Interview with Andrew Carnegie

What was your background like?
“I was born on November 25 1835 in Dunfermline, Scotland. My father was a hand loom weaver and my mother was a daughter of a shoemaker. I also have a brother called Thomas. Although my father was not the richest man it town, he gave me a good education and took great care of my present and my future.”

What were your first jobs like?
“At the age of 16, I worked as a telegraph messenger boy. I was paid $2.50 for my work there. As I grew I was employed by many more telegraph companies and I also worked in the railway. I was also a superintended in the Civil War!”

What happened to your brother?
“Well, when my business was a success, my younger brother died at the age of 43. It was a really tragic moment in my life.”

How did you start your steel company?
“Because I had many years of experience working in many fields, I knew how to work with others. My steel company was called Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Steel Company. It was a great success in my life. This was the main reason that I became a rich man.”

Who was John Pierpont Morgan and what role did he play in your life?
After handling my company well, I later met up with John Pierpont Morgan who was interested in buying my company. I had thought about it, thus, I was going to sell my company and retire and so I did. Since my company was one of the largest in the business, I sold it for a great fortune. I sold it for 2007’s $120 billion. This was how I changed from being a hand loom weaver’s son to being the second richest man in the world.”