Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-23
ON PULLMAN'S SIDE
Testimony for the "Baron''
Of the Model Town.
a DIFFERENT VIEW AS TO RENTS,

Witnesses Who Say That They Are Nnt
Higher in Pullman Than Elsewhere
Drinking Habits of the workmen Criti-
cised-Gcn. Miles Denies u Statement
Why Geo. NJ. Pullman Declines Now to
Run the Works on Half Time.
CHICAGO, Aug. 23-There were few
witnesses on the Pullman side before the
labor commission yesterday. but they ran
short for some reason. Pullman was not
one of them, however, and it cannot be
stated that he will be, as the commission
ers keep their own counsel They an
nounced, however, that there would be
plenty OF witnesses On the Pullman and
railway side and q few more on the A. II.
U. side. The only persons subponaed so
far are FIVE men from Pullman-ex-strik-
ers who could no, pay car fare. They
were subpoenaed SO that their expenses
could be paid by the commission, and one
of the commissioners advanced the money
for mileage and perdiem to each of the
five
Miles Denies a Statement.
To make this history complete it
should be said that army heade uarters
has given given out a statement relating
to some things that have been testified to
in this inquiry. When on the stand
Debs referred to report that General
| Miles, on his return to the city to take
charge OF the United States troops, imme
| iiately went to the headquarters of the
| general managers. The general says that
| this is not correct; that he not only did
not go 20 the headquarters of the general
managers, bu, did not even know where
| those headquarters We're; that he did not
| need the advice of the general managers
as to his duty. The only intercourse he
| had with the managers was an appeal
| from them for protection, which he sup
piled.
| Testifies as to the Rents.
Frank W. f. Glover, a real estate agent
| living at 3a6 Michigan avenue, said he
had been asked to appear and give his
views by n gentleman who was not con-
nected with the Pullman company, but
Glover did not know that he was not act
ing for that company. lie could give
| facts only as regarded kensin gton. He
owned n subdivision there and rented
| houses in that suburb. He knew nothing
about the Pullman houses except from
| the exterior. Said he: Il would con-
slider from these observations that the
Pullman houses which rent for from SIS
| to So month were cheaper than my
| houses at keusington, which l rent for
| Sl2. In my houses there are no conven-
| fences except running water in one room,
| For decent workingman they are not i'll
| viting. We make no repairs; the ten
| ants make whatever repairs they wish.
| When Pullman tenants have come to us
to rent our houses they invariably talk
about the beautiful homes they left. The
| surroundings of the Pullman houses are
much more desirable than mine"
workmen Only Got Half Time.
Clover knew something of the conditions
of wages at Pullman, because some forty
men who were paying him for houses on
the installment plan had come to him at
various times aud told him that owing TO
reduction of wages or scarcity of wori: they
could not pay as much as they had agreed
to pay. There was but little work, they
said. but the Pullman company gave them
three days work week and then gave
another set OF men chance.
In his letter 10 Governor AltGeld de-
cl.ning the governors suggestion to put
the men on half time so as to give more
men work, Pullman said the company had
tried that last winter and the result was
to show such small amount weekly to
eacn man as to give an erroneous impress
sion of the scale of wages Hereafter the
policy of the company would be to employ
no more men than it could employ stead.
, ily.l
Quite in love with Pullman.
Glover did not consider tine fact tha.
houses were detached and stood alone on
, lots preferable to those in a block He
thought the six-room brick houses in Pull.
man would cost from So 900 to 81 500, while
his own frame cottage cost about 81 200
, He thought the Pullman houses worth
much more than his. "As you go by in
the cars and see the beautiful grass plot.
and the pleasant surroundings" he said
Il think il | we re poor man 1 would sac
rifice almost anything to live in such a de
r sirable place" He added that for his
+ ! houses he was dependent on Pullman EN-
, ployes for tenants. The witness also sal,
tha: rents in keusington had not been re-
: | duced; he was getting the same rent fol
his houses as for several years past.
, SAYS PULLMAN MEN DRINK BEER,