Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-08-25
THEY NEED HELP.
Gre at Distress Among tho Unem-
ployed at Pullman.
Sixteen Hundred Families Are Said to Bo
starving-An Appeal for Aid from
the Statc-Tho Labor
Inquiry.
SAD srArE OF AFFA1Rs.

SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Aug. 20.-The fol-
lowing letter has been received by
Gov. Altgeld:
"KENsTNGToN, H., Aug. 2O,To His Excel
lency the Governor OF Illinois: We, the people
of Pullman, who, by the greed and oppression
OF George NJ. Pullman have been brought
to n condition where starvation Stares
us In the face, do hereby appeal to you for
aid In this our hour of need We have
been refused employment and have no
means of leaving this vicinity and our families
are starving. Our places have been filled with
workmen from all over the United States,
brought here by the Pullman company and the
surplus were turned away to walk the streets
and starve. Also there are over 1,60O families
here in destituton and their condition Is pttful
We have exhausted all the means at our COM
mand to feed them and we now make this appeal
TO you as last resource. Trusting that God
will influence you and that you will give this
your prompt attention we remain yours In
distress, the starving citizens OF Pullman.
1T. T.. PoLENs,
IL. j. NEWELL,
THEODORE RoDKE."
Gov Altgeld left for Chicago late
Sunday night and will personally make
an investigation of affairs at Pullman
Monday and Tuesday.
CHICAGO, Aug. 1S-The 6rst witness before
the labor commission at the opening of the
fourth days session was Thomas w. Heath
cote, chairman of the Pullman strike commit
tee, who had been recalled. He said that the
Pullman company's statement that the COM
pany's books might be looked over by the en-
ployes was merely u statement by one of the
clerks. When the employees went to in
vestigate the books they were refused. He
said that the Pullman branch of the American
Railway union was formed during the last OF
March and the month Of April. Nearly all of
the 1900 employees OF the company Joined the
union. Each man paid one dollar for the priv
| ileges of membership. OF all the employees be-
tween $500 and 5000 lived in the houses of the
| company
| Miss Mary Abbott Wood, who worked in the
electrical department ut Pullman, was the
next witness She said she was member of
the American Railway union and was one of
the Pullman strikers. Her father had died
some time ago in the company's employ. She
had to support her mother on the one dollar q
day she received from the Pullman company
She lived in one of the Pullman
| houses and paid sl7.7l q month. Miss Wood
| showed the commission notice of eviction,
| dated May 3, she had received from the COM
pany. She testified that she had paid her rent
| to April 80. The company, by mistake, had
| credited the rent to her sister. When she
| asked for "a rectihcation she was refused. She
had not yet been evicted.
Frank p. Mcdonald, locomotive engineer
| on the Chicago Great Western was next called.
| He said that sometimes he was compelled to
| remain on continuous service from sixty TO
| seventy-two hours without rest Mr.. McDon-
| aid went into an extended account of the
| trouble on the Chicago and Great Western. 1t
\ was caused by refusal OF the company 10
| restore wages, which had been c1.-
| Mr.. Mcdonald said he opposed the recent
| strike because he thought the American Rail-
| way union not strong enough 10 fight the
general managers in the hard times when so
| many men were out Of work. He did not think
| the strike would be successful. He voted for
| the strike only because he was so instructed
| by his local union.
II am opposed to strikes in general" said
| Mr. Mcdonald, but when the federal govern
| ment will do nothing for us, and we have no
| weapon but the strike, we must use it. II 1t
| were not for strikes the railroad men in this
| country would be working for one-haf the pay
| they are now getting
| Asked what he knew about the stoppage OF
| mail trains the witness said that the Chicago
| Great Western mail train No. 3 on June q
| last was killed" by the management of that
| road and its crew was used to take out an ex-
| cursion train to St. Claire. This mail train
J was obstructed by the railway managers and
| not by the strikers or the members of the
| American Railway union.
Mcdonald told how 1t was impossible for
| him to obtain employment after the Burling-
| ton strike. when he was blacklisted The COM
| pany's influence was used against him, he said
| even to the extent Of protesting to Gov.
/
pointment as oil inspector at st, Joseph, Mo.
Miss Jane Adams, superintendent of HUI
| house and member OF the board of Cancellation
| of the civic federation, was next called. She re.
cited the efforts OF the civic federation to bring
| about a settlement OF the trouble. The EN-.
ployes OF the A. r. U. were always willing anC
anxious to arbitrate, but Pullman and his ON
cials would say to the committee only that
they had nothing to arbitrate.
Arthur NJ Wilson and Nettie M. West, EN-
ployes OF the Pullman company, testified as Il
the reduction in wages
| II. w. Pearson. a real estate agent who oper
ates at Kensington, Roseland Southwes
Pullman, and other localities adjacent to Pull
man, said houses which rented for sl7 in Pull
man could be had for $40 month in Kensing
ton. In all cases in his judgment, rents were
about IS to 100 per cent higher in Pullman
| than in the adjacent towns
The commission adjourned to 10 O'Clock
Monday. Application has been made the com
| mission to hear statements by representative e
| OF unorganized labor All persons who thinl
they can give the commission any information
rs to the conditions OF labor, organized or un
| organized, will be heard