The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-08-29
ON THE STAND AGAIN
MIR. WICTxEs TELLS ABOUT THE
PULLMAN CAR CONTRACTS.
100000 Rem Due from Strikers, hut
No Evictions Ordered - General
Miles Also Testi6es.

CHICAGO, Aug. 2S-In the Investigation
OF the Pullman strike by the national COM
mission. to-day. Chauncey Kelsey. OF the
Chicago & Alton railroad, took the wit
ness chair and testified as TO the losses
sustained by that road during the strike.
He declared that the total loss was $2S6.S0.
Then William McMadden. OF the Lake
Shore & Michigan Southern road, testified
that the loss on cars alone to that road
was $40. The Chicago & Eastern Illinois
reported S2l 600 and the Chicago. Burling-
ton & Quincy reported $4,000 in destruc-
ton Of property. with other losses that
had not been tabulated.
Charles E. Webb. chief clerk of the bank
at Pullman, testified that Jennie Curtis.
who had claimed she was compelled to pay
back rent, had paid the rent voluntarily.
Vice President Wickes then took the
stand. Questioned by Chairman Wright. he
said the cost to the company OF building
the cars under contract at the time OF the
strike was about 81, 400. 1000. The labor would
cost about $4,000. The contracts were
taken on a basis OF reduction OF % per
cent, and thus, under the old prices, the
labor would cost about $4,000. Mr.. Wickes
admitted that on this basis the company
had reduced its receipts $4,000 and the en-
ployes' wages $1,000. This, the Vice Pres
ident said, looked hardly fair, but he
thought it much better than TO throw the
men entirely out OF employment.
In answer to the chairman, Mr.. Wickes
said that the cut in pay had been made 70
fit the depression in business and the low
selling price of cars, and not to stop any
encroachment on the profits that were paid
to the stockholders. The surplus Of $4,000
900 undivided profits consisted partly Of idle
a,- x.Ao-1 IL, doforgnr.
ating. The cost of the cars was counted
in the surplus, so that there was. to some
extent, a fiction in the figures Of the sur
plus. Mr.. Wickes said that the worlds
fair, in his opinion, did not do his COM
pany any particular good. The company
spent $4,50o,O0 in building new cars for
fair traffic, and the travel 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 went own 10 PEG,
rock and the men were dissatisfied. He did
not think that a voluntary division or the
profits would be better than the present
holders to SO divide the profits.
Mr.. Wickes said the amount Of back rent
No eviction lists had been made and there
had been no orders for eviction. very 1T
tie effort had 6e EN- made camn 10 eo hsS e .ne 1ass
with the roads to run its cars over about
three-quarters of all the mileage in the
country. On the territory covered by the
contracts the Pullman company had a
monopoly. Mr.. Wickes denied that Pull
company's dwellings. He said he did not
believe the principle of arbitration could be
applied to a man in the operation or MS
own business. A matter or opinion was
available to arbitration, but not the mat.
ter of a man running his own business.
The witness was questioned as to the sal
aries paid the ~companys' officers, but de-
clined to answer.
when the commission met after luncheon:
He denied the story that on his arrival
here from Washington he had at once con-
suited with the general managers or the
RAILWAYS. On July 2, when. this conference
was said to have taken place. he was In
Washington, and he arrived here on July
clared he had broken the backbone OF the
| strike. the General said this was not quite
exact. What he said was that ne had
broken the backbone OF the opposition 10
the federal troops.
The commissioners wanted to know IL the
troops forced railroad men to work at the
point OF the bayonet.
General Miles said that while this might
have happened in some. instances, ne mao
not been aware of 1t and had issued no or
ders to that effect. He said he knew notn-
inc about the strike
General superintendent Sullivan, OF the
Illinois Central, was the last important
| witness of the day. He declared that many
of the striking railroad men had committed
acts of violence and backed up his asser-
lions by tangible evidence. This was the
main point in his evidence. The remainder
| of his testimony was similar to that given
hr nracadinp witnesses.