Pullman essays

Pullman essays George Pullman was born on March 3, 1831 in Brocton, New York, but was raised in Portland. His philosophy of labor was the effect of his religious upbringing in the Universalist Church. Pullmans father instilled honesty and hard work in his children. When his father became ill and passed on, George Pullman took his place as the man of the house and also took over his fathers work in construction. In 1855, Mr. Pullman acquired a lot of work in Chicago due to Lake Michigan. The land was only a few feet above the level of Lake Michigan....(Buder p.5) In order to rectify the situation, the streets and buildings had to be raised. After completing impeccable feats(Buder p.5) such as raising the Tremont Hotel and raising an entire block of stores without so much as breaking a glass, George Pullman became very popular in the construction business. After the construction was completed and there wasnt any work left, he formed a partnership with a politician named Benjamin Field and his brother Norman. Together they began constructing the perfect sleeping car. After many trials and tribulations, the Pioneer was constructed. The Pioneer received its publicity when it was first used to carry the body of president Lincoln during his funeral. After Pullman bought out his partners...he decided to incorporate,(Buder p.18) and later the Pullman Palace Car Company was formed. Between the 1860s and the 1870s, the districts of Chicago became overcrowded as the population increased. This in turn made life hard for the working class people that lived in the poorer districts. They lived in unsanitary and unhealthy conditions. Homes were built on ...unimproved lands distant from services.(Buder p.34) Working class people would sometimes turn to alcohol in order to release their frustrations concerning their living conditions. Intoxicated men would go to work an...