The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-04-11
PETER COOPER DEAD,
THE DISTINGUISHED PHILAN-
TaRopIsT'S CAREER ENDED.
An Attack Of Pneumonia and His Ad-
vanced Age the cause-conscious
up to the Last Moment.

INV YORK, April 4.-Peter Coop
er is dead. Athalf-past three o'clock
this morning he breathed his last.
For a few days he suffered from a
severe attack of pneumonia, the first
symptoms of which appeared on
Sunday last. His age and the nature
of the disease made his recovery i'm
possible, though the best physicians
of New York city were called to his
bedside. He contracted the pneu-
monia on Saturday last form the
exposure he had undergone while
attending the meeting at the Cooper
Institute.
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF HIS DEATH.
MI. Cooper was ninety-two years
old at the time of his death. He
only celebrated his ninety-second
birthday on February II, when there
was quite a social gathering at his
house. He had been ailing for some
time with a slight cold, and on Sun
day he was compelled to remain in
his bed. His family physician, DR..
J.. J. Hull, was at once summoned,
and on his arrival at once discovered
that his patient was suffering from a
severe attack of pneumonia. His
advanced years were a great draw
back to his recovery. About two
o'clock this morning he called his
son ex-Mayor Cooper and Mrs.
Abram S. Hewitt, his daughter, and
her family to his bedside, saying to
them that be knew he had not long
to live. and that they must become
reconciled to this fact. His death
occurred exactly at three o'clock,
and he remained conscious up to the
time of his demise and made several
remarks in regard to family affairs.
Many friends ofthe family and prom
inent citizens called at Mr.. Cooper's
house this morning and expressed
sympathy with the bereaved family.
Among the many who called to ex-
press their sorrow for Mr.. Cooper's
death were Samuel J. Tilden, Alger-
non S. Sullivan, Gen. Alexander S.
Weeb and Andrew H. Green. No
funeral arrangements have yet been
made, but it is thought probably
shat the burial will take place on
Friday or Saturday from the church
of All Souls on Fourth avenue Dur
ing his last hours Mr.. Cooper man
Tested his interest in the Cooper In
stitute, and talked to Mr.. Hewitt
and his son, ex-Mayor Cooper about
the ANN in which the work he
himself begun should be carried on
after his death. Information of Mr..
Cooper's demise quickly spread
throughout the city, exciting feelings
of regret wherever it was known.
Flags were placed at half-mast on
the Cooper Institute, the city hall,
the post Office building, the newspa-
per offices and other public and pri-
vate buildings.
SKETCH OF A PURE LIFE.
lPeter Cooper was born in the city
of New York, February II, 1871.
With a great thirst for knowledge ne
had the obstacle of comparative pow
erty TO continually contend against.
His first business venture was in the
brewing business, which he was COM
PEELED to forego from lack of means.
After this he learned the trade of
coaohmaking, and followed the bus
mess for some years with profit to
himself. He was then successfully
engaged in the manufacturing of
cloth-shearing machines. the grocery
business and the enterpriseof making
glue. Each of these avocations he
pursued with scrupulous attention
and thereby laid the basis of asplen-
did fortune. He then in 1923 be-
came interested heavily in the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad scheme,
at that time threatened with bank
ruptoy, and by his fearless energy
and business foresight got it in salts
factory working order.
THE FOUNDATION OF COOPER ISsTI-
TUTE.
About the same time he was elect
ed a member Of the board of alder.
men of the city of New York, and it
was while a member of this body
that he conceived the idea of an in
stitution for the free education of
needy young men in the science and
arts. To the furtheranoe of this
scheme Mr.. Cooper, out of his own
purse, contributed the great sum OF
100000, and Cooper Institute to-
day is n of the many moments
to his memory that will stand for
years to come. 1t was not open un-
til within the past few years, the
interim being filed with his efforts
for the accomplishment of his great
idea. Mr.. Cooper's aim in founding
the institution was almost exclu-
sively elevation of the working class
es. 1t was but one instance of num-
berless ones to do Others good.
Another Of the radical schemes &C
lively fostered during the paat fifty
years by Cooper was the laping Of q
submarine cable. As president of
the North American Telegraph
Company, he gave his active atten-
ton to the accomplishment of this
idea and after the several disastrous
blunders that have now become
matters of history his great dream
became at least a temporary reality.
With the aid of English capital it
afterwards became a permanent me-.
1t was principally the answering
faith and indomitable will of men
like Mr.. Cooper and Cyrus w. Field