The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-05-08
PLUCK AND HONESTY.
The Astonishing Rise in the World OF
Charles M. Sehwab.


There is O widespread belief, says
the New York Press, that the man
who rises suddenly from obscurity to
prominence and great riches owes his
success more often than not to ques-
tionable practices and unfair means.
One man of whose rise in the world no
such questions can be raised is Char
les M. Schwab, president of the new
ly organized steel trust. Five years
ago Mr.. Schwab was unknown to the
world. Today the world is talking
about him with great interest, wonder
ing. guessing, surmising. Who is he
Where did he come from ? What has
he done that gives him such hold on
Andrew Carnegie and the power to
dictate terms to man like J. Pierpont
Morgan? These are some of the
questions asked him.
Mr.. Schwab Is only 80 years old.
Twenty-three ago he was grocer's
clerk at salary of $3.50 week. Last
year, as president of the negie com.
pany, his salary was $50, 40 and 8 pei
cent of the company's earnings. This
year, as president of the great steel
trust, be will receive in the neighbor.
hood of 100000 for his services. His
8 per cent interest in the Carnegie
company has made millionaire AZ
times over in five years.
And he owes all this not to any
man, not to questionable practices,
but to his own initiative-to his de.
termination to success and to bis faith
full observance Of certain rules which
he believed essential TO success. Mr..
Schwab believes himself. He has
Gifted himself by his boot straps
from nowhere to the top of the heap"
What he has done he declares that
others can do. "There never were 80
many opportunities for the right kind
of young men as there are today" he
says. The secret of his success may
be found in this advise, which he
offers to the ambitious
"Make yourself indispensable
to your employer instead of continual.
ly looking at the clock"
That is the simple recipe of the head
of the greatest industrial organization
in the history of the world. That Is
the simple magic by which Mr..
schwab has put Aladdin himself to
blush.
Mr.. Schwab was born in civilians.
burg, Blair county, Pa, on Feb. l8
1862. The family moved to Loretto,
Cambridge county, Pa, when he Was
10 years old. AS a boy he worked
for neighboring farmers or drove 8
coach to and from Cresson, his father
at one time having the contract to car
ry the mail between Loretto and
Cresson.
The boy did not neglect school, how.
ever, but entered st. Francis college.
He was graduated at 16 and became q
clerk in q store at Braddock, Pa. He
got $2.5 50 q week and his board. He
worked hard all day and slept in the
store all night as watchman. He
was fascinated by the operations oi
the Edgar Thomson Steel works near
by and spent his leisure moments
watching the men manipulating the
the hot metal.
One day in the summer of 1881 Cap
tain Jones, one Of Andrew Caruegie's
superintendents, droged into the
store to buy something, perhaps q
plug of tobacco or red apple.
Behind the counter was freekle
faced boy of 10, dreaming of becom.
ing civil engineer. He mustered
up courage enough to "tackle" the
big man, explain his ambition and
ask for a job in the steel works. Sc
earnest was his appeal that he forced
the superintendent to give him hear
ing.
Could he drive stakes? He could
drive anything, answered the young
man.
Would he work for ST. day? Yes
and glad to get the chance to learn.
In this way Charles M. Schwab be
gan his career with the Carnegie com
pany. He worked with the engineer
ing corps, but there is no evidence
that he drove stakes any better thar
any other freckle faced boy. He KEEP
bis eyes and ears open, however, anC
never lost an opportunity to learn tht
business. When there was nothing
for him to do in his own line, he tooh
up some others mans work, just Il
learn how it was done.
Captain Jones was "hustler.'
SchWab wanted to earn his superior:
good opinion and worked at q furious
gait. lie thought and dreamed o.
nothing but the steel works.
In six months the boy became the
assistant of Jones. In seven years ht
was Carneegie's chief engineer an6
had O "Mr." attached to his name
He built the great Homestead stee
plant and was made its superintend
ent. He made it the largest works ir
the world for the production of several
kinds of steel. Including armor plate
made by the Carnegie company fol
the United States navy waslturned out
under his personal supervision. His
armor plate won such q great reputa'