Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-01-16

1
From Parton's excellent article in the
Atlantic Monthly, we extract the follow.
ing about the business men of Pittsburg. i
The masters of Pittsburg are mostly of the
Scotch-Irish race, Presbyterians, keen and
steady in the prosecution of their affairs,
Indifferent TO pleasure, ,siDgularly devoid Of
the Usual vaniiies and ostentations, proud
to possess solid and spacious factory, and
to live in an insignificant house. There are
no men of leisure in the town. Mr.. George
II. Thurston, President of the Pacific and
Atlantic Telegraph Company,-who, from
having superintendcd the preparation of the
Directory for many years, as well as from
his very great interest in all that relates to
the prosperity and glory of Pittsburg, knows
the town better than any other person that
ever lived in it,-assured us positively that
there were not, in all the region which we
call Pittsburg, three persons out of business
who were physically capable of conducting
business. The old men never think of ''re-
firing, nor Is there anything for them to re-
tire to. Tie family tie being powerful in
this race, the great firms are usually COM
posed of near relatives, and generally survive
the generation that founded them. Thus,
the Fort Pitt Foundry, founded in 1903, has
cast cannon for every war in which the Uni
/
Quoted by the worthy and talented nephews
Of the Charles Knap who made the establish
ment what it is. In the American Iron
Works, we fnd six partners, namely, the
| two chiefs, Messrs. Jones and Laughlin,
two sons of one of these chiefs, and
two brothers Of the othcr,-a nice family
party. Hence, there are few hired clerks in
Pittsburg. These mighty 'sworks" are man.
aged with the minimum Of expense The
tasf ill., IL. raj. Il
ling about the "works" in his cap and fusti-
an jacket; while perhaps his eldest son is
keeping the books, a son-in-law or nephew
is making up the wages accounts, and
younger son is in the warehouse.
The conservative elements here are pow
erful, as they are in all communities in which
families endure. Until very recently, in
Pittsburg, it would have BODIED i'll for man
to build a handsome house a few niles out
of the smoke; and to this day it is said that
a Pittsburg man of business who should
publish poem would find bis "paper"
doubted ut the bank. "a good man, sir,
but not practical" These excellent and
strenuous men accuse themselves vehement
ly OF want of public spirit, and it is evil
dent the charge is just. For the last few
years, business has rushed in upon them like
torrent; and all their force having been
expended in doing this business, they now
awake to the fact, that GREAT CITY is up
on their hands, to be consolidated, organ
lied, paved, policed, parked, purified, and
adorned. They now feel that some of those
iron kings, those great men of glass, oil,
coal, salt, and clay, must leave business to
their sons and nephows, and take hold of
Pittsburg.
The masters work too hard. We wish We
had room to tell the story of one of the great
brains OF this place, just as we heard him
tell it. We can but indicate the outline.
His own master at sixteen. At twenty
eight, one of firm about TO found new
iron-works. Capital, one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars. Plunged into a business
of million per annum. Ticklish work
this A slight miscalculation in estimating
for contract, an unexpected rise in the
price of something, and away goes the small
capital, and honor with it. Hence he work
ed eighteen hours day for fourteen years.
Called at six every morning but Sunday
AT warehouse in Pittsburg till nine. AT the
works until two. AT the mine until dark
Home to tea, and to lovely family, well be-
loved but too tired and dull to enjoy or be
enjoyed. At seven, would "drag' round
| to the office, and there write OF estimate"
| till twelve Then home to bed, and instant
| ly to sleep. Felt always as if playing
great. splendid, complicated Game, upon
which fortune and honor both were staked,
but especially honor. Two kinds of honor,
| honor as a man of business, honor as
man of ability. The game was won Capt.
tai increased frorn one hundred and fifty
| thousand to three million dollars. Finest,
grandest iron works in America. Glorious
scene Of triumphant ingenuity. Three hun
drcd brick cottages owned by the firm, all
| tenanied By their own workmen. Paper,
gilt-edged.
One night, two years ago, instead of drop
ping asleep AS soon as his head touched the
pillow, this successful man could not go to
| sleep for hours, and then slept ILL., Many
such nights followed. One day, when he
| was abstrusely calculating, his mind sud-
| denly lost its power he could not keep his
attention upon his figures, nor make any
| safe progress in his work. Alarmed, he
went TO the doctor, who told him, to his
great astonishment that he had been work
| ing tco hard, and must rest. He took this
advice and u short journey but soon after
resuming his ordinary labors his brain again
suddenly lost its power. 1t was about elev-
en- O'Clock in the morning, and he tried to
think of something to do that would anu
Sc without futiguing his mind. He could
think Of nothing but the dentists; so to the
dentists he went, hoping to enjoy little
anguish before dinner-time. But this rec
reation was denied him, for, while waiting
/ III tuc ueitist puilOl, uc iuiutcu ucdu away.
He was now seriously alarmed, and for the
| first time began to consider his case with
The intelligence he had been in the habit of
besiowing upon iron alone. He lived
thenceforth as became man, husband,
4 and father; worked ten houis a day, and
spent every evening in playing with his
children, and conversing with his wife and
their friends. Thanks to wonderful con-
stitulion, il was not too late. He recovered
his health, and is now in the full enjoyment
of life.
1t is such us he who should leave iron TO
the youngs; ers, and amuse themselves for
the res, of their lives in making Pittsburg
metropolitan. Such thought does not, ii
is said, ever cross their minds. When We
suggested il to son of Pitsburg, aud men
toned an individual who could soon put the
city in order, the reply was :" II Mr. -
should sell out for three millions, he would
never be easy till he had built new factory
for seven millions and then give himself M
rest till lie had paid off the four millions of
4 Ia