The morning call., 1894-08-29
AFTER THE STRIKE
Evidence as to Railroad
Losses.
MR.. WICKES ON THE STAND.
Says Pullman Lost on Worlds
Fair Traffic.
STRIKERS WERE NOT EVlCTED.
General Miles Denies That He Con-
suited With the Managers
Association.

CHICAGO, Aug. 28.-In the investigation
of the Pullman strike by the National
Commission to-day, Cbauncey Kelsey of
the Chicago and Alton road testified the
loss sustained by that road during the
strike was $780, The Chicago and
Eastern Illinois reported S21, 500 loss, and
the Chicago. Burlington and Quincy
$4,000 In destruction to property, with
other losses not tabulated.
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 build
ing cars under contract at the time of the
strike was about S1,4OO,000 The labor
would cost about S240, 900. Contracts were
taken on the basis of a reduction of % per
cent. Thus, under the old prces the labor
would cost about $4,000. Wickes ad-
mitted on this basis the company had re-
duced receipts $50. 900. and the employees
wages $50, This, the Vice President
said, looked hardly fair, but he thought it
much better than TO throw men entirely
out of employment.
In answer 10 the chairman Wickes said
the cut in pay had been made TO fit the de-
preston In business and the low selling
price of cars and not to stop any encroach-
ment on the profits paid TO stockholders.
The surplus of So, 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 surplus
Wickes said that the Worlds Fair in his
opinion did not do his company particular
good. The company spent $4,000, 900 In
building new cars for fair traffic, and the
traffic was not nearly so large as was
expected. He thought that the fair work
had something to do with the cause of the
strike. When the rush was over the prices
got down to bedrock and the mel were
dissatisfied. He did not think that vol
untary division of the profits in prosperous
times would be better than the present
system. 1t would not be fair to the stock
holders to divide the profits.
Wickes said the amount of back rent due
the company from rkers was S1OO 600.
No eviction had been made. and there had
been 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 monopoly.
Wickes denied that the Pullman en-
plOyes were compelled to rent the compa-
ny's dwellings. He said be did not believe
that the principle of arbitration could be
applied TO a man in the operation of his
business. a matter of opinion was avail
able TO arbitrate, but not the matter of a
man running his own business. The wit
ness was questioned as to the salaries
to officers. but declined TO answer.
General Nelson A. Miles took the stand
after lnnch. He denied fatty the story
that on his arrival here FROM Washington
he had consulted with the general mana
gers. On July 2, when the conference
was said to have been held, he was In
Washington and he arrived here July f.
Asked ii it were true that he had de-
clared that he had broken the backbone of
the strike, the general said that was not
quite exact. What he said was that he
had broken the backbone of the opposi-
ton 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 he had not been aware OF
it. and had issued no orders to that effect
He said he knew nothing about the strike.