New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-07
PULLMAN'S UNIQUE CITY.
HOW IT WAS FOUNDED AND THE OBJ
JECTS OF THE FOUNDER
1T WAS A BUSINESS VENTURE BUT THERE
WERE PHILANTHRoPIC MOTIVES
RACK oE

fresh attention the unique city which he found
ed and which bears his For the first
thirteen years after the organization of his pal
ace-car company, in 1867. its sumptuous vehicles
were built in shops a four widely scattered CEN
tres-St. Louis. Detroit Elmira and Whining
ton. Del. But in 1879 a consolidation of inter-
ests was decided upon. A year later it was car
ried into effect
Mr.. Pullman had something more in view at
this time than greater economy and efficiency in
administration and improved facilities for pro-
duction He wanted to establish a community OF
workmen which should have no parallel in Amer
lea i respect to the ncatneSs. sanitary condi
ton and artistic and moral influences Of its
roundings and which should be radically differ
ent in these respects from the typical factory
village of the East and the mining settlements
of long occupied regions like Pennsylvania
Chicago was situated centrally in the territory
where Pullman were most in demand. But
the high price Of land inside the city limits. to-
gether with other considerations decided him to
select site out the prairie fourteen miles
south of the heart OF Chicago. A tract includ-
ing $500 acres. lying on the west shore Of a
sheet of water known as Lake Calumet and
about five miles from Lake Michigan was pur-
chased. great deal of it was a bog But it
sistible enterprise. almost like magic there
sprung from the soil small but beautiful and
complete city
InasmuCh as the Pullman company erected not
only numerous buildings for its manufact
uring processeS-foundres FORCES, machine
shops. carpenter shops and paint shops-but also
the dwelling houses. stores. school. church, saw
ings bank and railway station. this plan In
sured a certain standard Of beauty for all the
places of residence secured uniform strip Of
lawn in front Of all the houses. and protected
every tenant against sloveny neighbOrs and cor
ner groceries All merchandise. whether il was
drygoOds. food. stationery or fuel. was TO be OBJ
tanned only in one locality and in that locality
the purchasers were sheltered from the weather
by glass roof over a broad and graceful
cade. In like manner the other business houses
kept apart from the homes. And as for the
ginmill, neither church dwelling could have
it next door because il utterly excluded
from the place So too. was the gambling hell
The asphalt streets were kept as clean as a
parlor floor. Every habtation provided with
gas. water and perfect drains The sewerage
system. was 50 arranged that all liquid refuse
was pumped away to a distance and used I'm fer
tilizing vast farm. Private and public flower
beds dotted the lawns. The occupants of the
houses and the people who carried on mercan-
tile pursuits were all compelled to rent their
quarters Of the company. None Of them could
own or build. The architects and builders were
hired by the single corporation that dominated
everything. so that unity OF design and policy in
matters affecting the community as a whole
secured beyond all risk. The so-callei city
OF Pullman which within few years after its
foundation in 1880, had population of twelve
thousand. formally annexed to Chicago in
1889. but the company's charter gave it full ad-
minstrative powers in its own domain.
a pretty theatre established in this model
settlement early in its history. and in 1882
free public library in a building of it's own.
formally opcned. At first il numbered only five
thousand volumes. carefully selected but its size
has been nearly doubled by subsequent additions.
The library was Mr. Pullman's personal gift to
the people. There was also a small but attract
i've park. with a bandstanI in it, in the centre Of
the town.
Although the labor troubles of 1891 exposed
Mr.. Pullman to a good deal of criticism and mis-
representation. it is nevertheless true that in
founding the city which bore his name he was
animated very largely 10y phianthropic and orig
ina ideas. His theory regarding sleeping and
drawing room cars was that their Unprecedented
elegance would exert a restraining and refining
influence upon the passengers and that their
handsome carpets and upholstery would not only
be safe from the boots and approximations Of
careless men. but that the travelling public
would ne educated by their surroundings Of
course he expected 10 make money incidentally.
but his venture was generally cobsidcrcd a bold
if not a crazy one at first. In like manner he be-
lieved that the exceptional artistic. intellectual
and moral Influences with which ne cnvironcd
his workncn would not bo thrown away. but on
TIC cnnirarN. would make them moro m.clul ON