The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-10-24

any way. The feat AT that time was so
notable that it was the wonder of the
city and before he had finished the work
OF raising city blocks the little capital
Drought from Albion reached $50, 600
cash.
Then began the career that has made
the name OF Pullman famous the world
| over and THAT has buIldcd a beautiful
CITY and made capable of earning per
cent. a year one CT the most gigantic
Industries In the world
At Alb!cm he became acquainted with
senator Ben Field, Il member OF the
State Senate In lS5i-'J6. Mr. Field was
interest," in legislation concerning
Slceping-car fares aud the Woodruff
SleepinS-Car company. n acknowledged
ment of his interest In its behalf, had
given him the right to run its slcepers
on a couple of Western roads Mr.
lu!!man heard a great deal from his
friend Field about the new car used
For night service and told with relish the
story OF his first experience in a. slcspcr
| lie was making journey of sixty miles
ana hearing that n night car was on
the train he paid 30 cents for n berth in
IT, although he did not expect to use it,
| He wanted to see how the car looked.
| II had one bed near the floor another
! two or three feet above il, and n third
| rising above the second. They were
| mcra hunks. but they were the hes l.
sleeping accommodations that were
| provided nj that time.
While Mr.. Pullman was in Chicago
! raising buildings he was called upon by
Senator Field with II request for scvc-
! m! loans. and out Of these accommoda-
/ tons an arrangement grew between
/ them to run sleeping cars on ihe Alton
! read. Pullman TO pay the Senator, who
hn i,Th !,
| half of the prospective earnings. Mat
| terS went on in this way for short time,
ana meanwhile Field, Who had no bust
| ness tact. lost his slccping-car service
on the other two Western roads which
| had been given him. One day he came
10 Mr.. Pullman and told him that he hld
an opportunity to buy back the priyi-
| ieges on the other roads. and that he
would like to sell his half lcltcrcst In
| the partnership line 90 Mr. Pullman.
| y bargain was struck, and Mr. Pull
| man paid his partner $500. This vas
| at the opening of the war VIII ne
| night trains on the Alton road had ,r1
taken off-the outlook for the Alton road
| was very dubious. 1t Is singular
| illustration of Mr.. Puiingln's good for
| tune that he had hardly concluded the
| purchase of his partners. half-intcrcst
| before business became so good that the
eight trains were started again and thc
! slecping-car business began at once to
make returns. These sleeping cars on
| the Alton road, With which Mr.. Pull
mans first experiments were tried were
simply two ordinary passenger coaches
! which he had changed into the com
mcclcst kind OF sleeping cars at slight
| expense. Fifty cents was charged for n
berth, and the first night four berths
were sold About this time the Pixies
| Peak fever set in. and Mr.. Pullman
| griLvitated West ard spent two or three
years AT Pixies Peak. He returned in
1864 and again took up his slceping-car
| project.
| In 1864 Mr.. Pullman, who had been
| giving the sleeping car business close
| attention and who had been deeply in
| tcrested in the thought that there was
a wide field for inventive genius in tina t
| direction met master car builder OF
| the Alton railroad who was an old
| friend, and paid him 500 a month 10
| take in charge the construction of n
| model car. He obtained the privilege
! or using 4 shed of the Alton railroad
| In its yard at Chicago and told the
builder what sort Of q car he wanted.