The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-08-15

SlllullOnS Win plpe-OISanS. lie never
gave directly any large sum to rcli-
gious purposes. OF his organ gifts
he said he would hold himself respon-
sible for what the organ pealed forth
on the Sabbath, but not for what
might be said in the pulpit. one of
his very early gifts, as far back as
1891. was the Carnegie Music Hall in
New York, at q cost of $2,0 .Gl0. and
as President of the New York Phil
harmonic Society he spent his money
literally in furthering its ideals. He
also literally backed the Pittsburgh
orchestra.
To the Allied Engineers Societies
he gave $4,000, 900. His small gifts to
colleges amounted TO some 500, 0OO,-
000. No man left at his death such
an unique and such ! scattered series
of monuments TO perpetuate his mem
DRY.
Scotch Thrift Started Fortune
In the background of these fifteen
years Of philanthropy there is the
familiar story OF Scotch thrift. a little
luck, and steel.
Andrew was II wncn his father. a
master weaver, was brought almost
to desUtution. The steam looms
drove him out of business. The fam
lily numbered four, including Andy"
and his younger brother William.
The parents decided to emigrate to
America. They settled at Allegheny.
City, Pa, and in 1S4S. The father
and Andrew found work in a cotton
factory, the o as bobbin boy. The
salary was $1.2O a week. He was
promoted, TO engineers assistant. He
stocked the boilers and ran the engine
in the factory cellar.
In those dingy quarters, where he
worked twelve hours a day, came the
inspiration that later led to his IL
brary benefactions, he said. A Colonel
Anderson, possessed Of some 400
books, announced he would open his
library every weekend and allow
boys to borrow any hooks they pleas
ed. Carnegie was one of the most
eager readers.
only he who has longed as | did
for Saturdays to come" he said.
can understand what Colonel Ander-
son did for me and other boys Of Al
legheny. Is it any wonder that | re-
solved, if over surplus wealth cams
to me, ] would use it initiating my
bcnfactors?"
At II Carnegie emerged from the
engine cellar and became a telegraph
messenger.
Telegraphy was then almost a new
thing. Nobody ventured TO read the dots
and dashes by sound. They were all i'm
pressed on taps. Carnegie is said to
have been the third operator in the
United States to accomplish the feat
of reading messages by sound alone.
lie practiced mornings before the
regular operators came around.
Zone day a death message signal
came" he has related, before the
operators arrived. In those days
death messages We're the most i'm
pbrtant messages We handled. |
venturcd to take this one"
He did it correctly and delivered
the telegram before the regular force
was on duty. 1t won him promo
ton to the key and sounder. When
the Pennsylvania railroad put up a
telegraph wire Of its own he became
clerk under Divisional Superintend-
ent Thomas A. Scott. His salary
jumped to $35 a month. "Mr. Scott
he observed, was then receiving
S125 a month, and | used to wonder
what on earth he could do with so
much money"
Andrew was 16 when his father
died, and he became at once the
b~read-winner OF the family and a rue
capitalist. He had been told by his
trusted employer that ten shares of
Adams Express stock could be had
for $510, and it was "A good invest
ment. AT a family council that night
Carnesie's mother decided she would
mortgage her little home for $500.
Tho stock was bought, and it brought
monthly dividends OF one percent.
Il can see that first check o. ten
dollars dividend money now" he said,
when he became a retired ironmaster
with millions. 1T was something,
new to all of US, for none of us had
ever received anything but from
toll"
Backs Sleeping Cars
The next step toward independence
and fortune came when r. T. Wood
riff The inventor of the slapnino car