Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-31
MR. CARNEGIE'S GIFT.
Is Splendidly Presented to All the
Workingmen of Braddock.
A LIBRARY ASNICE AS ANYBODY's
Is Handed Over, With Very Rare and
Thoughtful Address.
TOPICS OF INTEREST TO PlTTsBURG

The 500, 900 Carnegie Free Library build
ing in Braddock was formally presented to
the people of that town at Leighton's Rink
last evening, with appropriate and elaborate
ceremonies, the occasion being graced by
the presence of the generous donor. Mr..
Andrew Carnegie, and large retinue of
friends.
It's safe to say that Braddock outdid her
SELF The distinguished guests, among
whom were Mrs. Carnegie, Henry l..
Abbott, Fl. NJ. Lurry, Henry Phipps, H. G..
Frick and John G.. Leishman, were received
by an immense gathering of enthusiastic and
cheering citizens, who gave the party a
royal welcome, the Rev. T. N. Boyle, of
Braddock, acting as spokesman.
The exercises which followed, the St.
Thomas Band and the Captain Jones Giee
Club taking part, were but an index of the
prosperity of town whose marvellous
growth and commercial Importance can be
greatly ascribed to the man who was the
point of attraction for all eyes during the
evening.
Mr.. Carnegie's address, full of thought
and practical suggestions, is appended:
Mr.. CARNEGIE TO woRKINGMEN.
FELLOW WoRKMEN-A great philosopher to
whom more than to any other 1 am indebted for
my intellectual development, has pointed out to
us that in this life the chief the highest reward
that we can obtain. is tthe purchase of satlsfac-
tions." 1 realize this tonight. Ihave purchased
great satisfaction, one Of the greatest have
ever acquired. have been privileged to build
this library n IN No auf tor In
accordance with your wishes, to hand it over to
you and to your successors forever.
When articles were manufactured in small
shops by employers who required only the as
sistance of few men and apprentices, the en-
ployer had opportunities to know all, to become
well acquainted with each and to know his merits.
On the other hand, the workman, brought into
closer contact with the employer, inevitably
knew more of his business. More important than
all, they came to know something of the man
himself. This is changed To make without loss
ton of steel rails and load them upon the car for
a small fraction more than cent per pounds
pounds for n niokel-we must have thousands of
miners, whom it is impracticable for a partner to
see, and hundreds of blast furnace men, and in
the converting works and steel rail mills, only
few of whom it is possible for the employer to
know.
Thus the employees become more like human ma
chimes to the employer; and the employer becomes
almost myth to his men. This is most regretta-
BILE; yet see no remedy. Economic laws force the
manufacture Of all articles Of general consumption
into the hands ofa few enormous concerns that
their cost to the consumer may be less.
The manufacture of such articles cannot be con-
Quoted upon a small scale; works costing millions
are required as the amount per ton or per yard OF
fixed charges" is SO great In the total cost that,
whether concern can run or not in many cases
depends upon whether 1t divides these fixed
charges--which are practically the same in large
eSta tahliShmpnf 6 N a cmall-xvhafhaF divide
them by 900 tons per day by SEQ tons per day of
product. MIR. Carnegie here spoke few words
approving of cooperative stores.
COOPERATION AND THRIFT.
1t lis pleasing that there is some talk of a bene-
hcial society at these works. We trust that this
movement will not fail
Another Important feature is that labor in Pitts
burg, generally, is paid so well that the workman
can save something every month If he only will.
Nothing can exceed the Importance of saving.
The workman who owns his home has a sure
foundation for a competence in old age. Icon
gratulate you the offer of the firm to be your
bankers. and place your deposits in special fund
where they are secured by first mortgages upon
real estate and SO invested as to net you per
cent per annum. This is far better for labor than
to risk its savings in business, for more business
enterprises fail to pays per cent than earn it.
This deposit department. is another means by
which our firm is striving to perform its duty to
those who cannot possibly know how best to in
vest their savings. trust 1t Is to grow.
