Railway Enthusiasts Society
The richest man in the world wanted to be a librarian
This individual was the largest and richest Scots who ever lived. No act wiser or nobler never did that when he opened the doors of knowledge to millions of people in all English speaking countries.
If asked, which was the most competent, generous, original and independent individual in the world? You could not find anyone who fit that description better.
It would have been the richest person in the world if he had not given such a large portion of his fortune away.
"If I had my life to live again, I'd rather be a librarian, he said.
Who was this giant of 20th century?
The answer of course, is "Andrew Carnegie. "
In 1889, he wrote: "The Gospel of Wealth." In this essay, he wrote that wealthy people should live without extravagance, provide enough of their families and consider the rest of their wealth, the additional money they must distribute to promote well-being and happiness of others.
During his lifetime, Carnegie has awarded more than $ 350 million or almost 90 percent of his fortune for what he considered such as improvement of all humanity.
Throughout his long life, Carnegie was more currency. He has done more, gave more and did more than any other, with the possible exception of John D. Rockefellers.
Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1835 when He grew up in a very small cottage. His father was a poor weaver and a leader of disgruntled local work.
When he was 13 years old, no work Family forced to move to America. They set sail on a tiny schooner made the trip in 49 days.
Carnegie had little or no schooling, but he was an avid reader. His curiosity for books attracted the attention of a good man named Colonel Anderson, who offered the use of his library to the young Scot.
This library is Carnegie. He has developed from a mentality of an errand boy in an extraordinary leader.
When he was 17, he had learned telegraphy. One day, when operators were missing an important message came he got up and took it. This was against the rules, but earned him a promotion to an operator with a salary $ 6 per week.
Two years later, he rose again and cleared a railway accident. It was also against the rules. Nevertheless, he received a promotion, this time as secretary to a railway manager.
Andrew saved his money and bought shares in all sorts of companies. For ten years he was clerk and assistant to the head of the railway.
He was full of initiative. While other deliberate he acted. When the Prince of Wales visited Pittsburgh, for example, young Carnegie stepped forward and told the prince: "Would you like a ride on the Train engine? Thus the future king of England and the future king of the steel had a great ride together in the cab with the engine driver.
At 27, Carnegie made its first $ 1,000 in an oil company. Then, when he was 29, he bought a one-sixth in a society lacking iron $ 9,000. It was a miserable society iron which vacillated on the edge of bankruptcy.
The other shareholders lost hope, then Carnegie redemption of their shares. He hung on. "What we need," he said, "is more business." He quickly abandons his post railroad, became a sales representative for his company and sold products of iron.
Carnegie received larger orders better prices. It has in better machines. It worked like a demon. Soon he becomes what most of us call rich. However, it was not satisfied. You see he always wanted more.
At 31, he visited England and saw a steel track at Derby. At Sheffield, he saw a converter Bessemer for the first time. It fascinated him. Carnegie rushed to America and began to build his steel company. He borrowed everyone knew and everything he had bet on steel.
In 1881, Carnegie Steel Company is the largest steel manufacturer in the world. It had 45,000 employees.
By 1889, he was ready to sell, and offered his company to his partners for $ 155 million. They were not fast enough to act Carneigie, so he offered his company to John D. Rockefeller for $ 250 million.
Rockefeller said, "too. Carnegie then begun a sales campaign. Once again, his motto was "more".
Carnegie declared war on its competitors until they decide to buy at any price in 1900. They paid him $ 450 million in bonds and shares for his company.
At the time, he became the most rich world. He had a pension of $ 15,000,000 per year. "Hurrah," he said, "I'm out of business."
In general, its politics as a businessman was as follows:
1. Promote mass production.
2. Use only the latest and best machines.
3. Concentrate "put all your eggs in one basket," he said, and looks the same basket. "
4. Avoid details. He managed the business by far.
5. He has traveled extensively as he thought to remain in contact with outside influences.
6. Insist on daily reports of all managers.
7. Give the salaries of officers of small and large commissions, payable in stock.
8. Reinvest profits in your business.
9. Have good wages, high profits and low costs. He excelled in achieving this goal.
Regarded by many as the father of American philanthropy, Andrew Carnegie spent much of his adult life amassing a huge fortune. At 65 years, he sold his business and devoted the rest of his life to give almost all of his money.
In his philanthropy, too, has always Carnegie had a specific policy, help the person who tries to help himself. He does not believe in charity, in the ordinary sense.
A Carnegie interests Standing was the creation of free public libraries as a means of making education accessible to all.
There was few public libraries in the world when Carnegie began to promise a library for almost all the cities that would provide a site and promise to maintain building. He donated more than $ 56 million to build 2,509 libraries throughout the world, many of whom are still serving their communities today.
He built libraries, so that people can improve themselves by reading books, as he did.
Who has not visited a Carnegie library?
Who has not heard of Carnegie Hall?
Who has not heard of Carnegie Mellon?
Carnegie only extravagance but Trip was considered essential for business travel. He had simple tastes and was a very short man, only five feet four inches tall.
Carnegie considered a business game, that you played to win. He never let his master's money, but, like most of us.
He was a young man of heart, always dedicated, enthusiastic and quick to act. His brain was always bubbling with new ideas for improving the human race.
Carnegie does not care about her looks and hated pressed clothing and fashionable society. He avoided all companies for the rich.
Steel libraries, peace and democracy were his hobbies. He loved science and loved the music too, as evidenced by Carnegie Hall.
Books were passion. Once he said: "If I had my life to live again, I'd rather be a librarian."
He married when he was 52. His wife, Louise, is devoted to housekeeping and later to their philanthropies. Always the businessman, Carnegie and his wife signed a prenuptial agreement when they were married.
They had a daughter who, at age 22, married to a manager railways in America. Carnegie would have been sorry if she had married into society.
Carnegie has been a good employer and has always been first to raise wages. He did not economize by reducing the pay of its workers. Instead, it has improved machine.
One of the most difficult episodes Andrew Carnegie's life was one that revealed the contradictory beliefs, tycoon steel with respect to labor rights. It was a bitter labor dispute in 1892 to its steel plant in Homestead, Pennsylvania. Carnegie participation in union action left many men dead or wounded and tarnished the reputation of Carnegie as a benevolent employer and a champion of labor.
He made tons of money, but it was all clean money. He made no poorer. He obtained, as cost leadership. When he was born, the steel was twenty-five cents a pound. It reduces to a year and a half cents.
Carneigie was a true capitalist, and his career has been a complete response to the growing Bolshevism that day. He stole one, increased wages and makes work easier. It has created more jobs and lower prices. He built a great trade for the benefit of everyone.
This saga all began in a small cottage in Dunfermline, Scotland, where he was born November 25, 1835. This is the epic life of Andrew Carnegie, the greatest of all Scots Industrial. He was 84 when he died in 1919.
Copyright 2007 by Robert L. Bergeth
About the Author
Bob Bergeth currently consults with and leads hundreds of home-based entrepreneurs. His specialty is recruiting, training, motivating and leading. He has a Ph.D. and is President of International Mergers & Acquisitions. He publishes a popular newsletter, The Freedom Express: An Insiders Analysis of Home-based Businesses. Contact Bob at
Wealth Building 101 or http://www.mymangosteen.com/dream/
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