The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-07-19
a STATE M e NJ
Issued by Pullman, the Sleeping Car Mag
nate, as 70 the Trouble With His Work

men. F&t
New YORK, July 14.--George NJ. Pull
man arrived in the city Friday morn
ing and Friday evening gave out
statement to the public. Mr.. Pullman
says:
"Tbe leaders of the disorder have
not hesitated to harrass the public by
all means in their power, because, as
they say, the Pullman Co. would not
submit to arbitration, and now that dis
order seems to be quelled they are rein
forced in their clamor for arbitration
by some prominent newspapers, but,
as far as know, but very few II any
business men in the country.
What is the demand concealed un-
der the innocently sounding word arbi-
tration?'
"A little more than year ago the
car shops at Pullman were in a most
prosperous condition; work was plenty,
wages were high and the condition of
the employees was indicated by the fact
that the local savings bank had in saw
ings deposits nearly 100000, nearly all
of which was the property Of the en-
ployes.
Our pay rolls show an average
caring of over 500 per annum for every
man, woman or youth on the roll.
Then came the great panic and depres-
sion of last summer. Many customers
stopped negotiations and cancelled or
ders, and our working force had to be
diminished from nearly six thousand
to about two thousand in November,
1893.
1.-The great business depression exist
ing throughout the country had nat
urally resulted in wage depression,
was by bidding for work as low or
lower than could be made by other
shops, and this, of course. necessitated
reduction in the wages of the en-
ployes at Pullman. This was arranged
satisfactorily, as / supposed, and in
close competitions. disregarding all ac-
count of capital and machinery, I Sc
cured enough work to gradually in
| crease our force to 4,200, the number
on the rolls last April.
mine weeks ago the carshops at
Pullman were working with car-build-
| ing contracts on hand to keep them
going for about sixty days, and with
all business forecasts leading to the
| belief that no considerable new orders
| could soon be had. The most import
ant of the work in hand had been taken
| by me in competition at prices which
were less than the actual cost to the
company of delivering cars. without
reckoning for the use of capital and
| plant.
'This work was taken to keep the
large force of men employed, and to
postpone, with the hope of avoiding
! the numberless embarrassments to all
classes of people at Pullman and vicin-
ity, of closing down of the works, to
prevent which the company considered
it wise policy to operate the shops at
an actual loss"
''1n the early part of May" continues
the statement, "a committee of the
employees met and demanded restora-
ton of the wages of year ago. ] ex,
planned to this committee, minutely
and laboriously, the facts, showing
that the company was already paying
them more than it was receiving for
their contract work, and offered them,
for complete assurance and to end all
questions, inspection of our books and
contracts in hand.
This, and the beginning at once at
Pullman of a promised careful investi.
CATION of number of shop complaints,
seemed to end all trouble: but day
later, under the excitement of their re-
cruiting into the new organization. the
workmen closed the shops by abandon
ing their work, thus themselves doing
what l was strenuously trying to pre-
vent being done by the depression Of
the car-building business, and the EN-
ployes who quit their work have de
prived themselves and their comrades
of earnings of more than $500, 900 up tC
this time
Mr.. Pullman claims that arbitration
is impossible, as the men are not now
in the employ of his company and the
shops are closed. The statement goe.
on to show that rents in Pullman were
not exorbitant, it averaging only about
$500 per room. Employees may ant
very many do rent their houses outside
of the town.
"As to the charges for water, thu
company lately had contract will
the village of Hyde Park, under whicl
it paid four cents per thousand gallons
and pumped the water itself Th'
gross amount paid the village pc
month for the water consumed by TIN
tenants was almost exactly the gros
s. m paid by the tenants therefor.
Since the inclusion of Hyde Pafl
and Pullman within the city of Chi
cago the company pays the city abou
seven cents per thousand gallons, AM
uot having increased the charge to tn
tenants is paying for the water con
sumed by them about $500 more pc
month more than is charged to them" "
Prendergast Strangled.
CHICAGO, July 14.-Patrick Eugen
prapdaroaSf the slayer of MavOr Ca,