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WILL NOT CONFER. Mr. Pullman Refuses to Arbitrate With Ilis Employes. Says He Has Sold Cars For $300 Less Than Actual Cost. George M. Pullman was seen this evening at Fairlawn, his summer home on Ocean avenue, by a Times correspondent, in reference to the big strike and the attitude of the Pullman Company in the matter. He spoke freely and without reserve. He had spent the fourth of July at his desk, facing the ocean, receiving callers and answering letters and telegrams regarding the situation. Briefly, he holds to the opinion that there can be no arbitration of this great issue, for the simple reason that there is nothing upon which to arbitrate. Notwithstanding the vast amount of worry and care to which Mr. Pullman has been subject recently, he still preseryes his customary calmness and evenness of temper. In giving his viewe on the present trouble. he spoke carefully and with a consideration for the welfare of his old employes that was plainly evident. "No one more than myself regrets this unfortunate strike he said as he leaned back in his chair. "The Pullman difficulty, separately regarded, no longer figures prominently in this fight of the new American Railway Union against the railroad companies. "The question, to my mind, has resolved itself to this: Shall the railroads be permitted to manage, or saall they turn it over into the hands of Debs, Howard and the American Railway Union? "The Pullman Company could not d settle the strike now if it would. It 18 now in other hands. "I think the sympathy of the intelligent American public is with the rail roads in this unjust attack. "What I would especially like to make clear, however, 18 the position of the Pullman Company. When the financial depression began last year we were employing in Pullman about 5,816 men and paying out in wages about $305,000 a mouth. "The average earnings of all the employes were something over $600 a year, including all classes. The deposits in the Pullman Savings Bank amounted to $688,000. That was in June, 1893. A large percentage, ninetenths of that money, represented the savings of the Pullman employes. "The manufacturing department of the company. like many other similar institutions all over the country, felt 1 the effects of the vast business depression. I foresaw that if the works were to be kept running it would be necessary for the company to make sacrifices and for the men to meet the situation by accepting lower salaries for the ir work. g "Understand, that a year previous we had turned out a great many cars. as had other car companies, to meet the exceptionally heavy world's fair traffic. "When the strike was inaugurated on May 11, over $32,000 had been withdrawn from the savings bank. "The Pullman service is not a monopoly, but rather a great CO operative n institution During the financial de pression we ran our works with a re. duced force of 2,000 men. The savings bank deposits fell off to $470,000. We shortly afterward, on obtaining new e. contracts, increased our force to 4,000 men, and the deposits-mind you, under the reducing scale, which they now want raised 25 per cent., while the price of cars is about 25 per cent. lower than it has been for two yearswent up to $488,000. "Afterthe fair closed these cars were
