Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-03-02
A GREEN OLD AGE.
Celebration of The Ni0etjeH Birthday
of Peter Cooper.

New YORK, February l4-Saturday
was Peter Cocper's ninetieth birthday
1t was celebrated during the day by
the venerable philanthropist at his
home, and in the evening by a large
gathering in the Cooper Union. The
large hall was thronged. The Rev. j.
L. Singleton of Baltimore had been en-.
gagged in the regular Saturday evening
lecture course, and be took for his sub,
iect Peter Cooper" The lecturer was
introduced by DR.. RAYMOND, who, at
the request of the .trustses, read the fol.
lowing letters, which was Mr. Cooper's
method of celebra ing his ninetieth
birthday:
Please accept my check
for SIC, 900, to be added to the so, ,00C
of the Golden Wedding Fund estab.
lished bv me seventeen years ago, the
interest from which you have annually
donated to institutions for aiding poor
children.
| also present my check for $50, 900
together with a receipt in full for the
$4,000 | have expended during the
past year on this building, hoping with
your help to enlarge the capacity of
the institution for the purpose of Civ
ing free instruction to larger number
of pupils in the application Of science
to all the useful and necessary purposes
of life, to aid the trustees in arranging
the new part of the building in accord
ance with their best judgment and
efforts for the accomplishment of the
greatest possible good of the greatest
number of the youth of this my beloved
native city, and to meet the expense of
enlarging the course of instruction in
this institution. The trustees may
rely on my best efforts to aid them in
every way in promoting the highest
welfare of this institution. Very re-
spectfully, your obedient servant,
PETER COOPER
The Rev. Mr.. Singleton paid an
earnest tribute to the double-handed
philanthropy of Mr.. Cooper in found
ing the Cooper Union and enGowing it
at cost of 80, 100000 In that Onion
was solved the great problem of capt.
tai and labor. Wealth could there learn
the lesson that its duty was not done
by justice alone, but that sympathy
humanity and ben evidence must follow
in their train. Speaking Of Mr.. Coop
er's wonderful inventive genius, refer.
ence was made to the fact that he on"e
invented self-acting musical rocking
cradle. Laughter. In this respect
Mr. Cooper resembles the famous en-.
gineer, George Stephenson, who i'm
provised a connecting rod that turned
the spit and rocked the cradle, so that
his wife rested and George took his sup.
per in peace Mr.. Cooper showed in
his achievements of character and work
that God helps the man who helps him
self. He had demonstrated that strength
comes with labor, that knowledge comes
with investigation, that wisdom comes
with experience, supremacy with con
hict. success with toll. coronation with
sacrifice. Character is a growth; life
is an edIfice. Que must have ID root
the other a foundation The ninety
years of irreproachable life of Peter
Cooper had testified to his purity Of
motive and action.
A reporter called on Mr.. Cooper, and
in course of conversation asked him
"How did you get rich 2"
"In the first place, | learned three
trades. | learned to be brewer, a
ccachmaker and machinest, all before
| was twenty one years old. worked
three years at 81 so per day and | saw
ed enough out Of that to get start III
life. | was making machines TO shear
cloth Then | bought the patent right
of the machine, and made them for sale.
That was before the war Of 1872"
"What general rule have you adopt
ted in business :" was asked
Zone was that | determined to give
the world an equivalent in some form
of useful Labor for all that | consumed
in it. | went on and enlarged my
business, all the while keeping out OF
debt. | cannot recollect time when
| could not pay what | owed any day.
| would not spend money before |
earned it. Another rule | had was to
keep clear of the banks. | never asked
them for accommodation. | never got
them to discount notes, because | did
not wish to incur an obligation without
certainty Of being able 20 repay it.
In that way | managed to keep clear
of panics My rule was pay as you go.
| can't remember the time when any
man could not have had for the asking
what | owed Another thing | wish
to say. All the money | ever made
was in mechanical business and not in
speculation"
There were present at the dinner
party given at Peter Cooper's home in
the evening the members Of his family
including his son, the ex-Mayor, and
the Hon. Abram s. Hewitt-and a
large number of distinguished guests.
Always keep it on hand, as delay in
creases suffering If you have a Cough
or Cold use Dr. Bulls Cough Syrup.
1t will cure you. Price % cents.
The mortality among horses is
greater between the ages of four and
eight wears than at all other periods in
life.
Ladies should know that Ayers
Hair Vigor is a superior and economi
cal dressing 1t has become an jndis'
pensable article for the toilet.
A Mississippi farmer dashes cold
water into the ears Of choosing cattle
This causes the animal to shake its
head violently, and the muscular action
fislo,lges the obstruction.