The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-03-25
THE CARNEGIE PRESIDENT.
Sketch of Charles M. Schwab, Head
of the Greatest Steel Works in
Ap,arica

From Casters Magazine.
The ranks of those who have won
distinction in developing the American
iron and steel industry to its present
high state hold as one of their young
est. and yet one of their most promi-
nent members. Charles NJ. Schwab
the president of the Carnegie Steel
company, Limited, of PittsburE. He
is a native of the state of Pcnnsylva-
MIA, and was born on Feb. Is, 1862, at
Williamsburg, Blair county, His re-
mote ancestors We're Germans. but his
parents were native Americans. His
father was a woollen manufacturer at
Williamsburg for many years. In 1872
the family removed to Loretto, Pa, a
little mountain hamlet on the crest of
the Alleghanies, famous as the cradle
of CatholiCity of the western slope Of
the Aleghanos and the place where
the prince-priest, Demetrius Gallitzen,
kin to the present house of Russia,
struggled 100 years ago to plant the
cross and spread civilization. Loretto
is the oldest seat of religion and learn
ing i'm the United States west of Phila-
delphia, and there, under the tutelage
of the Franciscan friars, young Schwab
received his scientific education When
but Il hoy, before his college days, his
time was employed on the farm and in
driving the coach which carried the
mails and passengers from CressOn
station up to LOretto, his father haV-
ing at that time the contract for car
rying the mails between these point ;
and there are many who yet remember
the president of the great Carnegie
Steel company as the smiling, courte,
Gus lad whose intelligent conversations
entertained them on the four mile
drive from Crcsson to Loretto.
In July, 1880, he was graduated from
| college. and Immediately set out 10
| earn his livelihood. During the same
| month he engaged to take a place in
| a grocery at Braddock. Pa. and thus
| the executive head of one of the lare
est industrial establishments in the
| world began his business career. The
| grocery trade, however, did not inn
| press the young man as promising
| field In which to realize his eXpccta.
| tions and when, after two months
| experience behind the sugar counter
| he found an opening more suited ia
| his taste and abilities he rclinquishcd
| his position 10 enter the service of the
| Carnegie Steel company Limited, in
! the engineering department.
His ambition was to become an cngi-
neer and his beginning was at the bot
tom. The first duty assigned to him
was stake driving at the Edgar Thorn
son steel works. Bessemer But from
the outset almost it was evident that
Schwab was capable of eventually fill
| ing a high position in the department
and the transition in his fortune was
consequently, rapid. In SIX months
after he enered Carncgic's service h
was appointed superintendent, and IN
that capacity supervised the constrrc'
tion of eight OF the nine blast furnaces
now comprising the Edgar Thomson
| plant.
MI Schwab also originated other en-
! glneering works of considerable mag
nitudc at the Edgar Thomson works
including an addition 20 the rail nil
department, giving the works an ont
! put exceeding amy mill in the world