• Posted: September 1, 2021
• better communities, better construction, Mike Gattone, Sharlen Electric

In the mid-1800s, traveling by railcar was just starting to expand across the country. In 1836, the Cumberland Valley Railroad put into service a sleeping car it called the Chambersburg. In 1838, a Philadelphia-based company called Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad unveiled the first car with convertible seats for both daytime and nighttime use. These products were certainly useable as a mode of transportation, but it wasn’t until years later did the sleeper car become a comfortable way to travel.

Nearly twenty years later, George Pullman, an American engineer and industrialist from Brocton, New York, moved to Chicago to begin work on a modernized sleeper car that would revolutionize railroad transportation. Working with his close friend, New York State Senator Benjamin Field, the two began working on an improvement to the current sleeper car. It would take until the 1860s, but Pullman and Field finally perfected their version of the sleeper rail car.

Debuting in 1863, the two delivered to the Wason Car Company a sleeper rail car that had 14 sections with a stateroom at each end. The car would give the appearance of a parlor during the day with sofas along each side and other comfortable seating options but would turn into a first-class sleeping corridor at night. Each couch would transform into a bed at night with first-class linens and a 36” aisle between the beds. It was first-class luxury for those who could afford it.

As Pullman’s business grew, he decided it was time to expand his factory. On the south side of Chicago, near what’s currently 112^th and Cottage Grove Avenue, Pullman built a large-scale factory for his railcars as well as a surrounding town for his workers. The idea was that his workers could live in Pullman – a town with distinct architecture, parks, and modern conveniences like a library, church, and theater – and work for his company. It was meant to become a worker’s paradise, but instead led to Pullman’s role in the civil rights and labor movements.

In the late 1800s, the economic recession forced an end to Pullman’s prosperity as railcar orders began to sharply decline. In response, Pullman reduced the hours and wages of his workers, but left the rent prices intact, resulting in many workers being unable to feed their families and afford their homes. This conflict between Pullman and his workers eventually grew to a work stoppage that forced President Grover Cleveland to send in federal troops to break up the strike. In the aftermath of the strike, Pullman sold off his land and President Cleveland made Labor Day a national holiday.

Six years ago, President Obama deemed the Pullman Historic District a National Monument, and this weekend, the facility is set to open to the public. On September 4^th and 5^th, the public will be welcome to tour the Visitor Center at Pullman National Monument and the adjacent grounds of the Historic Site.

To get ready for this weekend’s opening, Powering Chicago member Sharlen Electric has been on site for the past 10 months installing new light fixtures, running new pipe and cable underground, and providing new power throughout the grounds.

“We’ve done all the site work here,” said Mike Gattone, Superintendent for Sharlen Electric. “We have over 70 light poles and camera poles as well as flag poles that have new LED lights. We also have done over 50 sign bases that have been installed with regular signage.”

Gattone has led a crew of roughly four from the beginning. He’s had a Local 150 operator as well as IBEW Local 134 apprentices and journeypersons throughout the job. To keep with the original theme of the site, Sharlen Electric worked with Chicago Fiberglass Works to create custom light poles that can be seen throughout the grounds. Gattone explained how working on a site with so much history can break up the day-to-day routine of a job.

“It was interesting and different to work on this project,” Gattone said. “It was cool to look into the history of something as you’re building it and knowing there’s so much of a backstory to it. It definitively helps during the harsh winter days when you’re out here.”

Since the Pullman site has sat vacant for so many years, Gattone and his crew found many old artifacts as they were digging up the ground to install new pipe and cable. Mostly it was old glass bottles, but any time something was found, work had to be put on pause so the pieces could be inspected.

“We found quite a bit of neat stuff,” Gattone explained. “We had archeologists follow us around the whole time and any time we’d find something in the ground, no matter who found it, we’d call them over. They’d stop and look at it for five to ten minutes, and then we’d get back to work. They were great to work with.”

Despite the unique challenges this project presented, Sharlen Electric was able to finish the project on time to ensure the historical site will open this weekend. If you’re interested in learning more or attending this weekend’s grand opening, please click here.