The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-19
THE PULLMAN COMPANY.

Pullman company has issued a state
ment showing that the original Pull
man company's capital of 100000, has
paid $50, 600 600 in dividens since the
start. At the same time hearing is
going on before Inter State Commerce
Commissioner Lane, in Chicago, to de-
termine whether or not the company is
Justified in charging the same rate for
both upper and lower berths, and an
inquiry is being made in to the tipping
system which is in vogue on those cars
as part of the porter's pay.
The ordinary citizen who does much
travelling, will wonder if the great div
idends have not come, for the most
part out of his pocket, in the shape Of
unfair tariff rates, excessive charges
for upper berths and the meager pay
Of porters, which forces them to live
out of the tipping system.
This thought is further strengthened
by the announcement in the papers at
the time, that the accounts of the va
rious departments of the Chicago, Mil
waukee and ST. Paul railroad were
published The railroad runs it's own
sleeping car system and the accounts
of that department show that there is
more profit connected with that branch
than with any other, taking into ac-
count the amount of capital invested.
There is not much doubt in anyone's
mind that the Pullman cars are safer
and more comfortable than any other
cars in the world. They are the real
American first class when it comes
to travelling. But there is lingering
suspicion in the common mind that the
public is being imposed on.
For instance, takes the fares. The
traveller who must use the sleeper is
practically at the mercy of the COM
pany. 1t has often been matter of
speculation as to how these rates can
possibly be logical, except as they put
money into the company's pockets and
discriminate against the travellers of
small towns like Richmond.
For instance, the traveller who comes
from the East will find if he buys his
ticket for Richmond, that there is a
whole dollars difference between Day
ton and Richmond, although the seat
fare between the two places is only a
quarter of dollar. The rate from
Baltimore to Richmond is exactly the
same that it is from Baltimore to In
dianapolis. The willy traveller will do
we'll to buy his ticket to Dayton and
pay seat fare to Richmond. The at
tention to this state of affairs was call.
ed by Pullman conductor himself
while on duty. He denounced the rate
as excessive. In the same converse
ton commercial traveller who, in
the course of his travels had apparent,
ly been all over the country. volun-
teered to demonstrate that man
might save very considerable figure
if he would but pay attention and buy
seat fares when conditions warranted
it, He brazenly announced that such
was his custom and that by a system
of "rake-offs'' which he had devised
he was enabled to pocket a figure
amounting to hundreds of dollars ev
cry year out of his expense account
which he Tailed to the published rates
of the Pullman company.
Now, much of this might seem talk
it is possible that that sort of thins
might be done.
The same unfairness in the matter o.
upper and lower berths is in force
Although on many trains the upper
berths are hot occupied, they are in
variably pulled down, thus cutting of
2. supply of fresh air and making i
unspeakably uncomfortable for even
normal sized adult to manipulate him
self. his luggage and his wearing ap
parel. Moreover, the upper berth il
draughty AMI filled with the simmer
ing, half-light that filters in from tn,
low turned upper lights, to say nothin.
of the bother of climbing up ricket,
flight of steps TO reach it. 1t may b,
the contention of the Pullman compa
ny that their upper and lower berth
are equally uncomfortable and henc
the rate should be equal. The fact re
mains that the public almost invaria
bly, asks the agent for a lower berth
II this be the case why not lower tn
rate Of upper berths or raise the pric
of lower berths with the stipulation tina
the upper be left unmade?
The matter Of tipping porters ha
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