The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-05
PETER COOPER.
Death OF this Inventor and PhiIan.
fI,ropisf-Skctch of His Career.

NEW YORK. April 4.-Peter Cooper died
of pneumonia at half-past 3 O'Clock this
morning.
peter Cooper was born in New York
February II, 1871. His father was a lieu
tenant in the war Of the Revolution, and on
his mothers side he was descended from
John Campbell. vino was an alderman Of
New York and deputy quartermaster-
general during the Revolutionary war.
and who expended large private
fortune in the service Of his coun-
try. At the close Of the Revolution
airy war his father established hat factory
i'm New York, but the enterprise not PROV
ing successful young Cooper's boyhood
was season OF great anxiety and hard Ia
bo. lie attended school only half OF each day
for a single year. and at the age OF seventeen
was apprenticed to Il coachmaker. After
serving his time at this trade he followed
il as n iourneyman for several years. but
his inventive genius requiring broader
field. about 1872 he engaged in the manu-
iacture OF patent machines for shcaring
cloth The end OF the war OF 1872 put a
stop TO this enterprise, however, by rem
dering the patent yaIueless, and young
Cooper next engaged in the manufacture
Of cabinet ware, then CONDUCTED grocery
business i'm New York city, ana finally en-
barked i'm the manufacture Of glue and
isinglass, which he continued for fifty years
Early i'm life his attention was drawn TO The
great resources OF the country for the
manufacture Of iron. and in 1880 he erected
extensive iron-works at Canton, near Bal
timore. but subsequently disposed OF them
and established rolling and wire-mlls
i'm New York, where he was the iirst
to successfully apply anthracite coal 10
pudding iron. While in Baltimore he
built from his own design the first locomo-
tive ever constructed on this continent. In
1915 he removed his machinery from New
York to Trenton. n. j., and erected the
largest rolling mill at that time in the United
States. These works have since grown
to enormous proportions, and arc now OPP
Grated by the Cooper family. Nj. cooper
took an active interest in the electric tele-
graph. in which he invested large capital,
and his lifelong desire was TO ele-
vate and educate the industrial masses.
In furtherance OF this he established ana
endowed i'm his native city The Union Tor
the Advancement OF Science and Art"
commonly called the Cooper Institute, at a
cost OF over SS00,000. During his long
life he filed most acccptably several posi-
tons connected with the municipal govern
ment Of New York. and several years ago
was suggested as the candidate OF The
Greenbackers for the presidency. lie
leaves large fortune 10 his family.
He only celebrated his ninety-sceond
birthday on 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 COM
PEELED to remain in bis bed. His family
physician. DR.. J. J. Hull. was OF once sum-
moned. and on his arrival ut once Disco
vered that his patient was suffering from a
severe attack OF pneumonia. Mr.. Cooper $
advanced years were great drawback 10
his recovery. About , O'Clock this MORN
inc he called his son. eX-MayOr Cooper,
and hi, daughter, Mrs. Abram :. HeWlu.
and her family to his bedside. say
ing to them that he knew he had not
long 10 live, and that they must become
reconciled TO this fact. His death occurred
exactly at 3 \. NJ, and he remained con-
scious ND 10 the time OF his demise, and
made several remarks in regard 10 family
o(Ioirs. MANY friends OF the family and
prominent citizens called at Mr.. Cooper :
mouse till> llNA INNS ''iN - =
thy with the bereaved family.
Among the many who called to express
their sorrow for Mr.. Cooper's death were
samuel j. Tilden, Algcrnon ;. sullivan,
General Alexander :. Webb, and Andrew
II. Green. No funeral arrangements have
vet been made, but 1t is thought probable
that the burial will take place on FRIDAY OF
Saturday from the Church Of All Souls. on
Fourth avenue. During his last hours MI
Cooper manifested his great interest IN th'
Cooper Institute, and spoke to Mr.. Hewii
and 10 his son. eX-Mayor Cooper, aDou
the manner i'm which the work he bad him
/ self begun should be carried on after IN
/ death. Information Of Mr.. Cooper demise
/ quickly spread throughout the city, eNcl
| ting feelings OF regret wherever II was
/ known. Flags were placed at half-mast OF
the Cooper Institute, the City Hall, tn
Dost-oflice building, the newspaper ofices
and other public and private buildinss.I