Wheeling Denies Andrew Carnegie

After spending much of this last semester researching and lesson planning about the Progressive Era, I came across some old information that I had learned about Andrew Carnegie. I reside in the Rest Belt and have watched companies such as Wheeling Steel disappear, and I’ve witnessed first hand how evil outsourcing can be. Keep in mind not only how it effects those who are left unemployed, but those who are being exploited for their labor too. I also live near Pittsburgh and the Carnegie name seems to be just about everywhere. To be brief, Carnegie was a man who was viewed as friend of the worker, but if this is so, why did he hire Henry Clay Frick to manage Carnegie Steel? Frick was one of the biggest anti union people around during the time period. An event that exposed the baneful philosophy that was so dominant before, during, and after the Progressive Era was the Homestead strike.
Homestead, Pennsylvania was home of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel and Tin Workers. In 1892 their contract had expired and the union expected a rather easy negation to renew the contract with Carnegie. Just before contract expired Carnegie set sail for Scotland which meant that Frick was to supervise Carnegie’s empire. Frick’s first assignment was to handle talks with the Amalgamated Association, but little negation occurred. Frick’s first move was to cut wages which did not sit well with plant workers. He strung barbed wire around the plant and hired Pinkerton detectives to guard the plant. Workers thought even less of these actions and decided to strike on July 1; a few days later Frick brought in scabs to work the plant who were protected by Pinkerton deceives. Scabs and Pinkerton detectives set the stage for July 6th which resulted in a clash between Pinkerton deceives and the striking workers that left many dead and wounded. Frick seemed un-phased by the events and kept the scabs working in the plant and finally the union called off the strike on November 20th. Although the strike failed, Carnegie’s reputation was ruined and nearly all steel unions left the Pittsburgh area. Carnegie said, “Nothing…wounded me so deeply. No pangs remain of any wound received in my business career save that of Homestead.” One can only imagine what would have happened if Frick would have been left out of negation’s. Carnegie by all means was a businessman first, but I would like to think that he would not have let bloodshed tarnish his reputation. But the Homestead strike turned out to be something that would haunt Carnegie for the rest of his life, and it would be an event that the town of Wheeling, WV would never forget.What does Wheeling have to do with this? Well during this time period it was the “premier city” and the center of iron, steel, glass, pottery, calico, and tobacco manufacturing; and the most unionized city in the state of West Virginia. To make up for many of the crude things that he had put many of his workers through, Carnegie became a pubic philanthropist. To me it seems odd because many of his factories were unfit to work in, but Carnegie believed in helping the poor by way of bettering themselves. Institutions such as hospitals, parks, libraries and concert halls were built with his fortune. Well Wheeling was in need of a library, so they looked to the acquire one of the prestigious Carnegie libraries. On January 26, 1904 Wheeling voters were to vote on a bond levy for $50,000 that would be used to obtain a building site, books, and general upkeep. As long as 60% of the voters approved the levy, Wheeling would be the beneficiary of a Carnegie Library as so many other local towns already where. One obstacle that stood in the way was the Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assembly. The Trade Assembly represented workers in a radical, progressive nature. For example the group became a major lobbyist in the West Virginia legislature which in return resulted in progressive action for workman’s compensation rights. So when the Trade Assembly spoke out against Carnegie and the library, the people of Wheeling listened, because it was the Trade Assembly that fought for their rights, not Carnegie. And the Homestead Strike was still fresh in the mind of Wheeling residents. Many local leaders throughout Wheeling were in support of the library, maybe not so much Carnegie, but they felt that it would be foolish to deny his generosity. But the Trade assembly resumed its campaign against Carnegie and his library and members made their real feelings known. Mike Mahoney summed up the Assemblies disposition best when he said, “We don’t want a monument to Carnegie” and “God forbid that one of my children should ever bring home a book from a Carnegie library.” Was the Trade Assembly expressing prejudice attitudes or valid arguments? The greater Pittsburgh area had already built Carnegie library’s with not problems, including Homestead. The Trade assembly would spend $500 and much of their time in South Wheeling where many of the working class families resided in Wheeling, and to them it was time and money well spent. Wheeling has become known as the first American city to to turn down a Carnegie grant. In 1909 the Carnegie library plan resurfaced, but it was shot down by the Trade Assembly before it could even get started. In 1910 Wheeling decided to build it’s own library with it’s own resources and opened it’s doors to residents in 1911. No matter how evil Carnegie and his corporation seemed he did manage to make an effort to help those who needed it most during his later years. This bit of local history fits well into any classroom because it allows students to see the influences of organizations such as the Trade Assembly and the issue also relates well to election day. It prepares students to think about levy’s, grants, or something that is now common in the Wheeling area, table gaming. The story of Wheeling and it’s desire to stand up for the working man is one that should be retold and used as an example in the classroom. Once that has been done, students can examine, discuss, and form their own opinions about Wheeling, the Trade Assembly, and Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth.
The Wheeling Public Library. Although it’s not longer used as a library it still remains as a reminder of Wheeling’s glory days. Also, a special thanks to Dr. David Javersak for his scholarly insight on the topic.