A feeling of mutuality and partnership between
the employer and the employed is desirable. Be-
lieve Inc, the interests OF capital and labor are
one. Mr.. Carnegie now proceeded to show the
fairness and advantages of the sliding scale system
Of wages, such as prevails at Braddocks. He
went on to say; You are no longer only employees;
you are also shares with us in the profits Of our
business. and, sooner than return to the old plan
by which capital and labor were antagonized, and
we had to quarrel every year upon the subject Of
wages, speaking for myself, l would retire from
win never again have anything to do with manu-
faSturing unless labor is given a sliding scale:
cent demand for sliding scale. You G know owl that
the Frtck Coke Company, in which our firm is in
terested, has as always favored complying with the
beyond $780, 900 last year to maintain higher
scale than competitors; Unfortunately the fall
fort unless. The iron and steel business being
dull and prontless that Of coke sympathizes, but
rejoice that the sliding scale is to be maintained
uniform scale of the district.
LESS THAN oNE-FoURTH RUNNING.
nyou have read the newspapers, you will know
thatout OF 13 mills engaged in the manufacture of
steel rails In this country not than three
running to their capacity. Only one mill in all
the VESTS making rails North Chicago), and
am sorry to say that even tnat will not be able
" Ann SNAAhaOuoAyg bucy nave uO OEucES
ahead.
What has the sliding scale enabled us to do at
Edgar Thomsonp 1t made us feel that we are pre-
pared to make any sacrifice to give steady employ
ment. The price-four pounds of steel for a nickle
out of the question. But You have a steady en-
ployment. Irejoice to see that, owing to the in
wages are even higher than before. You have to
WORK @ nardea, L, no doubt; but In these times, the
In this connection hava ood daol
recently of a vast combination in steel making
formed in Chicago. 1 have no desire to under
s. Co., 900 to be applied to the building Of works
for rplate-making, structural shapes and all the
ton for some time. There is nothing surprising
to me a6outit ! have told this community. and
railroad of the anat the
had @ made made It possible By heavy reductions Of
the limits Of the State, to manufacture a ton Of
as it can be manufactured in Pittsburg. There Is
which have given, which no man has yentured
to- contradict and which has been publicly cor
roborated Ey Mr.. Stewart General Freight Agent
of the Pefpsylyania Company. 1 am credited
with having said that the South was to be Penn
Was to be tie chief competitor for fou3dry iron in
the Eastern district ofPennsylania. The South win
not trouble Pittsburg. Our competitor is not in
In the year 1887, Chicago district made more
tons Of steel than the whole of Western Pennsyl-
burg that severe struggle Is in the future for
both. Inc railways are. chiefly responsible for
this situation.
A REMARKABLE COMPARISON.
Every carload of coke you see coming from Con-
nellsville in our own cars, for Pittsburg furnaces
is charged just double the freight rate as If des-
tined over the same ground for Chicago furnaces
There is no question OF larger shorter haul for
the coke is loaded and unloaded by u.s. and carried
in our own cars. The cost of fhauiing Pittsburg or
Chicago coke is just the same to the great monopo-
ly which stakes against the State whose creature
is. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company has al
ready piled up 9 0oO 900 Of surplus and last year
had a. Oo 900 surplus after paying its dividend
extracted unjustly from the State. The ore to
Chicago furnaces is carried by Western railroads
from the Lake Superior mines to Chicago at rates
only little above one-halt those per ton per mile
exacted from Pittsburg furnaces by the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company. The Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company carries ores from the lake to
Ohio furnaces for 50 per cent less than the Penn
sylvania Railroad eXacts for less distance upon
ores to Pittsburg. These two cases of discrimina-
tion alone add 81 to the cost Of every ton of iron
made in Allegheny county, and many men go idle
in your midst to-day in consequence of this injus
tice. We are in the hands OF a Rrasping monopoly,
and nothing we can do seems to bring us simple
iu effc The PennsvIvauia Railroad fy0m ma N y al.