Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-07-06
THE GREAT STRIKE.
ATTEMPT OF THE A. r. U. TO
RUIN PULLMAN.
His Statement of the Origin-State-
ment of Prestdeht Debs-The Re.
duction in Rates on Piece.WOrk
at Pullman.

ment of Presideht Debs-The Re.
ductiOn in Rates on Piece. Work
at Pullman.
George M. Pullman has made this
explanation OF the trouble with his
men:
"At the commencement of the de-
preston last year we were employing
at Pullman 5,Sl6 men and paying out
in wages there $305,0OO a month.
Negotiations with intending purchasers
OF railway equipments that were then
pending for new work were stopped by
them; orders already given by others
were Cancelled and we were obliged to
lay off large number of men in every
department, so that by November,
1893, there was only about 2,C0O men
in all the departments, or about one
third OF the normal number. l realized
the necessity for the most strenuous
exertions to procure work Immediately,
without which there would be great
embarrassment, not only to the en-
ployes and their families at Pullman,
but also to those living in the imme-
date vicinity, including between 700
and 800 employees who had purchased
homes and to whom employment was
actually necessary. l discussed the
matter thoroughly with the manager
of the works, and the result OF this
discussion was reduction in piece
work prices, which, in the absence of
any information to the contrary, /
supposed to be acceptable to the men
under the circumstances. Under these
conditions, and with lower prices on
all materials, personally undertook
the work OF the letting of cars and
making lower bids than other man.
ufacturers. secured work enough to
gradually increase our force from 2,20O
to about 1900, the number employed
according to the April payroll in all
capacities at Pullman. This result
has not been accomplished merely by
a reduction in wages, but the company
has borne its full share of eliminating
from its estimates the use Of capital
and machinery. and in many cases
even going below that and taking
work at a considerable loss. During
the night of May 10th, a strike was
decided on, and accordingly next day
about $500 OF the employees quit, leav-
ing about 600 at work, of whom very
few were skilled workmen. As it was
found impracticable to keep the shops
in operation with force thus dimin-
ished and disorganized, the next day
those remaining were necessarily let
out, and no work has since been done
in the shops. The pay.rolls at this
time amounted to about $1,000 day,
and were reduced S. 500 by the strike,
so that during the period OF little more
than six weeks which has elapsed
the employees who quit their work have
deprived themselves and their COM
rades OF earnings OF more than $780,
Co.,"
President Debe said in discussing the
boycott:
at will not he boycott in the us.
ual sense OF that term. The order as
adopted by the convention recently
will go out to the general executive
boards OF the American Railway Union
on the various systems. The order
will simply be the proceedings of this
convention, showing that it was the
sense of this convention that no mem
bers OF the American Railway Union
have anything whatever TO do with
the transportation of Pullman cars,
This means that the members of our
organization will refuse TO handle
these cars. Car inspectors will not
inspect them; switchmen will not
switch them onto trains, and engineers
and brakemen will refuse to haul
them. The trouble will begin with
the switchmen undoubtedly. We ex-
pect that the first switchman to re.
fuse to switch Pullman car will be
either laid off or discharged by the
officials of the railroad. Our men will
be watch!ul and the moment any man
attempts to take his place every mem
ber Of the American Railway Union
employed on the road will quit work
This will tie up the system and, so fal
as can see, the interstate commerce
law will cut no figure whatever in the
strike. We are, of course, best or
ganized in the Western and North
western countries, but we have some
strength in the East and South, and
the order affecting Pullman cars will
be carried into effect wherever our or
ganization is strong enough to cut any
figure in general result"
When asked about the possibility o
the Pullman company agreeing to ar.
bitration. yesterday, Vice President
Wickes said: "There can be but one
answer to any requests for arbitration
We have given that answer before, and
we give it now, and it is the only ont
that can be given. We have nothing
to arbitrate and this has been told al
least half a dozen committees from
the strikers and the organization to
which they belong. The situation O
this company is unchanged. We tolt
the men before they went out that i
they did go we would be compelled te
close the works. They went out ant
we closed the works. They are still
closed, and, as | say, we have nothing
to arbitrate."
Following is comparative schedul,
OF the wages in vogue at the Pullman
works: