The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-04-24
PLUCK AND HONESTY.
The Astonishing Rise in The World OF
Charles NJ. Schwab.

There is a widespread bellef, 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 ne
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 or the
questions asked him.
Mr.. Schwab is only SO years old.
ago he was grocer's
clerk at salary of $3.50 a week. Last
wear, as president of the Carnegie COM
pany, his salary was $50. 900 and per
cent of the company's earnings. This
year, as president of the great steel
trust, he will receive in the neighbor.
hood of 100000 for his services. His
8 per cent interest in the Carnegie
company has made a millionaire 4o
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 his faith
fnl observance of certain rules which
be believed essential 10 success. Mr.
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 so
MANY opportunities for the right kind
of Young men as there are today" he
saws. 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..
has put Aladdin himself TO
blush.
Mr.. schwab was born in Williams
burg, Blair county, Pa, on FEB. lS'
1862. The family moved to IoreJto,
Cambridge county, Pa, when he was
10 years old. As boy he worked
for neighboring farmers or drove
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
clerk in store at Braddock, IA. ne
pot s2 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 OF
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
uperintendents, droged into The
store to buy something, perhaps a
plug of tobacco or red apple.
Behind the counter was freekle
faced boy of 10, dleaming of becom-
ing a civil engineer. He mustered
up courage enough to "tackle" the
big man, explain his ambition and
ask for lob in the steel works. So
earnest was his appeal that he forced
the superintendent TO give him hear
ing.
Gould 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.
yan his career with the Carnegie COM
pany. He worked with the engineer
ing CORDS, but there is no evidence
that he drove stakes any better than
any other freckle faced boy. He kept
his eyes and ears open, however, and
never lost an opportunity to learn the
business. When there was nothing
for him to do in his own line, he tooR
up some others mans work, just to
learn how it was done.
Captain Jones was "hustler."
Schwab wanted to earn his superior's
good opinion and worked at furious
gait. lie thought and dreamed Of
nothing but the steel works.
In six months the boy became the
assistant of Jones. In seven years he
was Carneegie's chief engineer and
had a "Mr." attached to his name.
He built the great Homestead steel
plant and was made its superintend-
ent. He made it the largest works in
the world for the production Of several
kinds of steel. including armor plate
made by the Carnegie company for
the United States navy asIturned out
under his personal supervision. His
armor plate won such a great reputa-
ton that the company received orders
for European warships.
Upon the death of Captain Jones, in
1889, Mr.. Schwab was called back to
Braddock to become general superin.
tendent of the Edgar Thomson works.
Three years later the Homestead
works were again placed under his
charge, and he continued to direct
both establishments. turning out pro-
ducts valued at millions every year.
After he had risen to be general
an English steel manufactur-
er offered him position with salary
of more than $4,000. Mr.. Schwab
refused the tempting offer, but instead
of taking advantage of the situation to
squeeze better salary out of MIR. Car
negie he said nothing about it to his
chief.
Some months later MIR. Carnegie
heald d of The incident indirectly, and
he said to Schwab:
"You mustn't think of such thing"
"I'm not thinking of it," answered
the general manager. "because / don't
want it,"
"What is it you Want?"
"To be q partner in your company"