Andrew Carnegie rose from a poor immigrant weaver's son to become the richest man in the world. He revolutionized the steel industry and helped build the infrastructure of modern America. Furthermore, he set a new standard for philanthropy that billionaires still follow today. Consequently, his name remains legendary in libraries and concert halls across the globe. Explore these fascinating details about the Titan of Steel.
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie amassed a fortune that would be worth roughly $372 billion today. Therefore, he held more wealth in his time than Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates hold in the modern era.
He sold his massive steel company to J.P. Morgan in 1901 for $480 million. Remarkably, this transaction represented the largest business sale in history at the time and allowed him to retire at age 65.
His first job in America was working as a “bobbin boy” in a cotton factory. Specifically, he changed spools of thread for 12 hours a day and earned only $1.20 per week.
He hired a substitute to fight in his place during the American Civil War. In fact, he paid an Irish immigrant $850 to serve in the Union Army so he could continue his business work.
Andrew Carnegie stood at a short height of only 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 meters). Consequently, he often stood on higher steps or platforms in group photographs to appear taller than he really was.
He possessed the rare ability to translate telegraph signals by ear. Unlike other operators who had to write down the dots and dashes first, he could understand the message just by listening to the clicking sounds.
He famously offered to pay the United States government $20 million to buy independence for the Philippines. However, the administration rejected the offer, as he wanted to prevent American imperialism abroad.
Scientists named a massive dinosaur Diplodocus carnegiei in his honor. Affectionately, the museums that display the cast of the skeleton refer to the giant sauropod as “Dippy.”
He passionately advocated for simplifying the spelling of the English language. For instance, he funded a board that pushed to change words like “though” to “tho” and “catalogue” to “catalog.”
Andrew Carnegie waited until his mother died before he got married. Reportedly, he was 51 years old when he finally wed because he did not want to upset his mother, whom he lived with his entire life.
He built 2,509 libraries around the world with his personal fortune. Thus, he ensured that millions of people had access to books, because his own lack of access as a poor child inspired him.
Botanists scientifically named the Saguaro cactus Carnegiea gigantea after him. Fittingly, this desert giant is the only species in its genus, much like the industrialist was in his field.
He established the “Hero Fund” to reward ordinary civilians who saved lives. Specifically, the fund provided medals and financial support to those who suffered injuries while performing heroic acts.
He built the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, to foster world peace. Today, this building houses the International Court of Justice and remains a symbol of his anti-war philosophy.
Andrew Carnegie gave away over 90% of his wealth before he died. Ultimately, he lived by his famous motto from his “Gospel of Wealth” essay: “The man who dies rich dies disgraced.”
