Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-08
ANDY NOT ALWAYS
PHILANT NTHROPIST
Skibo'S Canny Laird Asks Stiff
Price for Site for Indus
trial School
PITTsBURG is AeITATED
Rough Things Said of the Steel
Masters Proposed Profit,
and Deal Called Off

PITTSBURG, May 7.-Andrew Car
negie has refused to give the county
his Glencairn farm for the Boys In
dustrial school, but he is willing to sell
1t for $S60,000. This price would bring
him profit of $4S5, ,4S7.43 The farm
will not ne purchased.
The board of managers of the pro-
posed Boys Industrial school has been
looking for a site for the institution
for a number Of months. The farm
owned by Carnegie at Glencairn, Allie
cheney township, Westmoreland coun-
ty, twentyseven miles up the Alleghe-
ny Valley railroad from Pittsburg, met
the conditions better than any other
property within tho hiio Tiieliso of the
managers.
Several months ago the idea was
conceived of having Carnegie make a
present of his farm. The negotiations
were terminated on Monday when f.
M. Bigelow, the agent of the board of
managers, got the answer of the Laird
of Skibo He had decided that the farm
was too good to give away, but he was
willing to let the countya acquire 1t at
about $1115 an acre.
The farm contains about III acres
and lies along the Allegheny river. 1t
was purchased by Carnegie in 1901
for $252, ,015.50, and 1t is said that at the
time he bought it there was some
thought of the United States Steel
corporation locating some of its plant
at Glencairn.
When Carnegie was first approached
about the farm, he is said to have ex-
pressed doubt about his owning the
property. Later when it was shown
him that he did own the farm, he
agreed to take the question of q dona-
tion under consideration. Some cor
respondence passed between the laird
and the board Of managers prior to
his recent visit here, but nothing defin-
lite was done.
When Carnegie was here, Bigelow
broached the subject to Carnegie, but
81 Pittsburger who was present
spoiled things for Pigelow by suggest
ing to Carnegie that he was foolish to
part with the property. The man said
the farm would make an excellent
manufacturing site and would be ex
tremely valuable in time.
Bigelow was told to get all of the
facts about the farm, the price paid
for it and the assessed valuation.
Armed with this data, gathered by
the board of managers, Bigelow went
to New York to see Carnegie.
When Bigelow returned early this
week and made his report, all negotia-
tions for the Glencairn farm were de-
clared off. Instead of donating the
property, Carnegie had mace an OlIer
to sell for $3.50, 900. Some time ago, he
had intimated that while he would not
present the county with the property,
he might decide to give the industrial
school a gift of $250000. He praised
the county for it's work in behalf of
the juveniles. At the last conference
he made no mention of the $250,000
gift and the price he has placed on
the farm is prohibitive. AS the prop
erty is located in Westmoreland, the
board of managers cannot acquire it
by condemnation proceedings.
Carnegie paid $252015.50 for the farm
and it Is understood that he adds $112,
506.07 for interest at per cent for
nine years. This brings the price up
to $374,521.57. The difference between
the estimated worth and the proposed
selling price of $3.50, 900 is $4s5, ,47s.43, or
the profit. The Westmoreland assess
ors have been easy with the laird.
They have assessed the property at
$94, $50, or little less than $123 an
acre. Carnegie is asking over $1115
an acre for the land. He paid from $50
to 5000 an acre for the farm.
The board of managers will now
start out to find site for the school,
While the Carnegie proposition was
pending, serious consideration was not
given to any other locations.