This page was created by Rachel Boyle.
Pullman, 1894
Building Livelihoods on the Line
George Pullman built his company town south of Chicago with the hope of preventing the labor unrest [link] that characterized the rest of the industrial city. Row houses with modern utilities surrounded the shops where workers built the company's signature palace rail cars. The town also boasted an artificial lake, ornate hotel, and an Arcade Building that held a theater, bank, library, post office, and stores. By offering affordable modern homes and cultural amenities for workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company, Pullman promised comfort and order for both employees and management.The Panic of 1893 disrupted the peace at Pullman. To cope with financial losses, George Pullman cut wages while keeping rent and living costs steady. Workers walked out in protest. After failed attempts at arbitration, the American Railway Union launched a national strike in solidarity with Pullman employees that paralyzed rail lines across the country. Violence broke out across the city, and President Cleveland dispatched federal troops from Fort Sheridan to keep order. George Pullman claimed ownership over the company town with the backing of federal troops while workers asserted the value of their labor and rights to wages and homes.
The strike did not ultimately succeed. In fact, ARU leader Eugene V. Debs was imprisoned and the subsequent Supreme Court case dealt a blow to unionism by affirming the right of the federal government to issue an injunction against a strike. However, Pullman also received substantial criticism as it became clear that the bottom line took precedent over his proclaimed investment in workers' quality of life.