Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-04-11
Peter Cooper.


in the armament Of human existence people
had come to attribute TO him exemption
from those laws which place limit TO mans
life and its period Of activity. Notwith-
standing his age, advanced more than
score of years beyond the scriptural allow
ance 80 well sustained had been his bodily
and mental powers and 30 continuous his
application to his daily affairs, the tidings
of his sudden death was quite as much a
surprise and shock as the announcement
few weeks ago that the vigorous and bril-
liant Marshal Jewell, nearly two score years
his Junior, had been stricken down. MIR.
Cooper was born in the great city where he
lived and died, February ~, 1901. His
maternal grandfather was firmly devoted to
the cause Of the patriots OF the revolution
and used large fortune in its support. His
father was lieutenant in the continental
army, and after the war followed the voca-
ton Of halter in the city OF New York.
His father frequently changed his place OF
residence and engaged in many different
kinds of business, but in the seventeenth
year of his sons life he found himself again
A resident of New York. At that time
Peter was apprenticed TO a coach maker.
His evenings were spent in wood carving
and other labors, and while his companions
were spending their time in dissipation, he
was inventing machine for mortising hubs,
an invention which proved very valuable to
his master. At the age Of twenty-one he
improved machine for shearing cloth, en-
ploying for this work the principle embod-
led in the modern moving machine. He
sold his first perfected machine to Matthew
Vassar, founder Of Vassar college, for $500,
and applied this sum to the relief OF his
father from financial embarrassment When
still young man he purchased twenty
years lease of the ground where the Bible
House now stands opposite Cooper Insti-
tute. He engaged in the manufacture OF
glue and subsequently in the grocery bust.
ness. In all his enterprises he displayed
great shrewdness. He was uniformly sue
.cessful, and while he accumulated money
with astonishing rapidity, his expendi
lures were always on liberal scale. His
credit was unlimited and he was recog
nized as one of the leading business men Of
the metropolis Having been inveiged in
1928 into buying three thousand acres OF
land in Baltimore, he became interested in
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, then just
opened and having its terminus in that city.
The road did not prosper. Its heavy grades
and sharp curves seemed to be insurmount-
able obstacles to its success. The stock.
holders became discouraged and preferred to
lose what they had already invested rather
than risk more money. A steam engine that
successfully at a high rate of speed could
round the sharp curves was needed to redeem
the fortunes of the road. The resolution Of
Cooper, the fertility Of his resources and the
energy and celebrity with which his mind
worked, were disclosed in this emergency.
He applied himself to the invention and
construction of an engine and in short
time produced a machine adapted to the
physical difficulties of the road and which
made on its trial trip the then unprecedented
speed of fifteen miles an hour. On this
memorable occasion Mr.. Cooper was his own
engineer. Thirty.six discouraged stock
holders were induced to join him on this trip
in box car and six more rode on the loco
motive which carried its own fuel and water.
He saved the road in its infancy from bank
| ruptcy and abandonment. Energy and
shrewdness were displayed in all its numer-
GUS enterprises and they were uniformly
successful and profitable. He established
great iron works in Baltimore, Trenton and
| New York. The works at Trenton are now
owned by his son, Hon. Edward Cooper, ex-
mayor of New York, and his son-in-law,
Hon. A. S. Hewitt, member Of congress from
| New York, under the firm name Of Cooper
& Hewitt. In one Of his mills the first iron
beams for fire-proof buildings were rolled.
He expended $4,000 in perfecting machin-
cry for this purpose. In addition to his
other enterprises Mr.. Cooper became inter
ested in the extension Of the electric tel.
egraph and to his courage and resolution was
largely due the final success of ocean te.
legraphy. In all his mills and factories,
employing sometimes twenty-five hundred
men, amid all the fluctuations and panics Of
war time, no man was kept out Of his days
or weeks wages. He staunchly supported
the government during the war, sending nine
substitutes to the army and in various ways
contributing freely to the success Of the
Union cause.
| Mr.. Cooper is thus far seen as an ener.
getic, successful business man, rich in re-
sources and rapidly accumulating great
fortune. The simplicity of the mans life
his temperate habits, his transparent hon
esty and his integrity of purpose, crowned
with munifcent philanthropy, are the
qualities which have made Peter Cooper'i
name venerated and which raise him head
and shoulders above the vulgar railway
kings and gambling stockholders of the
metropolis. The latter may have surpassed
him in the number of their millions and in
the splendor of their personal surroundings
but in all that constitute true riches they
were "poor indeed !" when compared witt
Peter Cooper 1t was his proud boast tina
his wealth was all the product of homes
mechanical pursuits, not of speculation
or railway wrecking and stock watering
schemes. He gave as well as amassed for
tunes. His minor charities were as numer
Gus as they were transformations. Coope
Institute in New York, the largest of hi
benefactions, is really peoples university
in which the income of a million dollar
goes every year to the training of talent
for practical uses. To the buildings ant
special endowments he has devoted nearly
million more. The work of this institution
comprises regular courses of instruction a
night, free to all who wish to attend. Thes
schools are attended by thousands of youn
men, chiefly mechanics. Three hundre
pupils attend a school Of design for females
: There is free reading room, library, ga
leries Of art, collection OF models Of inver
: tions, and a polytechnic school, Thirty il
: structors are employed and nearly thre
: thousand five hundred pupils passed throug
the different classes during the past yea
Such is meager summary Of the career an
l. l. L. \ l..