Andrew carnegie

Andrew Carnegie was one the richest entrepreneurs of the 19th Century, he helped the American steel industry to grew up; Carnegie is also known for investing in sleeping cars. Later in his life,Carnegie sold his steel business and gave his fortune to cultural and educational institutions.

Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, on 25th of November of 1835 in a working-class family.The family emigrate to the United States due to the economic depression of 1848, they joined a Scottish Colony near Pittsburgh.

At the age of fourteen, Carnegie worked as a messenger in the localPittsburgh Telegraph Office. Thomas A. Scott noticed his abilities to work and made Carnegie his secretary at the western division of the Pennsylvania Railroad.1

During the Civil War, Scott wasappointed secretary of war and Carnegie went to Washington to work for him. Carnegie succeeded Scott as a superintendent of the western division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1856 Carnegie investedin sleeping cars, as well as in the Woodruff Sleeping Car Company.1

After the war, Carnegie left the railroads and worked to develop several iron works. In 1865 Carnegie founds the Keystone BridgeCompany.

In 1880 Carnegie founded a public library in Dunfermline. In 1884 he financed the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, to found a histological laboratory.2

The Keystone Bridge Companybuilt steel, iron and wooden railway and road bridges. It was an important American building company. Carnegie was exigent in keeping down costs. In 1900 it was one of the 28 companies that were absorbedinto the American Bridge Company, by John Piermont Morgan. 1 2

Carnegie showed interest in social and political issues and wrote several books like: Round the World in 1881, An American Four inHand in Britain in 1883 and Triumphant Democracy in 1886, where he compared America with Britain and other European countries. He praised the American educational system. In 1889 the North American...