The History of the Great Strike

July 21, 1894

Summary

The American Railway Union finally ends their strike of the Pullman Railway Company, after the president is able to suppress their strike in Chicago.

Transcription

The great strike in the west is well-nigh at an end.
Only here and there can the strikers be found to be in any manner impeding the freight and passenger traffic.
Stop us and one of the greatest labor movement in the history of this or any country.
For the benefit of those who have not read fully the history of this strike it would be well to give an account of its cause and it's a fact.
This was well was known as a sympathetic strike, or a strike in which the parties directly engaged had no grievances themselves, but struck out of sympathy for others.
In this movement, Mr. Eugene V Debs, president of the American Railway Union was the central figure.
It seems that the business depression which has been a most prominent accompaniment of President Cleveland's Administration caused a cancellation of car building contracts and a cessation of orders.
This led to the discharge or rather the temporary Lay off of two-thirds of the persons employed at Pullman, IL.
Other contracts were taken in competition with other car manufacturers and at greatly reduced rates.
The Working Man insisted upon the restoration of the old wages which existed prior to November, 1893.
The Pullman Sleeping Car Co. declined to accede to this, owing to the reasons hearing set for it.
This led to a strike at Pullman...
About this article

Location on Page

Upper Right Quadrant

Contributed By

Carlos Serrano

Citation

“The History of the Great Strike,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed February 14, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1520.