The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-10
4 Noble Life.
Nrw YoRK Eebr,,a.

New YORK. February 10.
For model life, let me commend you
10 that of Peter Cooper.
Ninety years of age, enthroned in the
bosom Of his family and the love of his
people, he waits in peace and content for
the end. He bas lived to see all the
dreams Of his youth realized. His inven.
tions have been made useful, his philan-
lhropy has proved mercy and profit,
his schemes have all prospered, his chill
dren have grown up in honor spd pros
perity around him, and their children
Chamber on his knee, and with stingless
conscience and heart that still glowa
beneath the SHOWS of age. he viii round
noble life with christians death.
Dir. Cooper ia probably the oldest New
Yorker who was observant in his youth
and is intelligent enough to tell in his
old age what he saw when he was young.
He remembers when New York had only
II 900 inhabitants. and when the ground
where the Ast0r house and Herald build
ing now stand were corn fields. He rode
one mile down the river from Bellevue
hospital. and he saw but one house in tie
mile which is now solid front of build.
;ngs. He has seen New York e.Uw
from half the size Of Atlanta to DO tho
metropolis of America, with about as
many inhabitants as the entire State of
Georgia.
Peter Cooper began life as an apprer.
tice 10 coachmaker and received only
S25 year. He wns an industrious young
fellow, and gave his whole mind to his
business. He invented while in his ap-
premiership machine for mortising
hubs in carriage wheels, out of which h,s
employer made q fortune. His frs:
money was made by the invention of a
machine for shearing cloth. He made
these machines and Rold them. This was
prior u the year 1912. Befnre ho wan 81
years of age he had mastered three trades
that of brewer, cnachnaker and ma
chinst. At the end of three years of
apprenticeship he worked year at $3.50
, day.
Hn is connected with the development
of some Of the greatest inventions Of the
age. He built the first locomotive ever
made in this country. The tubes for the
boiler were made of old gunbsrrels. aud
the engine nude thirteen miles in one
hour and thirteen minutes. This saved
the Baltimore and Ohio road from,
bankruptcy and encouraged i,s projectors
to go ahead. When the first Atlantic
cable was being laid the company's cred
it WAS gnne, and MIR. Cooper ordered the
contractors to draw on him personally,
and thus carried the enterprise through.
The first monitor that repelled the Mcr-
rimac in Hampton Roads and snved the
federal navy, was built at Dir. Cooper's
foundry. Among other things he inven-
ted torpedo boat that would run six
miles by ateel springs, and explode on
| touching nm enemy'n vessel.
His life has been one fmunifcencea and
earned he used in lifting the turden of
then he haa given freely and wisely. His
Copper institute. He says Of this ipsti
tute:
Gan old friend of mine was telling me
of the benefit that the poor boys of Paris
received from the Ecole PoIytechnique
A young man living on crust day
could get the best scientific education a;
the Ecole free. l had felt the need oil
such school, open free to every young
working man in America" @
Mr.. Cooper has spent already S2,100,.
GGGG OH the institute, and at lis ahuiversa.
ry last week gave it 5000, ,00Omure He
says furthermore that il is we'll pro
| vided for whenever he dies. 1t is the
most useful phiIanthropic establishment
probably in America. AT his 90tl birth
day last week, the wish WAS expressed tha,
he would be there to greet bis friends ten
years from now.
NO." said the old man gently: "AlI
| my old friends have gone and don't
want to stay another ten years. / mn
ready to go ard await the summons of the
Lord u a. y .eta ns
"What a.tlie end ofyour1ife of9o years
is your advice tx young men2"
"To live sober aud righteousIy," said
the old man.
Mr.. Cnoper is great believer in the
| dignity of labor and Bays with pride:
Il made all my fortune out OF machin'
cry and lnbor. never made dollar BY
speculation. No young workingmai
who has health and energy and indusiri
ous habits. need fear that he canuot make
a fortune in his trade, If he will only have
confidence in it and in himself and il
God."-H. W. @. in Atlanta C6nstitut;on