Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-23
1IVGelO'S APPEAL.
"sks Help for Destitute Puum., ~
strikers.

CHICAGO. Aug. Governor lob, ID
So" mas ISSUED an appeal in behalf of
."o ues.'tute people of Pullman whom he
,o"ha during his personal Investigation
.nohday. The governor first appealed 70
Mr. Puiiman, and after an intercb,nca Of
warm letters, in which it a,ne,rod th.t
w., "iinhah was unwilling to give any
anu 10 the unfortunates referred to bv
uo'ernar Alteeld, his excellency declared
on al further negotiations with Mr.
fuilman in the following words:
AS you refuse to do ANYTHING to re.
iieve the suffering in this case l am COM
peiied To appeal to the humanity of the
people of Illinois to do sou
Governor Altgeld's Proclamation.
ihen Governor Altgeld sat down and
penned the following proclamation.
10 THE PEOPLE OF TIE STATE OF II1I.
NUS, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE CITY
of CHICAGO: There is great distress grow
ing OUT OF the want of food in and around
the town OF Pullman. More than 1000
families, or in the neighborhood of {; 600
people, are entirely destitute-nearly four
! htths OF them are women and children
Ihe men have endeavored to yet work.
nut We're unable to do So have made a
| personal examination of the case. and
learn from the officers of the Pullman
company that prior to the strike they had
| o,Zoo names on the pay roll; yesterday
Ihey mad 2,2-o people at work, but over
| oOo Oh these were new men, so that they
Rave only about $50 of their old employes
mt work, leaving about l 500 that have rot
been taken back. Several hundred of
these have left. but the remainder are un.
able to go away and have nothing to eat.
Relief Association Formed.
| II find that Immediately after the be-
ginning of the strike relief ASSOCIATE on
was formed to provide for the needy. and
the books of this association show that
2,4t3 applications were made by the Pull
man employees, mostly heads of families,
TO this association for aid; in fact, nearly
all OF the employees, except the few hun
| dred who left, have been supported by
charity for nearly three months. As a
rule they are superior class of laboring
people, industrious, capable and steady,
and some of them have worked for the
| Pullman company for more than ten
years. Those who have been given work
can get food, but are still in such an i'm
povcrished condition that they cannot
help their neighbors If they would. The
relief society is unable to get more sup.
plies. Last Saturday it gave to each fam
lily two pounds oil oatmeal aud two pounds
OF cornmeal, and having nothing left it
suspended operations, leaving the people
in an absolutely helpless condition.
Time for Humane Action.
1.-The county commissioners OF Cook
county, as overseers o. the poor, have rem
dcrcd some assistance. but owing to lin
tied appropriation they can furnish relief
but for short time. We cannot now
stop to inquire the cause of this distress
The good people OF this state cannot allow
women and children 10y the hundred tc
perish of hunger. ! therefore call upo,
all humane and charitably disposed Citi
zens to contribute what they can TOWARD
giving relief to these people. l am conf
dent that any contributions sent to tn,
Pullman relief committee at kensington
Ills, will be judicially distributed. l fnC
their treasurer has given bond to properly
account for all moneys received.
''JouN L. ALTGELD, governor"