The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-06-10

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1t is the crowning glory Of this country
that it offers q career so full of hope to its
humblest citizen, and that it can boast so
many who, from a lowlY origin, have
risen to the highest eminence. But Of
those who have reached the upmOst
rounds there are too few whose first
thought has been about those below them,
and especially about the toiling masses
who are struggling at the foot of the lad
der Far too many Of our successful men
have forgotten that they were ever poor,
and have no helping hand to reach down
in aid Of those who so earnestly desire to
follow them up. Some exceptions, how
ever, there are to the selfish rule, and
none more conspicuous than that of the
venerable founder Of the Cooper Institute,
New York. Peter Cooper has passed
long and laborious life, during which he
has bestowed fully as many anxious
thoughts upon the question Of how he
should help Others tOrWaid AS how he
should secure his own adv Nancement and
singularly clear perception Of the best
means to accomplish his purpose has always
| characterized him in both. If others have
differed from him at first they have almost
always accepted his view III the end, and
the result has fully justified his broad,
discriminating judgment. This is true not
only in respect to his plans for educating the
masses with which, perhaps, his name is
most frequently assocIated-but also In
respect to his efforts to introduce improve
ments everywhere, his encouragement OF
inventions, his urgency for economical
government and a sound currency, III which
he has always been found fully abreast,
if not little in advance, of his times. The
notice in the american Encyclopedia,
which briefly re-counts few of the facts
of his life, as follows
"Peter Cooper was born in the city of
New York, February II, 1871. His ma
ternal grandfather, John Campbell,
was mayor of New York and
Deputy guarter-masterg general during the
revolutionary war, and expended a consid-
cradle private fortune in the service of his
country. His father was lieutenant in the
war Of the revolution, after the close Of
which he established hat manufactory, in
which his youthful son Peter aided to the
extent of his strength. This period Of
Mr.. Cooper's life was one of great anxiety
and much hard labor, as his father was
not successful in his undertakings, and
had large family to provide for. He at
tended school only half Of each day for a
single year, and beyond the humble
knowledge thus gained, his acquisitions
are all his own. At the age of IL he was
| .eb TrA Wo.1u.~I -, ~
trade Of coach-making, and served out
his apprenticeship so much to the
satisfaction Of his master, that the latter
offered to set him up in business, which
Mr.. Cooper declined. He for a time
followed this trade; next the manufacture
of patent machines for shearing cloth,
which were in great demand during the
war Of 1912, but lost all value on the de-
claration Of peace; then the manufacture
Of cabinet ware; then the grocery bust
ness in the city of New York; and finally
he engaged in the manufacture of glue
and isingglass, which he has carried on for
more than 40 years. Mr.. Cooper's atten-
ton was early called to the great resources
Of this country for the manufacturs Of iron,
and in 1880 he erected extensive works
at Canton, near Baltimore. Disposing
of these, he subsequently erected rolling
and wire mill in the city of New York,
in which he first successfully applied
anthracite to the pudding Of iron. In
1845 he removed the machinery to Tren-
ton, n. j., where he erected the largest
rolling mill at that time in the United
States for the manufacture of railroad
iron, and At which subsequently he was
the first to roll wrought iron beams for
FIRE proof buildings. These works have
grown to be very extensive, including
mines, blast furnaces, and water-po
and are now carried on BY Mr.. Coope.'s
family. While in Baltimore he built,
after his osn designs, the first locomotive
engine that was turned out on this CONT
nent, and it was operated successfully on
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, thus
identifying his name with the early his
tory of railroads. In like manner he has
taken great interest in the extepsion of
the electric telegraph, i'll which he has in
vested large capital. Mr.. Cooper has
served in both branches Of the New York
Common Council, and was q prominent
advocate of the construction Of the Croton
aqueduct His great object, however,
has been to educate and elevate the indus
trial classes of the community. He early
became q trustee of the Public School So
cIety, and at the time Of its being merged
in the Board Of Education Mr.. Cooper
was its Vice President. He subsequently,
became q school commissioner; but feel
ing that no common school system could
supply q chronological education, he de-
termined to establish in his native CITY an
institution in which the working classes
could secure that instruction for which
he, when young and ambitious, sought in
vain. Accordingly the Union for the
Advancement of Science and Art, com
monty called the Cooper Institute was
erected in New York, at the intersection
Of the Third and Fourth avenues, be-
tween Seventh and Eighth streets, cover
ing the entire block, at a cost Of over
$3.50, 900, to which Mr.. Cooper has since
added an endowment Of $l5O, 900 in cash.
This building is devoted by q deed OF
trust, with all its rents, issues, and profits,
to the instruction and elevation Of the
working classes of the city Of New
York.
''The plan includes regular courses Of
instruction at night, free to all who choose
to attend, on social and political science,
on the application Of science to the useful
occupation of life. and on such other
brahche- of knowledge as will tend tc