The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-08-24
PAupERS AT PULLMAN.


of the Pullman company. a. seen from
the Pullman strikers standpoint. was
told To the national labor commission
yesterday by Thomas lIcathcole. chair
man Of the Pullman strike committee.
The narrative proved the most inter
esting piece Of testimony yet submit
ted and was heard 10y n large number
of persons. more than any 50 far seen
at this session. The day was almost
entirely devoted to the Pullman end
OF the big strike.
Mr.. ilcathcoie Takes the stand.
AZ the opening Of the afternoon >es-
sion Mr. lleathcole took the stand.
lie has been instrumental. more than
any other man. in keeping the Pullman
strikers from returning To work. 1t is
acknowledged that the strikers would
long ago have gone back AT the com
pany's terms had it not been for Mr.
iicathcolc'> efforts. He testified that
the wages varied from SIS To six dol
| lars for two weeks work. lie was en-
pioyed by the piece. lie declared that
the Pullman employees did not strike
until they were forced To do SO by the
conditions imposed 10y the COM
pany. Many were unable 10 keep
their families provided with food
on the wages received. Just before
| the strike some of the men got nine
cents an hour, and worked only few
hours a dav. Out of this they were
obliged To pay rent. taxes. water rates,
gas and buy food. The prices on piece
work were SO low that even the best
men were unable to make more than
:. day. The witness said he paid
| Sl..-l month for tive-room cottage.
which could he got at kensington OF
HYDE Park for 81 to 50. This included
the charge for water in Pullman. Mr..
lleathcole could not afford to pay for
pas. for which he understood the COM
pany charged $3.50 "A thousand.
The Pullman Checklists.
The witness then created "A mild SEN
sation by producing piece of paper.
which he said was one Of the Pullman
checklists" His own name headed
the list. lie claimed that this was tho
original list. copies of which had been
sent To all the railroads. He explained
that the list was given 70 him by n
clerk in the offices of the company
whose name he refused 10 give. Sew
eral men. Mr.. lIeathcole said. had
been dropped for belonging to labor
unions. old men returning to work
ut Pullman now were obliged to >urren
der their American Railway unior
cards and sign an agreement not t.
join any labor organization for five
years. If they refused TO abide by
these conditions they were not given Z
position. lie said that >upt. Middle
ton was not car-builder hut me
chanic, and that if more experienced
man had been in charge the men woul,
have made more money and business
would have been better with the com
pany.
Community Of Paupers-
When asked if the men in the differ
ent departments of the car-buildin;
works were willing To testify before
the commission and why more of then
were not present. Mr. Heathcole an
swereu:
''Some Of them have not got money
enough to come down town. Some o
, them have not got ten cent, to thci
: names"
Mr. Heathcole considered it curl
Gus circumstance that the Pullman
company could declare big dividen,
and still he losing money. when W.
: left the Pullman service" said the wit
! ness. I'VE owed the company $1,000
!. for rent. which we were unable to pay
) | have seen men ut work who were >
: weak from lack of food that they coul
scarcely 20 on with their work. To sucl
a destitute state were the men RI
/, duced"
Cried When They Received Their Wage,
The witness said that If worbma
: refused to live in the Pullman house
he was discharged. ~ would like I
have the job Of building these house
at $500 each added the witness. :
have seen men cry AT the bank wndo'
when they received the money for thci
checks. after drawing thirty-tive {
! forty cents. the rent having first bee
deducted This was all they had I
keep their families on for the rrxt tv
!. weeks.
Chairman IIeathcolc's views as
preventing strikes were governmer
ownership Of railroads and arbitratio
when it could l,c justly applied.
Mi%4 Jennie curtis.
President Of the Womans union
- Pullman. was the next witness ~
> testified that she women. by wor
ing Just as hard a. they eoul
were able to make only ninety CENTS
Z day at the most and some Of themon
forty cents. Her father worked for u
company thirteen years when he die
During the six months he was IA
!, got into debt to the company for re-
to the amount Of $50. This sum
J. said Miss Curtis. with tears in h
eyes. they made me pay out of II
= small wages. and have been in&ilt
a by the clerk mt the bank because pr
q tested against paying part Of IT,
d Theodore Fhod'e.
4 A former workman in the Pulms
"A shops. testified that in addition soha
- ing their wages cut the men werroft
X abused by the forcmen.
n. Mr.. IIcathcolc was recalled 20 81
~ the commission some information
A regard to saloons. lie said there "
- .,l,. ana "a Pullman bilf 100 IN IA