The Industrialist Who Feared His Own Workers

George Pullman was buried in 1897 with extreme precautions. Learn why his own employees threatened to exhume him. George Pullman built a massive empire in Chicago, but his legacy was defined by intense labor relations . This look at the Pullman company examines how a businessman became one of the most hated figures in the city. The factory operations charged workers rents 10 to 20 percent higher than market rates, leading to a massive decline in membership from 4,000 to 1,000. By October 1897, the tension was so high that he was buried with extreme precautions to prevent his former workers from exhuming him. This chapter of industrial history serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of corporate overreach. Subscribe for weekly industrial history breakdowns, and let us know in the comments if you have a favorite historical business rivalry.