Carried Messages

The story of five messenger boys beins in the early days of telegraphy. In a dingy office in Pittsburg, about 1848, Andrew Carnegie, Henry W. Oliver, Robert Piteaim, Major William C. Moreland and David McCargo were messeneers. It is said that they took the oppoJite of other boys and spent theix spare jnoinents in learning useful lessons. Andrew Oarnegie is the oldest of the lot, and he was the sinartest, leading all in learning how to telegraph. He was one of the first operators in the country to learn to take the Morse system by sound, which in thoce days was considered a remarkable achievement. It did not take Thomas A. Seott long to snatch Mr. Carnegie from the telegraph office in Pittsburg into his office as private secretixry wheu the great railroad geniur, took charge of the Pittsburg end of the yad. The educatiou the young Scotchpian ïvceived from a gveater mind lifted hún from a secretary's seat into the place of división supei-intendent when Mr. Scott was made vice president at the railroad. The industry, the subtle ctmning and watching faith of Scott taught him to lay his lines in other directions than watching the divisions of a railroad, and Scott helped him. His place gave him the opportunity to look into other lines of industry, and he drove a drift into an iron mili. His pickax was not large, bat his cunning and thrift made up for the size of his ax. J. Edgar Thomson, who was the president of the Pennsylvania railroad, then gave a great name and monej' to the works ikw dominated by Mr. Camegie. At that (dme Golonel Scott was a power in the aation as well as the railroad, and Oarnegie began to gather wealth. sin. caenf.cik's kaely ambition. "My ambition in those days," he said reeen tly, "was to write for newspapers. 1 took in material in that direction whenever it was possible. 1 haunted the public library in Alleghany, and canght on to the fact that a distinction was made bv the attendants between the poor boys and the sons of well to do pareiits. It made me indignant. 1 wrote my fivst public letter to the board of control, and a change was ordered. This result inore than ever resolvédmete follow journalism. but an accident drifted me elsewhere. and 1 becanie a manufacturer." Thrift and industry were the derricks which lifted Havry W. üliver out of the telegraph chair next to Mr. Carnegie, and made hiai a clork for abigiron firm. He is an Irishman, with a head full of cunninji about the business economies of lite. It did iiot take long for hnn to realizo the possibilities of the iron trade, and on e day a slick working block and tackle hoisted hini out of his seat at the desk in the big iirrn's workshop and landed him in a business that has since grown to be une of the greatest concerns in the world. He has grown very rich. and one railroad and seven manuf acturing concerns now feel the touch of his hand. Another Scotehman of the famous five is Eobert Pitoairn. who sits in the seat once occupied by Colonel Torn Scott and Mr. (Jarnegie. He went f rom a telegraph ohair into the railroad business, and he has been a inaster in all the best conditions of railroad life. He is many times a millionaire, but he lives for his railroad. although interested, like Mr. Oliver, in many large manufacturing enterprises. He does the work of about three men every day, and takes recreation only when he wants to talk with a big fïïend or indulge with his countrymen in the melodies of Scotland. He has denied himselí' promotion many times, because he likes to cling to thelocation where he began as a messengev boy and has had so many triumphs. A TRIUÏIFII IN TELEGRAl'HY. The fourth member of the group is David McCargo. the general manager of the AlleghMiy railroad. His strong Scotch character lifted him into big railway concerns early. He left the telegraph office soon after the other boys and took a place on the railway. "Think of it,'.' Baid kajoï Vv'iüiam P. Morehuïd, the last, but uot least, of the famous üve. "1 stood at the key with Caruegie, üliver, Pitcairn, ilcCargo. and heard the ürat message pass over ttio wires that was sent between the north and south. james D. Reid, who was general superiutendent; David Brooks, now living in Philadelphia, and Jacksou Duncan, of Cincinnati, had charge of tbe experiment. We had to work on short circuits in those days. and we thought it was impossible to send a message to New York f rom New Urleans. Brooks and Reid walked over and inspected the line from the Crescent City to Pittsburg. After arriving here and assuring themselves that the line was perfect, the effort was ordered and every telegraph operator on the line, and in fact the whole country, was waiting in suspense to know the success or failure of the effort. Every magnet was adjusted, and everjr electrician on the line stood at his key listening for the result. At the signal New York called Philadei pliia, the (Quaker City signaled Harrisburg, and theu inquick succession Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville and New Orleans v.-ere opeued to the metropolis. No one drew a breath soavcely until the tick caitit!, and ia a minute an unbroken message was sent batweea the norttiand south. That may seem primitive in these days, when thore is no measuring electric power: but then it was the tiaik of the nation. This is a bit of untold historv. but 1 shall nevev t'orget that honr."- Ne-w York Sun. The beat couducting qualities of ,the metáis range as follows: Silvev. 100: copper, 7S.80; gold. 52.20: annealed nhiininiuin. 38.87; unauuealeil aliiniinitun, 87.96; tin. 1-1.50: iron, 11.60; steel. 11.60: lea1. 8.50; platimun. 8.40: bismo.th, 180.