The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-22
ALrGELD WRirEs PULLMAN
Ia Reference 10 tho 800 starving Fami
lies IL The InIter'. Tnnn

CHICAGO, ILL, Aug. 2.-Governor Alt
geld this morning sent letter 10 George
NJ Pullman. in which he outlined the
desperate condition OF affairs among the
strikers at Pullman. and invited AIR. Pull
man TO call on hliu ana devise means OF
TelicI for the l.DlJ starving families i'm his
town. As yet the Governor has received
~ reply from Mr. Pullman. The Pullman
Relief Committee was informed by the
Governor that immediate aH was at hand
for the sufferers, but he declined to name
while l car say that relief viii be at
hand At once said he, 81 cannot at
present define what shall be done T. afford
substantial help. There are three ways
Of securing the assistance which must be
had at once There Is the Governors j
fund. which Will not permit Of any con-
siderable draft. and there is also posi-
bility of cOnvening the LEGISLATURE for
the purpose OF making an appropratlOn'
but that plan would take too long. Then,
the way IS open for me 10 issue d procla-
nation 10 the people of th- state, asking
them to make charitable contributions"
1t Is thought the Governor VIII MAKE "a
personal contribution and then issue the
proclamation referred 10.
GOVERNOR ALrGfLD's AprrAL.
After making a thorough Investigation
Of the conditions existing among the eX-
employees Of the Pullman company VINO
participated in the recent boycott ana
strike, Governor Altgeld tonight issued
the following relief appeal:
TO the People OF the state OF Illinois,
and Especially Those of the city OF
There is great distress growing out Of
the want of food in and around the town
Of Pullman. More than 1909 families, or
I'm the neighbOrhOOd of coo people. are
utterly destitute. Nearly fOur-hitns Of
them are women and children. The men
have endeaVored to get WsrK, bat were
unable 20 do 80. l have made a personal
examination OF the case, ana learn from
the officers of the Pullman company that
prior 10 the strike they had 500 names
on the payroll. Yesterday they had 800
people a work, but over 600 OF these are
new men. so that they have only about
1900 of their old employees at work, leav-
ing about ] Co that have not been taken
back. Several hundred of these have LETT,
but the remainder are unable 10 20 away,
and have nothing To eat | find that i'm
mediately after the beginning Of the strike
a relief association was formed % provide
for the needy and the books Of this assoc
citation show that 2.i63 applications were
made by the Pullman employees. mostly
heads Of families, 10 this association for
In fact. nearly all the employees. except
the few hundred who LETT have been
supported by charity for nearly three
months.
AS a rule they are a superior class Of
labOring people Industrious capable. and
steady and some Of them have worked
for the Pullman Company for more than
ten wears. Those who have been given
work can get food. but are still in such an
IMPOVERISHED condition that they cannot
help their neighbors If they would. The
Relief Society IS unable TO get more sup
plies. on last Saturday fl gave 10 each
family two pounds OF oatmeal and two
pounds of corn meal and having nothing
left IL suspended operations. leaving the
people In an absolutely helpless condition
The County Commissioners Of COOK
county, as overseers Of the poor. nave
rendered some assistance, but OWING 10
limited appropriations they can turhlsh
relief for "a short time only.
We cannot now stop 10 inquire tle
Cause OF this distress. The good peopis
Of this State cannot allow women anu
children by the hundreds 10 perish py
hunger. - .
therefore call upon all humane anu
charitably disposed citizens 10 contribute
what they can toward giving rellet 10
these people. | am satisfied that any con
trihutions sent To the Human Keller Com
rnittse ~ Kensington Will be sludiciously
distr,huted i find their treasurer has
eiyen bond TO properly account for all
moneys 9slgneg9 ee9e' JOHN p. ALTGELD,
'ois"N" Governor.
The Governor also sent a communica-
,io,S,o the commissioners OF COOK county.
.'.,'..,Iing To them as the officers upon
,shom deyolyed the duty or providing Tor