By 1889, the Second Industrial Revolution was in full swing. This was the era of "Big Rail," Steel, and the birth of modern electricity. While modern "market cap" data didn't exist in the same way, these were the behemoths of the era, dominated heavily by railroads.
Here are the most powerful and valuable companies of 1889 along with their respective leaders.
The Titans of 1889
|
Industry |
President/Leader (1889) |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Pennsylvania Railroad |
Railroads |
George Brooke Roberts |
|
Reading Railroad |
Railroads/Coal |
Austin Corbin |
|
Standard Oil Trust |
Oil |
John D. Rockefeller |
|
New York Central Railroad |
Railroads |
Cornelius Vanderbilt II |
|
Carnegie Steel Company |
Steel |
Andrew Carnegie (Owner/Chairman) |
|
Union Pacific Railroad |
Railroads |
Charles Francis Adams Jr. |
|
Northern Pacific Railway |
Railroads |
Thomas Fletcher Oakes |
|
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe |
Railroads |
William Barstow Strong |
|
Pullman Palace Car Co. |
Manufacturing |
George Pullman |
|
Western Union |
Telecom |
Norvin Green |
|
Edison General Electric |
Energy/Tech |
Charles Coffin (Formed in 1889) |
|
American Bell Telephone |
Telecom |
Howard Stockton |
