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The same Carnegie who, with his wealthy pals, bought a damn, turned it into a private sporting club, and failed to maintain it, causing a flood that killed 2200

The same Carnegie who, with his wealthy pals, bought a damn, turned it into a private sporting club, and failed to maintain it, causing a flood that killed 2200 people. https://www.nps.gov/jofl/learn/historyculture/andrew-carnegie.htm https://www.nps.gov/jofl/learn/historyculture/andrew-carnegi... I'd prefer we have this organization than the noblesse oblige of rich industrialists.

dredmorbius 10y ago
Woah! I had been aware of the Johnstown Flood. But not of Carnegie's involvement in it. Thank you! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnstown_Flood https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnstown_Flood
icebraining 10y ago
Nowhere in your link says that Carnegie bought or owned the damn and club, just that he was a member.
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- alphonsegaston 10y ago
  The club was actually a corporation responsible for maintaining the dam, of which Carnegie was a part owner. The other members were largely executives in or with ties to Carnegie businesses: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Fork_Fishing_and_Hunting_Club https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Fork_Fishing_and_Hunti...
  - icebraining 10y ago
    From that link, he wasn't an original charter member, which means he didn't "bought a damn, turned it into a private sporting club", he just joined the club later on. And the club had 50 very wealthy people, of course they had ties with him. I have no problem finding him legally responsible, since I like giving shareholders skin in the game, but your accusation is factually unsupported and highly misleading.
    - alphonsegaston 10y ago
      Actually, it not. If you want the full account, you can read David McCullough's book about the Johnstown Flood Frick was essentially Carnegie's right-hand man, having been appointed to run Carnegie's businesses after he withdrew from their day to day operations to enjoy his wealth. The club was explicitly set up as a retreat for executives from Carnegie businesses or those with ties to them (it was informally known as "The Bosses Club"). Carnegie not being a charter member is immaterial, as it's simply an artifact of his slight remove from the day-to-day operations. He was certainly caught up in the suit that, were liability laws the same as they were today, Carnegie's business' would have been dragged down with him.
      - icebraining 10y ago
        Will read, thanks!
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MR4D 10y ago
That's an argument I'm not going to engage in. However, I would like to point out the the taxpayers funded over $600,000 for Houston libraries. Nice to know we can pay for two convertible roof stadiums while the taxpayers pay for our libraries. And that's the issue. If we in houston had to pay for our choices, we'd make better ones or suffer the consequences. So, to me, the IMLS is wasting a ton of money. (It's hard for me to think we are the only ones benefiting from this largesse. )

dredmorbius 10y ago

Woah! I had been aware of the Johnstown Flood. But not of Carnegie's involvement in it. Thank you! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnstown_Flood https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnstown_Flood

icebraining 10y ago

Nowhere in your link says that Carnegie bought or owned the damn and club, just that he was a member.

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alphonsegaston 10y ago
The club was actually a corporation responsible for maintaining the dam, of which Carnegie was a part owner. The other members were largely executives in or with ties to Carnegie businesses: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Fork_Fishing_and_Hunting_Club https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Fork_Fishing_and_Hunti...
- icebraining 10y ago
  From that link, he wasn't an original charter member, which means he didn't "bought a damn, turned it into a private sporting club", he just joined the club later on. And the club had 50 very wealthy people, of course they had ties with him. I have no problem finding him legally responsible, since I like giving shareholders skin in the game, but your accusation is factually unsupported and highly misleading.
  - alphonsegaston 10y ago
    Actually, it not. If you want the full account, you can read David McCullough's book about the Johnstown Flood Frick was essentially Carnegie's right-hand man, having been appointed to run Carnegie's businesses after he withdrew from their day to day operations to enjoy his wealth. The club was explicitly set up as a retreat for executives from Carnegie businesses or those with ties to them (it was informally known as "The Bosses Club"). Carnegie not being a charter member is immaterial, as it's simply an artifact of his slight remove from the day-to-day operations. He was certainly caught up in the suit that, were liability laws the same as they were today, Carnegie's business' would have been dragged down with him.
    - icebraining 10y ago
      Will read, thanks!
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MR4D 10y ago

That's an argument I'm not going to engage in. However, I would like to point out the the taxpayers funded over $600,000 for Houston libraries. Nice to know we can pay for two convertible roof stadiums while the taxpayers pay for our libraries. And that's the issue. If we in houston had to pay for our choices, we'd make better ones or suffer the consequences. So, to me, the IMLS is wasting a ton of money. (It's hard for me to think we are the only ones benefiting from this largesse. )