..
| Pullman's LAWYERS. He was told that his
signing his name was a mere formality
tina. was desirable but not necessary.
Greene signed his name and got S125.
Pullman went on and DroSpsred. Greene
was burned out in the big fire. He opened
! business later at 81 State street and earned
just enough to keep the little cottage on
West Adams street going. Poetic and
asked Pullman for consideration or assist
ance. They were not fashioned in the mold
of beggarS and they never begged. Three
years ago Greene grew i'll. He could NJ
longer attend TO business and he closed his
little gallery. The Photographers Unior
bow. who had been at school, was sent tC
work. The revenue resulting from this
was meager i'm the extreme, particularly
so when medicine was TO be bought Cor tbs