The Washington herald., 1908-03-08
iron MASTERS WAYS
AS Millionaire and as Private
Citizen.
IS DEMOCRATIC IN PITTSBURG
Distant and Inaccessible in New
YOrk-AIone with His Books an
Great Library-Few Know Number
of His TeIephOne-Attemp to
Interview Him that Fail.

When elusiveness. reticence, and an
almost mpenetrable threshold, senlried
by dipiomatists. form combination
against an interviewer, the person whom
he seeks is usually immune from the
voice with the rising infection. But not
always. says John NJ. Egan, IN the Pitts
burg Dispatch.
Andrew Carnegie, isolated among
mine own books" in his palatial New
York home. is unquestionably the most
ungetatable man in the United States,
It is in hif private library that the
many-sided Laird o. Skibo, whose words
and deeds during the past quarter OF a
century have contributed more materially
and more frequently TO the public press
than any other living source of news, is.
save on few occasions. accessible by
newspaper representatives and magazine
writer's.
silence n Growing Habit.
Particularly since his retirement from
actual business life has the distinguished
Creoseus of modern times. who has given
away mints Of money, boarded his words.
With him silence is golden" His
golden words whep applied 10 a national.
industrial. or financial issue or 10 a time
ly topic. or, for that matter, 10 himself.
have more weight on the journalistic
scales and stand the publics assay pos
sibly better than any of his contempora-
neOus philosophers,
The fact that Mr.. Carnegie does not
maintain business Offices in New York
IL every sense. also that he seldom ap-
pears in public, renders It almost impos-
sible for a newspaper reporter 20 get an
audience with him unless the chronicler
OF events has the good fortune 10 be re-
eeived al his home.
But, as / have said. when the usual
elements against the interviewer are ex-
ercised at the costliest mansion on Fifth
avenue he is nonpuised.
Mr. Carnegie now has il pretty well
understood in Park Row. or New York 5
newspaperdom. that he will not meet in
reviewers at his home. Few newspaper
mems cards are delivered 20 him by the
carefully Sroomed butler who answers
the Japanese chimes when the button
outside the front door OF the mansion
is pressed. and then these are for the
most part returned with the statement
that Mr. Carnegie is indisposed" or Mr..
Carnegie will not be seen"
phone Number n secret.
Ask all the newspaper men in New
York, what is the number Of Carnegie S
telephone. and possibly three out OF the
whole army would know. And II they
did they would not tell you That is a
big secret in Park Row, because the Gar
negie telephone number is changed often
er than are the months in the year. The
big white stone house facing Central
Park West at Fifth avenue and Ninety
third street is provided with private
telephone system.
The telephone directory does not con-
tain the number of the phone. and il
would be 4 serious refraction Of the CON-
pany's rules were the few operators who
are initiated 10 divulge the number The
number of the telephone is known "a
only the members OF Mr.. Carnegie S
household and select few OF his per
sonal friends and immediate business as
sOciates. The number is changed often
gars. cranks. and possibly newspaper
men. thus depriving the reporter of his
most valuable friend, the telephone.
Mr.. Carnegie has. notwithstanding his
indispOsitiOn 10 see interviewers AZ his
home during recent years. frequently
and sometimes without solicitation. made
important utteramces to reporters when
he appears in public.
Distributes Copies of Speeches.
When he appears at public meeting OF
gathering and speaks. copies OF his ad-
dress. whici. have been prepared before.
hand by his secretaries. are distributed
10 the reporters. To the newspaper mer
on such an occasion he IS the embodiment
Of courtesy and kindness. He cordially
shakes hands, Jests and laughs. but al
ways bears in mind that silence is gold.
en-" Usually the reporters rush TO theil
offices after such meeting and write
themselves "out'' on a weather or a goli
story that Carnegie has told them.
But the serious side Of the brainy anc
versatile little Scot, 10 whom magnificent
Institutions Of learning have arises
throughout the English-speaking world. j:
best TO be seen when he is within his
home
When he is IN his Fifth avenue man
sion the master is not the library givel