Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-12-27
FIVE MESSENGER BOYS.
Carnegie, Oliver. Pitcairn, MCargo and
Moreiand in Pittsburg Office

| Carnegie, Oliver. Pitcairn, M'Cargo ana
Moreiand in Pittsburg Office
The story Of five messenger boys be-
gins in the early days OF telegrAphy.
In a dingy Office in Pittsburg about
ls40. Andrew Carnegie, Henry w. OIL
yer, Robert Pitcairn, Major William c.
Moreland and David M'Cargo were mes
sengers. 1t is said that they took the
opposite Of other boys, and spent their
spare moments IN learning useful les.
sons. Andrew Carnegie is the Oldest OF
the lot, and he was the smartest, leadit 2
all In learning how 70 telegraph. IL
was one OF the first operators In the
country 10 learn 20, take the Morse sys-
tenn by sound, which In those days was
considered a remarkable achievement.
IN did not take Thomas A. Scott long 20
snatch Mr.. Carnegie from the telegraph
Office in Pittsburg into his Office as
priyate secretary, when the great rail-
road genius took charge OF the Pitts
bnrg end OF the road. The education
the Young Scotchmsn received from a
greater mind lifted him from secre-
tary's seat into the place OF division
superintendent when Mr.. Scott was
made vice president OF the railroad.
The Industry, the subtle cunning, and
watching faith OF Scott taught him TO
Law his lines I'm other directions than
watching the divisions OF railroad,
and Scott helped him. His place
gave him the opportunity to look
into other lines OF industry, and he
drove a drift into an iron mill. His
pickaxe was not large, but his cunning
and thrift made up for the size Of his
axe. J. Edgar Thompson, who was the
President OF the Pennsylvania Railroad,
then gave q great name and money 10
the works now dominated by Mr.. Car
negIe. At that time Col. Scott was
power In the nation, as we'll as In the
railroad, and Carnegie began to gather
wealth.
"My ambition in these days" be said
recently, was TO write for newspapers.
I took ia material in that direction
whenever 1t was possible. ] hauntsd
the public library In Allegheny, and
caught on to the fact that distinction
was made by the attendants between
the poor boys and the sons OF vell-to-do
parents. II made me indignant /
wrote my first public letter to the
Board Of Control and change was or
dered. This result more than ever re-
solved me to follow Journalism, but an
accident driited me else ~here.and be-
came a manufacturer"
Thrift and Industry were the derricks
which lifted Harry W. Oliver out OF the
telegraph chair next 70 Mr.. Carnegie
and msde him clerk for big iron
firm. de Is an Irishman, with a head
full OF cunning about the business econ
omies OF life. Ii did not take long for
him TO realize the possibilities OF the
iron trade, and one day slick working
block and tackle holsted him out Of bis
seat at the desk In the big firms work
shop and landed him In business that
has since grown to be ore OF the great
est concerns in the world. He has
grown very rich, and the railroad and
seven manufacturing concerns now feel
the touch Of his hand. He lives In the
finest house In the West, but be works
too hard to enjoy himself. He must be
about IS years Of age, and few notches
lower than Mr.. Carnegie 10 the scale OF
years. He once came near being United
States Senator. He was the brains OF
the Tariff Commission which, Senator
Sherman says, framed the best and fair
est bill ever presented to Congress.
Another Scotchman OF the famous
five is Robert Pitcairn. who sits In the
seat once occupied by Col. Tom Scott
and Mr.. Carnegie. He went from tel
eeraph chair into the railroad business,
sad be has been master IN all the best
Conditions of railroad life. He Is many
times q millionaire, but he lives for bis
railroad, although interested, like Mr..
Oliver. In many large manufacturing
enterprises. He does the work OF about
three men every day, aud takes recre-
alton only when he wants to talk with