Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-10-20

While seemingly in good health, Mr.
Pullman had been complaining for the
last three or four days of the hot spell
and said he was feeling rather uncom-
Portable
After leaving his office at 5 P. NJ
he remained at his residence all the
evening. About 4.30 O'clock. this morn
ing, he awoke and called his body
servant to his bedside. and spoke again
of feeling uncomfortable. Finally h.
requested that the family physician,
DR.. Billings, be sent for. ''
Inthe meantime, hearing through the
servants, of Mr.. Pullman's indisposi-
ton. Rev. DR.. Chas. H. Eaton of New
York, an intimate friend of the Pull
man family, and who was visiting at
their home, went hurriedly into the
sick mans chamber.
Mr.. Pullman rapidly grew worse and
a second message was sent to DIR. Bill
liEgs but before the doctor could
reach the house, Mr.. Pullman had died.
George Nj. Pullman, whose differ
ences with his employees brought about
the Debs boycott and strikes, was 63
years old. He was born in Brocton,
like most country boys attended school
more or less regularly till he was about
IA years old. Then he went to work in
a country general store at salary of
about $40 a year. He staid there three
years, and it is on record that he
earned his money.
He had already begun to show that
he possessed the genius of accumula-
ton, for when he left the country store
he had capital of $50, which had been
saved out of his meager wages. With
this he went to Albion, N. Y. where his
brother had a cabinet shop. For this
brother the boy went to work, though
not exactly as an employee, for his lit
tie savings were invested in a partner
ship interest in the shop. George
learned the trade quickly, and the two
did very well, indeed, that when a few
years later an opportunity for a man
of ingenuity and enterprise to make
money came up the younger of the two
was equal to the emergency. His
chance was furnished by the widening
of the Erie canal. This made it neces-
sary to move many buildings back from
the edge Of the artificial waterway in
order that the necessary additional ex-
cavations could be made.
When young Pullman had finished
moving buildings along the canal, he
had a capital of $4,000 or $6OOO A Chi
cago lady, who was visiting in Albion
told him that the street level of the
big western city was about to be raised,
and that there had been a good deal
of trouble experienced in lifting the
heavy buildings. This was late in the
SOS ana Pullman betook himself at
once to Chicago.
His success there was great, but in
1860. the work of elevation having been
accomplished, he sighed for
new fields. When the Civil War broke
out. business prospects looked bad. and
hearing that gold had been discovered
at Pixies peak he went thither, where
he remained till some time in 1864. Then
he returned to Chicago and set about
building his first sleeping car. He was
seized with the idea that some time he
would do this one night, which he
passed in one Of the old Woodruff sleep
ing cars, just before he left Albion. The
bunk in which he lay was so uncom-
that he did not sleep at all,
but his active mind devised a plan of
sleeping car which he now set about
putting into concrete form.
This car was built in a shed belong
ing to the Chicago & Alton Railway
Pullman personally SUPER
vised it's construction, and before it
was finished had expended $4,000 upon
It. 1t was wider and higher than other
ears, and railroad men laughed at his
that it could be success
fully run. There Vas no way, they
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