Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-29

IN ACK in 1870, Andrew Carnegie, then
~ poor and unknown but ambitious,
sat on n pile OF steel rails some
where in Pittsburgh. Beside him was itos-
we'll Miller, seven years the present Steel
Kings junior, equally ambitious, just as
unknown. somewhat poorer. and very far
away, indeeN, from the railroad presidency
and the wealth and honors that were his
when he passed away.
Carnegie was then thirty. The two had
known each other during tAeir shirt
sleeve days iii the coal and iron region
of Pennsylvania and they had met fire.
quently during the Civil War in which
Carnegie served as the Superintendent of
Military Railways and Government Tele-
graph Lines, while Miller had founght as
lieutenant in the 2rd New York Artillery.
The war over. the latter had become en-
ployed in railway construction and Car
negie was making his first steps in one
OF the Pittsburgh mills that made the
rails for the road by which Miller was
employed.
The two had gone out to inspect ship
ment and both being at the time plain,
frugal, saving young men, and Pittsburgh
at that time Boosting none Of the lobster
palaces of ita later years, they shared
their lunch from an ordinary basket AS
they sat talking a gaily dressed, silken
furbelowed young lady passed close by
them.
Carnegie looked her over spcculatively.
"Ros Miller, If ever have daughter
she'll learn something worth while about
raising babies, cooking, sweeping and max
ing bcds-she'll be no dressed up DOLL"
he said.
"And if ever 1 have boy, Andy, he'll
learn to work with his hands just like
u.s." said Roswell Miller
Owes, and l hope they'll marry each
other, Ros!"
And sure enough that is Just what
happened!
Until the war broke out Carnegic's
wages had only suifced for his barest
needs. Even now he was making little more
than thirty dollars a week. He had. now
ever, put away a little money and his
thrifty Scotch soul was appalled, at the
extravaganza OF the reconstruction period
during which many fortunes were made
and when these riches like champagne.
went to the heads Of many who were not
used to them. Carnegie contrasted these
wives and daughters and mothers with his
own mother, who had been forced to do
the hardest form OF manual labor until
he had grown old enough to help her.
Hence the remarks to Miller, which were
often quoted by the late railroad magnate
to friends, were delivered with intense
earnestness indeed
Little did either Of these enthusiasts on
fatherhood foresee what lay ahead. The
day came when Miller rose to high places
in the railroad world and Carnegie at
tanned such wealth as he had never
dreamed OF. When the railroad president
and steel king met it was not the making
of better babies they discussed, but the
making of better prices for steel rails. In
the meantime Miller married and had two
children son. Roswell, junior, and
daughter Dorothy. In January, 1913, he
died suddenly, leaving considerably less
than a million dollars to his wife, His
son was in college, and his daughter was
in a fashionable finishing school-and
neither his son nor daughter had been
trained along the lines he once favored
Andrew Carnegie remained unmarried
until he was fifty-two years Of age. 1t Is
generally believed that he stayed single