The story of the Pullman car (1917) (14780232083)

Identifier: storyofpullmancahusb (find matches)
Title: The story of the Pullman car
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors: Husband, Joseph, 1885-1938
Subjects: Pullman Company Sleeping cars (Railroads)
Publisher: Chicago, A. C. McClurg & co.
Contributing Library: Boston College Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries



Text Appearing Before Image:
ny, the Wagner Palace Car Company, whichsucceeded, in 1865, the New York Central SleepingCar Company, and absorbed in 1869 the GatesSleeping Car Company, developed by far the widestand most formidable competition and continued itsservice over the longest period. The underlyingreasons for the strength of this competition lay pri-marily in the fact that the Wagner cars followedmore closely the Pullman characteristics, and infact the infringement of certain basic Pullman pat-ents by the Wagner Company was a cause offrequent litigation over a period of many years.Webster Wagner, the founder of the Wagner Pal-ace Car Company, began his career as a wagonmaker. The first cars which he constructed hada single tier of berths, and the bedding was packedaway by day in a closet at the end of the car. Com-modore Vanderbilt backed Wagner and becameinterested in his company, a connection which gaveWagner invaluable assistance and a hold on thesleeping-car business of the lines controlled by the (7^)
Text Appearing After Image:
The latest Pullman parlor car, showing simplicity of modern car decoration, combining quiet elegance with good taste and comfort THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST Vanderbilt interests, a connection which enabledhim for many years to be a keen competitor of thePullman Company. Early in June, 1881, suit was brought by thePullman Palace Car Company against the New YorkCentral Sleeping Car Company and Webster Wag-ner, claiming $1,000,000 damages for infringementand use of patents in the construction and use ofWagner sleeping coaches. The bill stated that in1870 the Wagner Company began building sleepingears, and for several years its coaches ran only onthe New York Central Railroad and its variousbranches. The company finding it impossible tobuild satisfactory cars without using the Pullmanpatents, contracted with the Pullman Company touse certain of its patented improvements. This ar-rangement was made with the distinct understandingthat the Wagner Company was to run its cars onlyover the New