The Pullman boycott : $b A complete history of the great R. R. strikeBurns, W. F.
History
The Pullman boycott : $b A complete history of the great R. R. strike
Burns, W. F.
Pullman Strike, 1894
Assistant Fire Marshall John Fitzgerald testified that he had been on
duty at all fires of any importance and had witnessed many acts of
incendiarism. In all instances he stated that these acts had been
committed by boys or youths belonging to the hoodlum element. He said
the eldest could not have been over nineteen years old. The fire
department had never been obstructed in any way in reaching fires. On
one occasion railroad men, whom he knew to be strikers, aided in placing
an engine in position, though he had never solicited aid of any kind
during the period when the fires were most numerous.
The Pullman side was now taken up by the commissioners.
Frank W. Glover was the first witness. He described himself as a real
estate dealer who owned a sub-division in Kensington, besides acre
property there, owned and sold houses and lots, and had tenants. In
reply to Commissioner Worthington as to what he knew of the rents in
Pullman, Kensington, Roseland and other similar suburbs, how they would
compare, Mr. Glover said: "I should say a six-room house in Pullman for
$17.00 is better than one of my six-room houses in Kensington which
rents for $10.00 to $12.00. The Pullman houses are connected with
sewers. The land on which they stand is better drained and from what I
should judge from outside appearances they have more of what are called
modern conveniences. My houses have no sewer connections, the land is
low, and in spring and fall is liable to have water on it; besides I
understand the Pullman Company keeps their houses in repair, while I do
not."
Paul E. Hearns, stationer and newsdealer at Pullman, was the next
witness. In his opinion there would have been less suffering if some of
the men had let beer and whiskey alone.
L. H. Johnson, a hardware and furniture dealer, testified next. He
expressed the belief that the Pullman employes were as thrifty,
economical and temperate a class of people as others of a similar class.
Wm. R. McKay, a reporter for the Mail, was next heard. He said that he
had been detailed to look after the American Railway Union headquarters
and the meetings at Uhlics Hall. The speeches at all these meetings were
against violence and in favor of observing the law as the only means of
winning the strike.
B. H. Atwell, a reporter for the Daily News, was the next witness. He
testified that he was at Blue Island during the trouble. He said the
deputy marshalls had drawn revolvers without any reason. Most of the men
who made trouble there were not railroad men. Railroad officials had
said to him that the strikers were not making the trouble. At the stock
yards also, such violence as was done was not by railroad strikers but
by toughs.
The next witness called was Alex Lungren, a wood-carver. In answer to
Commissioner Kernan's question if foremen had absolute power over the
men in their departments, Mr. Lungren replied that he did not know.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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