Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-04-12
DEATH OF PETER COOPER.

DEATH OF PETER COOPER.
Peter Cooper, the millionaire and philan-
thropist, died of pneumonia, in New York,
on Wednesday of last week. Mr.. Cooper
celebrated his 92d birthday February 18th,
when there was quite social gathering at
his house. He had been ailing for some
time with a slight cold, and on Sunday he
was compelled to remain in his bed. His
family physician was summoned, and on
his arrival at once discovered that his pa
tient was suffering from a severe attack of
pneumonia. Mr.. Cooper's advanced years
were a great drawback to his recovery.
About 9 o'clock Wednesday morning he
called his son, eX-Mayor Cooper, and Mrs.
Abram S. Hewitt, his daughter, aid her
family to his bed side, saying that he knew
he had not long to live and that they must
become reconciled to that fact. His death
occurred exactly at 3 a. m. He remained
conscious up to the time of his demise and
made several remarks in regard to family
affairs. Mr.. Cooper was born in New York
February 18th, 1871, and lived a life full OF
honors from his early boyhood,
Mr.. Cooper began life without the benefit
of an education and made himself what he
was. Blessed with remarkable genius
and an energy and will such as few men pos
sessed, he steadily made his way in various
mechanical and manufacturing pursuits,
working inventions with active mind, and
by courageous, enterprising spirit he be-
came millionaire not by bilking his fel-
low men of their honest earnings, not by
ruthless speculations, but by brave and per-
sistent work and by the use of his great and
remarkable gifts to the great ends he had in
view. The example Of the great American
man Of business is particularly valuable to
the age, as giving unquestioned evidence to
the world that man need not be devoid
of the humanities of life whilst accumula-
ting great fortune. He lived to great
purpose and goes to rest after a long and
honorable and most useful life, blessed of
all men, an honor to his country, an honor
to his race, and one who has left behind an
enduring monument Of his love for his fel-
low men and for the laboring classes of soci-
ETY., which shall hand his name down to ouG
remotest posterity as one Of our greatest
and best citizens.
His funeral, which took place in New
York on Saturday, was a very impressive
and remarkable one. The streets were
crowded with spectators and the working
men turned out by the thousands and fol-
lowed the hearse from the church to the fer
ry. He had established himself in the af-
fections of the people of all classes in that
city as, perhaps, no man ever did before,
and his funeral was the occasion of a gener-
al and sincere manifestation of sorrow by
them.
SOUTHERN LAND LOAN ASSOCIATION.
The Columbia correspondent ofthe Charles
ton NeUs and Courier, writes to that paper
under date of the 9th instant:
Col. J. B. Palmer has returned to Colum-
bia from England, and brings with him the
news that he has induced the Dundee Mort
gage and Trust Investment Company of
Dundee Scotland, and the ScOttish-Ameri-
can Mortgage Company, of Edinburgh, Scot
land, companies having each $4,000, 600 cap
ital and operating heretofore almost eXclu-
sively in the Northwest, to commence ope-
rations in South Carolina, under the recent
State law enabling loans to be made at 10
per cent. interest year.
These companies expect to make loans on
irstmortgages ofland forterms of five years
at 10 per cent. interest, and as they do not
desire in any event to become proprietors of
the land, nor to cripple the planters, they
will limit their advances to one-third the
cash value of the property pledged. This
is wise policy, for while it will furnish all
needed relief to the planter, he will not be
tempted to run the risk, by mortgaging it
too heavily, OF losing his plantation. What
these companies desire is safe investments
at fair rate of interest, for as long period
as possible, and South Carolinians, therefore,
need not fear that the lands of the State will
he g. bled up by foreign capitalists. Half
a dozen companies like these have been FOR
years doing large business in the States
and Territories Of the Northwest and in
Canada, and the advantages of the system
have been shown to be great. The farmer
has obtained money for long terms at rates
which would not be afforded by local lend
ers and has thriven accordingly.
Col. Palmer comes as the general manager
for South Carolina cf these companies, with
large amount in bank to draw from, and
will Immediately begin making loans. If
the loans are satisfactory large sums will be
advanced to planters.
Besides this arrangement, Col. Palmer ac-
complished while in London another pur-
pose-succeeded in organizing new COM
pany expressly for Southern business. This
organization, the Southern States Mortgage
Company, limited, was perfected and the
first meeting of the directors held before
COL Palmer left London. It's plan is the
same as that of the other companies named
and its capital is $5,O0O,OOO. 1t was design
ed to take the charter of the Southern Land
Loan Association granted at the last session
Of the Legislature, but that question is not
yet decided, and it will probably not COM
lnence operations for a month or two. OF
this association there are six British direc-
tors and four directors citizens of the State,
viz: Gov. H. S. Thompson, Col. A. P. But
Ter, COL John B. Palmer and Capt. w. B.
Stanley. Col. Palmer is the general mana
ger in America Col. James H. RiOn, of
Winnsboro, general counsel, and Col. John
B. Abney, of Columbia, local counsel. The
correspondent concludes that we are in a
fair way to have plenty of "British gold"
in South Carolina before long, and it will be
obtained, one can be certain, at far less cost
to the planter than crop liens at 80 per cent.
a year.
IMPORTANT JUDICIAL MANDATE.
On Thursday last Judge Bond addressed
the following note to the Clerk of the United
States Circuit Court at Charleston, in refer
ence to the arbitrary arrests of citizens of
this State on frivolous charges. This note
is the result Of an informal talk between
COL John C. Haskell, who represents de-
PENDANTS in some of the political cases now
pending, District-Attorney Melton and
Judges Bond and Bryan. The letter will be
communicated by the clerk to the United
States commissioners throughout the State:
CHARLESTON, S. c., April 5, 1888.
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