The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-20
GEORGE N. PULLMAN.

was one Of seven children and bis parents
were poor. At the ago Of II his school days
ended, it being necessary for him to contribute
TO the support of the family. He found em-
ployment in n general store at Westfeld, N. Y,
ct q SALARY Of $40 a year. He worked in the
F.ore for three years. In 1916, his parents
having moved to Albion, \; Y. young Pull
man Joined them and went into his brothers
'hop to learn The trade Of a cabinetmaker.
ditch" after the, great Governor who projected
the canal. At different places along the bank
buildings would either. have to be moved or
torn down to permit the widening. Pullman
could move; these buildings and contracted to
move many Of them. The work went on sue
y brick building and everybody but Pullman
was sure it couldn't be done. .
The young contractor set to work on one OF
these buildings. put u lot OF jack screws under it.
and the movinK.was accomplished successfully;
Chicago, visited Albion. He heard Of the work
Pullman, had done in moving buildings along
the canal ,ion He Q y told I'D, the !, y SSinss contractor u .a;or o. tho
Of the city about eight feet. Matteson told
Pullman that the district was covered with
In Chicago as he had done along the canal he
could mako q largo amount of money. Pull
once. After looking over the ground he Heard
that the Madison block, q store and office build.
Ing. then the finest in the city. was standing on
The building was of brick aud several stories
high
fully, contracted to raise it and the sidewalk In
such q way that the tenants in the building
q single day. He immediateiy put 500 jack
screws under the building. and at the discharge
Of a pistol a man at each screw gave II a quarter
turn. Then the building was inspected, the
were turned again. In this way the building
walk was raised to meet the silis Of the building
every night. Not a tenant moved out and
Pullman nav was considered Somewhat in the
aY {ons Of tin 9a afi c sI th ~ Pe seParO De ddh to %ibi toa
name. He was obliged to travel much at night,
and, one night in 1859. he was travelling from
q sleeping car and Pullman took a berth in 1t.
IT. had I 2 ben n running 9iIf4E.S along long sdc1;nn si in 3 81 inS
the beds were made up. There were three
berths to a section, upper. lower. and middle. ,
That was the first sleeping car Pullman had
ever seen. He was 80 uncomfortable that he
could not sleep. and as he lay awake he thought
how the car could be improved. He thought
ing Interested State Senator Ben Field Of Al.
bion and others in the scheme. He made ar:
Alton road.
The first car was called the Pioneer. That
was the beginning of Mr.. Pullman's car build
pany was formed. The company now OWNS
about 5000 cars, which are run over more than
100000 miles OF railroad. The company EN-.
ploys about 10000 men, and 1t is capitalized at
$36 900. 900.
In 1850 Mr.. Pullman began to build the town
of Pullman. Thc:town, according to Mr., Pull
mans own statement. was never designed as a
phiianthropic scheme. His notion was that,
with the company'S works there, a town could
be built up where the workInen could find bet
ter and ,-haper homes than they could any
where else.
The town was laid out after several plans had
been rejected. The.drainage system was put In
first, then the streets were waved. Parks were
next laid out, and then Houses were put up.
To-day the city has about $4,000 inhabitanJs.
II has churches. II library, schools, u fine hotel.
and Il savings bank.
Mr.. Pullman was estimated to.be worth about
$5O,oOO,OOQ. he leaves a widow, who was a Miss
Sanger, and two sons and two daughters. The
sons, who are twins. are George NJ. Pullman,
Jr., and w. Sanger Pullman. The daughters
are Mrs. Frank q. LOwden, who was Miss
floreI!ce Pullman, and who resides in Chicago
and Mrs, Frank Carolan. who was Miss Har'
rlett PULLMAN, Il beauty, who lives In Burlin'
Mr.. Pullman's home In Chicago was at l72s
Prairie avenue. He had summer places at
the Thousand Islands and at Elberon, n. J. Ht
WAS a member of the Union League Club Of
his city and the Metropolitan Museum OF Art
Mrs:, Pullman and W. Sanger Pullman wcr,
In New FORK when Mr.. Pullman died. They
lett immediately for Chicago.