The record-union., 1894-07-12
THOSE PULLMAN CARS.
Why the Railroad is Compelled to
Haul Them.
Provisions of Contract From Which
the Southern Pacific Company
Cannot Escape.
sAcRAa1ENro. July II, 1891.

SACRAMENTO, July IL, 1884.
To the People of Sacramento: At this
time it is important that the people have
correct information. In the RECORD
UNION of this morning is an open COM
munication from Knox, Compton ana
Mullen, Committee of Mediation OF the
American Railway Union, to A. \.
Towne, General Manager of the railroad
system of this coast. They say: 'Ihe
American Railway Union will man,
move and see safely to their destination
all trains, including local, overland, mali,
passenger and freight trains. on condition
that no Pullman be attached"
The railroad company has no power to
run passenger trains without the Pullman
parlor, sleeper and hotel cars attached;
and the company must do this for four
years longer.
The contract between the Pullman
Company and the railroad company pro-
yides that 1.-THE Pullman Company shall
have the exclusive right for term OF HI
teen years, from and after the Both day OF
June. in the year 1883, to furnish Tor the
use of the railway company such parlor,
sleeping and hotel cars as may be re-
Qulred on all passenger trains OF the rail-
way company, over the entire line OF rail-
way operated by it, or which may mere
after be operated by it, as owner. lessee
or otherwise; and, also, on all passenger
trains on which it may, by virtue OF con-
tracts or running arrangements with
other roads, have the right to use such
cars. The railway company VIII not con-
tract with any other party to run SAID
class of cars on or over sald lines OF ROAD
during the period for which the contract
set out in this article remains IN force"
The provision of the contract speaks for
itself in plain English. There is no mis-
taking its meaning. The railway COM
pany must use the Pullman cars TO the
exclusion Of any other parlor, sleeping or
hotel cars, and il must be so for four
years more.
The contract further provides that 'the
railway company will haul the aforesaid
cars on its lines, embracing all roads
which it now controls and operates, or
may hereafter control and operate, as
part thereof, by ownership, lease. or
otherwise on such trains and IN such
manner as shall, in the Judgment of the
General Manager, or General SuperIn-
tendent, be best adapted to accommo-
date passengers upon the SAID railways"
1t is too plain for controversy that the
railroad company must haul those cars
on all its roads during the continuance OF
the contract. The contract provides that
the railway company shall own three
fourths and the Pullman Company one
fourth. 1t is not necessary To go into
further detail as to the terms Of the con-
tract. It makes no provision for re-
scinding it before its expiration by Its
own terms at the end of fifteen years,
four years of which yet remains. If the
railroad company use any other parlor,
sleeping or hotel cars than the Pullman
or refuses to haul them, it is liable to an
action for damages. What right has the
American Railway Union to require the
company to violate it's contract and lay
itself liable for damages? What right
has anybody to do so? Is this a land
governed by laws or is it to be governed
by violence?
Three-fourths of the cars belong to the
railroad company and they cannot use
their three-fourths without using The one
fourth of the Pullman Company. What
right has the American Railway Union
to prevent the railway company from
using their own property ? The earnings
of these cars enabled the railway COM
pany to pay their employees in these hard
times the same wages which they paid
twenty years ago when times were good.
Why should these employees deprive the
company of that source of revenue?
What justice is there in it? The railway
company is bound by that contract for
four years more, why should it be ruined
because it does not do that which it can
not do? 1t cannot abrogate or rescind
that contract. l know its terms. The
contract is now before me.
JOHN w. ARMSTRONG.