Carnegie accidentally embarked on the road of investment with the help of Scott.
One day, Mr. Scott asked Carnegie, "Can you raise 500 dollars?" After a friend of mine died, his wife sold the shares she inherited to her friend's daughter. Now the woman is in urgent need of money and wants to transfer her shares. It's ADAMS Express stock, 10 shares, which is exactly $500. The bonus is 1 yuan ... I think you should buy it. "
Adams Express Company was a very powerful company at that time. It has branches in Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, St. Louis and all over Europe, mainly engaged in railways, remittance business and banking business. According to the market at that time, the stock of the courier company was indeed a steady and rising stock.
However, $500 is not a small sum for Carnegie. Not long ago, Carnegie's father died of illness, and the family's money has been spent almost. And they have to pay their uncle's house payment every year, and the total house payment is exactly $500.
"Mr. Scott, I really can't raise such a large sum of money now." Carnegie had to politely decline Scott's kindness.
"It doesn't matter, I'll put it on you first. I'll buy it anyway." Scott said flatly.
The next day, Mr. Scott asked Carnegie awkwardly, "I'm sorry, they don't want to sell it for 600 dollars." Do you still want it? " "yes! I have to! Please pay 600 dollars for me first! " Although it means taking great risks, Carnegie made up his mind.
Carnegie immediately wrote an IOU for 6 10 yuan, and indicated that the repayment period was six months. He gave it to Scott with the IOU and the stock as collateral. 10 is the interest on the loan of $600.
In order to pay off the loan, the Carnegie family scrimped and saved $200 in six months. Carnegie's mother, Maggie, used the house as collateral and borrowed 400 dollars at a high interest rate of 8 points. At the repayment date, Carnegie returned the principal of $600 to Mr. Scott in full.
Soon, Carnegie received a dividend of $65,438+00 from the stock he invested. He gave it to Mr. Scott as interest and paid off all the principal and interest that Mr. Scott lent him. Carnegie, who first tasted the joy of profit from investment, was immersed in the sense of accomplishment of "I am also a capitalist", and his eyes began to look for bigger and more promising investment projects. He said to his friends, "There are geese laying golden eggs here! Since you have come to the United States all the way, you should concentrate on finding golden eggs in this open society with equal opportunities. "
This was the first big investment in Carnegie's life, when Carnegie was only 20 years old. This autumn, Mr Scott was promoted to the position of Altug's headquarters. At that time, with the progress of railway engineering, Altug's freight yard and repair yard expanded, and the commercial headquarters became the actual commercial center. For Mr. Scott, this promotion means entering the central department directly under the chairman, and his position is becoming more and more important.
Scott thought of Carnegie again: "Would you like to go to Altug with me? As a secretary at headquarters, the monthly salary is $55. "
55 dollars a month is not a small sum, which is 20 dollars higher than Carnegie's monthly salary at that time! Carnegie naturally expressed his wishes without hesitation. Carnegie, whose monthly salary increased by $20, went home and told his mother, "You don't have to do sideline business anymore."
Mr Scott and Carnegie went to Altug alone and stayed in a hotel near the courtyard. Since then, the friendship between the two has deepened.
Carnegie's new job is mainly to take countermeasures against labor strikes. Carnegie fully demonstrated his "iron fist" ability in his new post, solved many labor strikes, and made great contributions to Mr. Scott's foothold.
Shortly after arriving in Altug, Carnegie once again stumbled upon the opportunity to lay golden eggs.
One day, Carnegie hurried to the railway station to attend a friend's funeral. On the platform of the railway station, a man came up to him and asked him, "Are you Mr. Carnegie of Pennsylvania Railroad Company?" My name is woodruff. "
"Yes, what can I do for you?" Carnegie stared at the stranger in front of him in surprise.
"Edgar Thomson, chairman of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, asked me to come to you. I want you to see the product I invented. I think my product is very promising, because the railway will enter the long-distance era, and the sleeper I designed can be used for passengers to travel at night, which is very convenient. "
Woodruff said that he gave the model to Carnegie.
This is a model car made quite exquisitely. There are two opposite wooden seats on both sides of the car. Because there were only front seats on both sides of the bus at that time, there were no back seats, so the idea of face-to-face was strange at that time.
Another advantage of this kind of car is that at night, the opposite seat can be covered with a cushion with springs as a bed. Besides, there is another bed hidden in the window. Just pull out the specially designed cabinet and the bed will come out. The bed is hung in the cupboard with a lock, and the mattress and blanket can be hidden in the cupboard during the day.
"This is really a clever design. I will report it to Mr. Scott as soon as possible. Please leave your contact address. "
As soon as Mr Scott got the news, he sent for woodruff. Scott saw the model of the sleeper and was immediately attracted by this ingenious design:
"Mr woodruff, please do two parts as soon as possible."
"Ok, but please pay me the design fee and royalties."
"No problem!" Mr. Scott is full of confidence in this new sleeping car.
The sleeping car was soon finished. Mr. Scott was quite satisfied after reading it, and now he has reached a car purchase agreement.
This time, Mr. Scott helped Carnegie seize an excellent investment opportunity.
When signing the car purchase agreement with Mr. woodruff, Mr. Scott put forward an additional condition, that is, Carnegie must own one-eighth of the shares of the sleeper manufacturing company to be opened in woodruff.
In order to win the big customer of Pennsylvania Railway, woodruff not only readily agreed to this condition, but also asked Carnegie to pay one-eighth of the shares in several years, only paying $265,438 +07.5 per year.
This is indeed an attractive investment method, although at that time, as the secretary of the railway headquarters, it was a dereliction of duty to obtain the contractor's shares by increasing the order for sleeper cars. But Carnegie can't care so much, because this is really a cause worthy of investment, and it is a good opportunity for "goose lays golden eggs"!
Carnegie found a friend of the bank and applied for a loan of $265,438 +07.5, which must be paid in the first year.
After the establishment of the sleeper manufacturing company, the business really flourished. Not only did the Pennsylvania Railway sign orders for sleeping cars, but orders from other companies also came like snowflakes. Carnegie's investment of more than 200 dollars won no less than 500 dollars in one year, and he really found a big "golden egg".
When Carnegie was 24 years old, in the autumn of 1859, Mr. Scott was promoted to vice chairman of Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Mr. Scott is going to work in Philadelphia. Before leaving, he recommended Carnegie as the dean of Pittsburgh School of Management. He told Carnegie:
"After I leave, the functions of the Pittsburgh Authority will be expanded, and the Pennsylvania area will be under your jurisdiction. Your annual salary will also be mentioned as $65,438+0,500. "
At the age of 24, Carnegie became the director of Pittsburgh Railway Bureau, which undoubtedly marked a new step in his career. As soon as Carnegie took office, he hired 16-year-old brother Tom as his secretary. At the same time, he sold his original house and moved his family to a high-grade residential area.
From then on, Carnegie began to become the "king of steel", and his first step was to rely on Mr. Scott's strong support.