Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-07

field West, who was appointed Commits
sioner OF the District of Columbia in Octo-.
Mr.. Green. the superintendent Of con-
struction, reported under date Of December
q, 1902. that the new public library build
ing was completed and ready for occu-
pancy. December Ii the commission ac-
cepted the building from the contractors.
Sketch Of Mr.. Carnegie.
Andrew Carnegie, retired business man.
author and philanthropist, was born in the
historic town Of Dunfermline, Fifeshire,
Scotland, November 25 1887, being the elder
son Of William and Margaret Carnegie. His
father. man Of strong character and ia
vorably known in his native burg as a writer
and speaker on political questions, was by
trade master weaver, and before the day
of steam factories was in comfortable cir
cumstances. In 1913, finding his occupa-
ton gone, he decided to sell his looms and
emigrate to the United States; with great
reluctance, however. and solely for the sake
OF his sons, who would have better chances
situations. The family settled in Allegheny
City, Pa, opposite Pittsburg, where they
had relatives, and William Carnegie en-
tered cotton factory, followed the next
year by. his SON Andrew. The latter. by
toiling from daylight to dark as bobbfn
boy, earned a little over 81 a week, mean
time supplementing the education he had
received at the Dunfermline school, through
o
city, who was accustomed to lend books
from his library to working men and boys.
The seed unconsciously sown by Colonel
Anderson was to result in an abundant har-
vest, for among the dreams Of this particu-
lar lad was one of wealth sufficient to imi-
tate his benefactor on larger scale.
Before "Andie,' as he was called, was
thirteen years Of age he found employment
in factory for making bobbins, there hav
ing charge of steam engine that drove
the machinery-a great responsibility for a
lad and great strain. His employer, dis
covering that he could write a fair hand
and could cipher, took him into his office,
but his duties there were not less arduous.
and he determined to take a step higher.
At the age of fourteen he applied for posi-
ton in the office of the Ohio Telegraph
coming messenger boy at $3.50 a week.
The superintendent of the office, who took
a great interest in the youth. encouraged
him to Learn telegraphy. In short time
young Carnegie was able to send and re-
ceive messages by sound-a rare feat in
those days-and was advanced to the po-
sition Of an operator. with a salary of $500
a year. This was the sum he had fixed
when factory hand as the fortune he
wished to possess. because the family could
be almost Independent upon this father
had died some years previously.
Not long after this the Pennsylvania rail-
road was completed to Pittsburg. and its
superintendent Thomas A. Scott, frequent
ly visited the telegraph office When the
great railway system under him put up
its own line he invited Mr.. Carnegie to be-
come his clerk and operator, offering him
a salary of $35 month, which was glad
ly accepted. He remained with the COM
pany for thirteen years, and during that
term of service originated the now widely
used system of running trains by tele-
graphic signals between the blocks or
stations, so to insure the greatest de-
gree of safety with the maximum speed.
When Mr.. Scott was elected vice president
Of the road Mr.. Carnegie succeeded him
as superintendent of the western or Pitts
burg division. While still boy he made
his first business venture, buying. at Mr..
SCOTS suggestion, ten shares Of Adams
Express Company stock; but the money
was raised by mortgaging the family home
to nearly it's full value. the bold step being
taken by the advice of Mr.. Carnegie's
mother, and the loan obtained by her per-
sonal solicitation.
Foundation of His Success.
During a railway journey Mr. Carnegie
accidentally met Thomas 7. Woodruff, an
inventor, who showed him a model Of
sleeping car. He at once perceived the value
OF the invention, introduced Mr.. Woodruff
to Mr.. Scott, was instrumental in organiZ-
ing the Woodruff Sleeping Car Company,
and, to secure an interest in it, borrowed
money from local bank and signed his
first note. His good fortune in this enter
prise was the real foundation Of his sue
cess in several directions. In 1860 he in
duced President Scott and Superintendent
to join him in buying the Storey
farm on Oil creek, Pa, where petroleum
had been found the year before. They paid
$4,000 for the property; eventually the
shares of the company had an aggregate
market value of 5000 CO., and in one year
the cash dividends amounted to 100000.
At the outbreak of the civil war Col
Scott, who had been appointed assistant
of war, summoned Mr.. Carnegie
to Washington and put him in charge of
the military railroads and government tele-
graphs one of mis- first duties being to re-
open communication between Annapolis and
the capital. At the battle of Bull Run he
had charge Of the railway communication
and was the last official to leave for Alex
andria. Soon after this the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad Company made experiments with
a bridge Of cast iron, and Mr.. Carnegie was
that the use of that material,
would become general. Accordingly, he or
gained the Keystone Bridge Company Dor
rowing money to raise his share of the
capital and began the keystone bridge
works. The first great bridge over the
Ohio river at Steubenvile, 300 feet span,
was built by this company. A few years
later the Union Iron Mills were erected
In 1868 Mr.. Carnegie visited England, and,
seeing that in that country steel was sup
planting iron for rails, returned to intro
duce the Bessemer process into his mills
Later he became the owner of the Home
1883 had the control of seven great plants.
all within radius of five miles Of Pitts
burg.
About the year 1890 Mr.. Carnegie intro
duced the system of paying for labor on
sliding scale, based upon the prices obtain
ed for the product manufactured thus
making the workmen partners.
Men who rendered exceptional service
were promoted and given personal in
terest in the business. Only one serious
strike, that at the Homestead works. oc-
Cured in the thirty years existence Of the
firm. In whatever part of the world Mr..
Carnegie was while actively engaged in
business he received every month detail
ed account of the work done in every de-
partment; at the same time he maintained
that he was simply one of the many man.
ayers, and not the sole head Of the i'm
mense industrial system.
Mr.. Carnegie became a citizen of the
United States in 1853, while he was
minor. through the naturalization of his
father. He has a deep affection for his
adopted country, and a most optimistic
faith in the permanency and efficacy of
her institutions He was a delegate to the
Pan-American congress, in 1889, by APP
pointment Of President Harrison, and in
other ways has been honored with official
positions. He has always acted with the
republican party and approved Of its meas
ures; but the annexation policy Of 1893
found in him a strong opponent, as his let
tiers to the press showed. Political matters
in his native country are not less important
in his eyes. He was warm friend of Mr..