Evening star., 1927-08-15

tion--including how its money was
spent, the amount Of materials manu-
factured and the number of employees.
Although the late George w. Perkins
generally was given credit for perfect
ing the system of employees benefits
and pensions and enabling them to
share in the profits through stock sub
scriptions. Mr.. Perkins declared that
the credit for this actually belonged
to Mr.. Gary. Approximately one-third
Of the 1000 stockholders in the cor
poration are employees.
While Mr.. Gary was known as q foe
to UNION labor. nevertheless, he al
ways was interested in the welfare
and human side of the corporation s
employees. 1t was at his behest that
the United States Steel Corporation
adopted the plan of voluntary com.
pensation to injured workmen long
before such action was made co.npul
sOfy by the laws Of many States. He
also was largely responsible for the
corporations extensive system Of well
fare work for the benefit of employees
In this work, which included among
other things. Fairgrounds, schools,
clubs, gardens and pensions, the cor
pOration in the 10 years between 1919
and 1922 expended more than S1OS.-
900 900
Mr. Gary was known as the father
of the industrial safety movement. and
the Steel Corporation was one of the
first large industrial companies to
inaugurate safety first campaigns
among it's employees. The corporation
has spent millions Of dollars in acci.
dent prevention measures. Mr.. Gary
served as chairman of the committee
of the Safety Institute of America.
which inaugurated public safety cam.
paigns. In recognition Of this work
he was awarded the Louis Livingston
Seaman medal
Born on Illinois Farm.
Figuring five persons to the avera re
family. it was estimated that nearly
100000 persons were dependent UPON
the corporation Of which Mr.. Gary was
head. The employees of the United
states Steel Corporation We're said to
number close to 300. 900 before the Y.
hour day was abolished
Elbert Henry Gary was born ON his
fathers farm, near Wheaton, H.. and
was descended from old New England
stock on one side. his father, Era stu;
Gary, having sprung from the hardy
PurltanS who settled Massachusetts.
Ills mother. Abiah Vallette Gary, was
= descendant of one of the officers in
the army Of Lafayette, who fought
with him for the freedom of the
American colonies. He was educated
IN the public schools, Wheaton Col
lcSe and University OF Chicago.
He was admitted to the bar of iii
nois in 1867 and to the bar of the
United States Supreme Court in 1882.
Ills home town early recognized his
ability as leader. and for three terms
it's citizens elected him president of
the town of Wheaton Then when
the place became Il city he was
chosen as its first mayor and re
elected for a second term. Mr.. Gary
also served two terms as county judge
Of Dupage County. I'll. 1t was from
this office that he derived the title Of
Judge and was familiarly called Judge
Gary
After his removal to Chicago, Mr.
Gary engaged in the general practice
OF law for 2o years until he was
drafted from the ranks of that profess
sion to eventually become the out
standing figure in the great steel in.
dustry. He served as president Of the
Chicago Bar Association in 1893-4. and