Omaha daily bee., 1883-04-06
COOPER,

nation q man who has indelibly
stamped his personality upon the
social life Of the century. Mr.. Cooper
was born In New York city on Feb.
ruary 12, 1891. His early life was one
of poverty and hardship. His father
was 9 small halter and Peter helped
In the shop from the tlme he was
five years Of age until at ID he was
apprenticed to a ooachmaker to learn
the busIn ess. Deprived of all educa-
tional advantages, except q half q
years schooling, no spent his even.
Jugs In study, and before he had OF
tanned his majority invented q ma
chino for shearing cloth which laid the
foundation of his fortune After the
war of 1912, Mr.. Cooper engaged In
the manufacture CT cabinet ware, and
later became a retail grocer. He re.
tired from the grocers business after q
few years to engage In the manu-
fscture of glue and islnglsss, In
which trade he continued with
great success for over a half
q century. Early In the GEN.
fury he became interested In the
development of the iron Of
our counary, then In their infancy,
and in 1880 established large works
near Baltimore for the production of
pig Iron. He was the frat man to
apply anthracite coal to the pudding
Of iron, thus making possible the de-
velopment of the great anthracite de.
poslts In northeastern Pennsylvania.
In 1845 he transferred his Iron workr
to Trenton, N. j., where they are still
in active operation under the manage
ment Of his son, Edward s. Cooper,
and his son.inlaw, Abram s. Hewitt.
Mr.. Cooper built from his own
designs the first locomotive ever
operated In America, which was
placed on the Baltimore g. Oalo road.
He was q promoter of the first electrlo
telegraph company, was largely Int r.
ested In the subject of locomotion on
the Erie canal and took an active part
In the laying Of the first Atlantic
cable.
Bat 1t Is as a practical philanthrop-
LIST that Peter C1oper's name will be
best remembered. Recalling his own
early lack of educational advantages,
Mr.. Cooper while still q young mar,
determined to. found an institution
for the free instruction of the
Industrial classes. His aim was to
furnish the instruction during their
leisure from work. He wished this
institution to give an education which
should be practical and in the end re.
munerative, through studies in pursu-
ing which workingmen and working.
women might obtain higher attain.
ments In the practical arts In which
they happened to be engaged or learn
some industrial pursuit which they
might desire. With this end In visw,
In the year 1854 they laid the corner
atone Of the Cooper lustituye 70 Do
devoted forever to the union of art
and science In their application to the
useful purposes Of life" Founded
with q muniicent endowment which
seriously embarrassed for the time
Peter Cooper's business, 1t has since
been maintained at an snpual expense
Of more than $50, 1000. Every even.
Ing there are free schools Of acience
and art for men and women In which
mathematics, civil engineering, en-
craving, tslegraphy, wood turning and
photography are taught by accom-
plished professors. In thu
art department painting ant
drawing are taught In 81
branches while an afternoon art school
for women gives instruction to those
whose home duties Will not permit al
attendance upon the night classes. Il
addition q largo free reading room an
library are at the disposal of d
corners, where nearly three hundre'
papers aud Is COO volumes q be cor
suited. The Cooper Institute was tn
first American technical school, an
Its success has stimulated the tounda
ticR Of institutions Of q Gk
character In other parts c
the country. Nearly 1000 pupi
each year take advantage Of Its oppo'
, tunities for q free and practical educ
:, ton, and many Of our most successf'
inventors, artists and engravers, gal
, cd their start In life through the m
dunn Of Pe,er Cooper's phiIanthrop!
Mr.. Cooper never took an acti
= part In politics until 1876, when
was nominated as the greenbAok On
didate for president, and polled near
/, 100, COO votes In the election Will
!. closed the campaign. His privs
charities we're numerous and unoste
At tatious.
ly Few American citizens will be mt
a. sincerely mourned than the venera'
philanthropist who closed his life
bo New York on Wednesday, at the r
nAk~. ~ -,