Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-08-13
El1rttttt9 Gl1at

carefully as was possible O list OF
his old friends and acquaintance,
procured their addresses and placed
all of them, or their widows, on his
pension list" for lives. Every
Christmas came letter to them let
ting them know that their old
friend had not forgotten them and
notifying them that they would re-
ceiVe an allotment varying from $40
q month in some cases to SIS in
others, for the year ensuing. Just
how many men and women were
benefited bv Mr.. Carnegie's gener-
osty only he will know. Most of
thar1 are dead now. hut Mt least ono
old woman sstill receiving her pen
SION and it has saved her from the
embarrassment of want in her old
age, or of becoming a charge on
others. AS it is she spends her sum-
mers at home and most of her win
ters at the seashore or in the south,
and always has little money in the
bank. Mr.. Carnegie has been a
source of ver-ending benefit and
pleasure to her.
Mr.. Carnegie had n remarkable
memory for faces and names and
never missed hunting up the friends
of his youth when he was in their
vicinity. The responsibility of wealth
may have sat heavily on his shoul-
ders, as in his later years he said.
but it never altered his viewpoint
on life or gave him false ideas of
his own importance.
One old conductor, dead these five
years, told the following story,
which illustrates the point:
Il was just getting off the train
at Altoona, when ! was approached
by little man in a Panama hat who
yelled, Hello, Jim, got any pie in
your grub box to-day?'
1T was Andrew Carnegie and he
was referring to a fine quality of
apple pie my wife used to make and
which 1 shared with him as lad on
the division. He sure could remem-
ber names and faces. Why 1 had
almost forgotten him and here he
was, meeting countless of the prom
inent people of the world, recall
ing noe and my wife's pie the NOM
ent he saw me. l took him home for
supper and we had a good talk over
old days on the railroad. And I'll
tell you, Andy hadn't lost any of his
old-time taste for apple pie"
incidentally it may be mentioned
that this man was one OF Carnegie's
pensioners in later years.
The Altoona Times has this to say
of Mr.. Carnegie's residence in that
city: Hundreds OF veteran en-
ployes, now retired by the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad company, and who
once worked on the Pittsburgh di-
vision when Andrew Carnegie was
superintendent, are mourning the
passing of their former leader:
Scores of these pioneer railroad
| ers received n monthly pension
through the munificence of the Laird
of Skibo. He paid this tribute to
those who served the division during
his career as superintendent. This
pension had been paid them regular
ly for many years.
when the great philanthropist
passed through this city and tidings
of his coming were heralded with
delight, the veterans who knew of
his arrival, fastened to the station
to greet their benefactor. Mr.. Car
negie had vivid recollections of his
railroad career, and recalled the
men once numbered among his as
, sociates and co-workers.
1T was not the regular stipend
given them by the famous American
which attracted the veterans to his
train, on such visits. The memories
of days when they worked for him
moved the greying haired pensioners
to look into the kindly eyes and
grasp the hand OF Mr.. Carnegie,
when these rare opportunities de-
veloped.
The exchange of stories having
to do with the railroad of long ago
passed all too swiftly for both the
veterans and their friend. Carnegie's
visits during the last ten years were
limited to the brief periods his train
lay here to change engines,
Carnegie was superintendent of
the Pittsburgh division of the Penn
sylvania railroad from 1860 to 1865.
when he resigned to engage in the
manufacture of aXles and other
railway supplies. At one time he
entertained q group of twenty veter-
an railroad employees at his Pitts
burgh home. He inaugurated tho
pension system many years ago,
drawing the line only where the for
mer employe needed no financial aid.
Tho pension was continued when
veterans died, their widows being
benefited. A fund was created by
Carnegie for the purpose and his
NltlIliSC VIII III ilO way sup pay
of the usual monthly allotment.
THE steel baron, meeting his old
acquaintances among railroad men,
always insisted that they call him
Andy He told veterans the last
time he conversed with them, Boys,
If you ever hear of any of my men
who are in distress or in need, don't
fail to let me know about Them
Carnegie resided in this city for
two years, making his home with
his mother. While here he develop
ed an interest in the city's first Ii
brary and helped establish the Me-
chanics' library originally founded
for railroad employees, but since has
adopted a public policy.
This marked Carnegies initial
penchant for starting libraries
Some years later he began his work
of establishing free institutions