Evening star., 1902-08-19
G. M. SCHWAB'S CAREER
PRESIDENT OF STEEL TRUST
SELF-MADE MAN.
Drove Stage and Worked in Grocery
Store When He Was a
Boy.
From the New York Herald of today.

From the New York Herald Of today
Charles NJ. Schwab who, at the age of
thirty-nine, was chosen president Of the
United States Steel Corporation, the great
est commercial organization in the world,
and who receives s250,0OO a year, probably
the largest salary in the world, was born in
Williamsburg, Pa, February Is, 1862, and
consequently is now forty years old.
When he was ten years old his father,
who had been in the wooden manufacturing
business in Williamsburg, moved to Loretto,
Pa, and established livery business.
Young Charles did considerable stage driv-
Ing for his father. attended for three
months each winter the Loretto country
school, where he early displayed a great
love for mathematics, and after two years
went to st. Francis College, where for four
years he stood at the head of his class.
Soon after this a Mr.. Spigelmire moved
from Loretto to Braddock, Pa, and young
Schwab went with him and took position
in his grocery store. While there he be-
came a fast friend of a Mr.. Rinard, de-
partment superintendent of the Edgar
Thomson steel works, belonging to the Car
negie interests, who often took him about
the plant.
Two months after moving to Braddock
his marvellous knowledge of figures attrac-
ed the attention of w. R. Jones. the super
intendent of the Thomson works, vino had
stopped in the grocery store to make a pur-
chase.
Mr.. Jones persuaded the boy to enter his
employ and gave him a job driving stakes
at 81 week, an advance of $3.50 over his
grocery store wages. He proved himself
so valuable that within six months he be-
came assistant engineer, and when the
chief engineer was called away to attend
to some work in the mines young Schwab
was promoted to his position.
Just seven years after he entered the Car
negie concern he was sent as chief engineer
to rebuild the great Homestead steel plant.
Previously he had attracted attention by
his construction, as an engineer, OF eight
Of the nine mammoth blast furnaces Of the
Edgar Thomson works, which were the
largest in this country.
In 1887 he became superintendent of the
Homestead works, and five years later, in
consequence of the tragic death Of his
friend, W. r. Jones, he was made general
superintendent of the Thomson works. He
subsequently built the great steel rail mill
and practically reconstructed the entire
plant, receiving at this time salary of
$50, 600 year.
Prior to the effort to make armor plate
a success Mr.. Schwab began the study of
chemistry, and set apart an upper room in
his house for laboratory, which he fitted
up with the necessary appliances for analy
ses Of iron, steel and ores, step by step
learning that science which he early real
lied would be necessary for his successful
advancement.
Several years before his advancement be-
came a matter of course Mr.. Jones once
answered the query as to who would sue
coed him the head Of the Edgar Thom-
son works by saying, '"The young engi-
neer, SchWab, is the only man thoroughly
fitted for the place"
After his fatal accident there were
twenty-one applicants for Mr.. Jones' posi-
ton. Mr.. Schwab did not apply, and was
surprised to receive letter from the Off
GERS Of the Carnegie works appointing him
superintendent, great honor for man so
young.
During the Homestead strike, after the
strikers had been out two months and there
was no prospect of an early settlement,
Mr.. Schwab went to the Homestead works
and, on account of the great fondness of
the men for him, in three weeks, through
his individual efforts, the strike was de-
clared off. At that time he directed both
the Edgar Thomson works and the Home
stead works from Homestead.
During the armor plate discussion at
Washington several prominent men in the
Carnegie works went to that city to pre-
sent an argument in defense Of the accu-
sations made against the armor plate
turned out at Pittsburg.
Mr. j. G. A. Leishman, then president of
the Carnegie works, later minister to SwitZ-
erland and now minister to Turkey, vas
assigned to make the defense.
Mr. Leishman, however, requested Mr..
Schwab to make the argument, which he
did so ably that on his return to PittsburS
Mr. Leishman was asked to resign, and
Mr. Schwab made president, although he
had not served as vice president
For four years he filled that position so
ably that he gained the entire confidence
Of Mr.. Carnegie, so much that that gen.
tleman stipulated that If he sold out his
interest in the Carnegie company to the
United States Steel Corporation Mr.
Schwab must be made president
Mr. Schwab has now been president of
the gigantic corporation about two years
and in the late autumn of 1901 paid en- eX-
tended visit to Europe, where he was re-
ceived with almost royal honors and was
accorded audiences with Emperor William
Emperor Francis Joseph and various other
crowned heads. He is now a multi-mil-
lionaire and is very generous in his chari-
table work.