Andrew Carnegie: Journey from Bobbin Boy to Millionaire

Chapter three Pittsburg and Work of Andrew Carnegies autobiography starts off with a 13-year-old Carnegie thinking about going to work. He already determined that his family should be able to make 300 dollars a year, which would keep them from depending on others. Uncle Hogan had already seen the businessman in Carnegie at a very young age. He tells Carnegie that he was a likely boy and apt to learn; and believed that if a basket were fitted out for him with knickknacks to sell, he could peddle them around the wharves and make quite a considerable sum. This comment by Uncle Hogan leaves Carnegies mother outraged. She wanted her two sons Carnegie and his brother to always be honorable, respectful and always do what is right. Soon after the incident Carnegies father gave up handloom weaving for the cotton factory. This decision also granted Carnegie a position as a bobbin boy, where he made one dollar and twenty cents per week. Carnegie will go on to make millions after, but he

states that none of those millions gave him such happiness as his first week's earnings. He later found a better paying position with Mr. John Hay, a fellow-Scotch manufacturer of bobbins in Allegheny City, which payed him two dollars a week. More money came with more responsibilities. He now had to run a small steam-engine and to fire the boiler in the cellar of the bobbin factory. Eventually all of Carnegies hard work pays off because he later on gets promoted by Mr. Hay. Wanting to learn double entry bookkeeping Carnegie and his companions, John Phipps, Thomas N. Miller, and William Cowley, decided to attend night school during the winter and learn the larger system.
After returning from work one evening Carnegie was informed that Mr. David Brooks, manager of the telegraph office, had asked his Uncle Hogan if he knew where a good boy could be found to act as messenger. After hearing this great opportunity Carnegie was sure he wanted to meet with Mr. Brooks. His mother was supportive but his father disapproved. He was worried that the job was intended for an older guy and too dangerous for little Carnegie. After speaking to Mr. Hay and being assured that his old position would still be available if it was not to work out Carnegie and his father went to Pittsburg to call on Mr. Brooks. His interview went great and got the job. He told his father that it was ok for him to go home. Carnegie wanted badly to be great at his new job. He wanted to learn the addresses of all the various business to which messages had to be delivered to. Now in 1850 Pittsburg Carnegie was experiencing new things such as first telegraph line, locomotive and railroads. In his life as a massager boy Carnegie found many of his life friends.
Chapter four of Andrew Carnegies autobiography begins and Carnegie at the time is still working as a messenger boy for Mr.

brooks. Carnegie in this time becomes interested in books. Colonel James Anderson announced that he would open his library so working boys so they can take out a book every Saturday. Because of tis library Carnegie learned about Macaulay's essays and his history, and with Bancroft's History of the United States. Carnegie credits Colonel James Anderson for introducing him to literature. Carnegie later on discovers that his father was one of the five weavers in Dunfermline who gathered together the few books they had and formed the first circulating library in that town. Carnegie also appreciated Shakespeare. He first became involved because of the theater. He realized what magic lay in words, rhythm, and melody. Later on he started getting into music when he heard at the Academy of Music in New York. Carnegie realizes that his love for music started because of his

father.
After a year serving as messenger Carnegie started watching the office of Colonel John P. Glass while he is away. Because he had political aspirations, these periods of absence became longer and more frequent. In that time Carnegie became adapt in that line of work. During this time Carnegie explains that he was not popular with the other messengers because he did not spend his money. This is a good thing because Carnegie knows his family needs all the money they earn. When payday arrived, Carnegie was surprised when Mr. Glass skipped over him and payed the other boys their wages of eleven and a quarter dollar. After all the other boys left Mr. Glass told him that he was worth more than the other boys and increased his wages to thirteen and a half dollars a month. Carnegie exited ran home and gave his mother the usual amount and waited until the next day to surprise his family with the rest.
Because Carnegie had to sweep up the operating room in the mornings he got to practice with the telegraph instruments. One morning Philadelphia wanted to send a death message to Pittsburg. Because of the knowledge he had acquired from practicing every morning, Carnegie was able to intercept that message and deliver it. Because of his actions Carnegie was awarded a two-week position as an operator in Greensburg. While in Greensburg he encountered the railroads that were being built. Soon after his return to Pittsburg Carnegie was promoted as an operator which landed him a twenty-five dollars a month. On top of that a man from the Pittsburg newspaper was to pay Carnegie a dollar a week for making five copies of all press dispatches. Now on the verge of success his father was proud of the man he had become. His father later on passed and never got to see his son become a millionaire.