The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-26
From the Philadelphia Ledger.

born on a farm in Chauteuqua
County, New York, March a, 1881.
As a mere boy of Ia he began to earn
his own living. He worked in q
country store until he was II, and
then he joined an elder brother in
the cabinet making business at AL
bion, N. Y. At "a no took a con-
tract for moving ware houses and
other buildings along tho Erie
Canal, which was then being widen.
ed by the State, and the experience
gained in this business led him, in
1860, to Chicago, whore efforts were
then being mado to provide an ad-
equate system Of grading and drain
age by raising the whole city several
feet up in tho air. Mr.. Pullman
took several contracts for raising
large business blocks, and succeeded
in doing 90 almost without interrupt
ing tho business carried on in
them.
THK PULLMAN CAR.
1t was, however, in the origin and
development of the modern palace
car that Mr.. Pullman was destined
10 acquire wealth and fame. Sever
al accounts Of how his attention
happened to be drawn in this, di-
rection have appeared, but the fol-
lowing is believed to be correct. 1t
is taken from work entitled "The
Nations Leaders," the biographical
sketch had Mr. Pullman's approval
before being printed: 1t was during
night ride from Buffalo to West
field, in 1858, made in one Of a
tier Of hunks which then constituted
all that was known Of a sleeping
car, that the idea Of something
vastly better for the accommodation
of the travelling public came to the
young contractor. He thought long
and earnestly aboat it and after
many disoouragements, seoured, in
1859, a couple of old Chicago and
Alton day coaches, remodelled them
into sleeping cars, after patent
which he bought and supplemented
with his own designs, and they at
once found favor with the public.
During the next three years he turn
ed out tao or three other sleeping
cars, each being an improvement on
it's predecessors, and then, obtaining
the use of Chicago and Alton shea
as work shop, he began the con-
struction of the first sleeping oar
built or present day principles--the
once renowned Pioneer. In this, for
the first time, the space above the
windows WAS utilized for the storage
Of bedding and furniture and the
swinging upper berth introduced.
A RAILROAD REVOLUTION.
This was radical innovation. II
made necessary the addition of &c
inches to the height Of the car and
several inches to it's width, and il
was argued that no abroad company
would consent to run it's trains OF
unequal height, to say nothing OF
alterations that would have to be
made in tracks, stations, tunnels, etc.,
to suit the new Dimensions. But in
1856, after many months of work
the Pioneer was finished. It cosi
$4,000, whereas its predecessors
had cost only from $4,000 to $4,500
but it WAS finished of luxury pre-
viously unknown, and Mr. Pullman
was shrewd enough to calculate OF
tho luxurious tastes of the American
people. He reasoned that nothing
but the best is good enough TO,
them, and the event proved that he
reasoned correctly.
! WITH LINCOLN AND GRANT
| Shortly after the Pioneer was fin
ished came the assassination of Pres
ident Lincoln, and the finest car ir
the land WAS Of course, engaged te
carry his remains on the sad journey
from Washington to Chicago. Fol
such an event concessions were made
which would not have been consid
cred under ordinary circumstances
Bridges were strengthened, station
platforms moved back or ont of ant
tho road cleared to admit the paa