In 1893, Pullman Illinois was the classic company town. George M. Pullman, who had designed and manufactured the famous luxury Pullman cars had founded the town of Pullman as a place where his workers could live. Pullman had everything, including parks and a library. But George Pullman also controlled nearly every income stream in the little town. So when the panic of 1893 hit, Pullman reduced the workers wages by about 25%. Now these cuts were bad in themselves, but unfortunately they were coupled with Pullmanâs refusal to lower the rents for his company owned homes in Pullman. The workersâ company town was turning into a wage slave nightmare.