Mr. Heathcoat: "The freight car builders suffered more than others, but the commission can find out best by having some one from each department come before it."
Commissioner Kernan: "Don't the people of Pullman know that we want to hear from every one that can throw any light on this subject?"
Mr. Heathcoat: "Yes, sir. They understand it but there are lots of them who have not money to get down here."
Mr. Wright: "Tell us if you can what was the average pay of the employes, say in April last?"
Mr. Heathcoat: "On a lot of elevated cars on which I worked I made 16 cents per hour, on one car and 15 cents per hour on another, but there were men working alongside of me who made only four and five cents per hour. I would say that in January, February and March the mechanic's pay averaged $1.50 and the laborers' pay $1.30 per day. Some times the laborers' checks were bigger than the mechanics'."
Commissioner Wright: "Have you any suggestion of a remedy for labor troubles?"
Mr. Heathcoat: "Yes, sir. The ownership of railroads and banks by the government would do it. I never heard of a strike in the post-office department or the navy yard."
Miss Curtis next took the stand. She was an employe of Pullman and president of the Girls Union of the American Railway Union at Pullman. Beginning her testimony she said: "In June, 1893, the wages in my department were 22-1/2 cents per hour, $2.25 a day. In April, 1894, they were 70 to 80 cents a day. There were two cuts in one week in November and another in January. In April the best wages any of us could make was eighty cents a day, while some could not make more than from 40 to 50 cents a day. Last June they could make at least $1.50 per day." Commissioner Wright: "Do you pay rent?"
Miss Curtis: "Not now. My father worked for the Pullman company thirteen years, during which time he paid rent. He died last September and as there was some expense connected with his sickness he owed $60 back rent. Then I went to work in the repair shop and boarded out. The company made me pay $3 per week on account of the back rent. I still owed $15 on the day of the strike and owe it yet. Some weeks I did not earn enough to pay my board and rent too and then I paid only part of the $3."
Commissioner Wright: "Were you on any of the committees that waited on Mr. Pullman and Mr. Wickes?"