The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-02-27
OUR OLDEST PATRIARCH.


Y
versnry of Peter Cooper's Birth.
The venerable Peter Cooper celebrated
his ODD birthday yesterday, having been
born on February 18th, 1871. lie has Just
recovered from severe cold, contracted
while attending the recent protectionist
meeting ht the Cooper Institute, which at
one time threatened serious results, and i.
consequently not in his usual good health,
although decidedly better. After breakfast
yesterday morning he attended with his
daughter, MIS-. Abram S. Hewitt, the fun
eral services Of his friend, Mr.. William Il
! Dodge, jr., who YVES to have been one of
the guests at Mir. Cooper's birthday dinner
| last evening. Upon his return TO his home
a No o Lexington avenue, Mr.. Cooper
found many fnendsand acquainiauCes wait.
Ing 10 oller their congratulations. He
| rested durnE the afternoon in order TO gain
strength Tor his dinner in the evening.
| To a representative OF the World who
called late in the afternoon, Mr.. Cooper
talked freely and cordially and gave many
! interesting "reminiscences of his life. He
said that the idea Of monument to be
erected III his honor, which has lately been
discussed was exceedingly uistastelul to
hin, ana that the only monument he de-
sired was the consciousness of having dOue
good to his iellNwman. He first conceived
the idea Of the Cooper institute when q
member of the common council, some fifty
years ago He then heard II gentleman de-
scribe the Polytechnic schools in Paris aud
the eagerDess WINGED by the French youth
u obtain instruction there, many of them
living on crustS of bread day by day to oh.
tain coveted education. He had learned
three trades before he was 81 years old, aud
early resolved never to owe any man any
thing but good WILL" When he was born
New York had only ~ 0O0 inhabitants Ho
remembered Washington's funeral passing
through New York and hearing his mother
speak of cheyeuX de frise erect,a at what
IS now Duane street to keep off the indians.
die was ia Albany when Commodore Perry
passed through, after Ills famous victory on
Lake Erie IN the war Of 1912, and remem-
bered The triumphal arches erected in his
honor Soon afterwards he made the trip
from Albany 10 New York on Robert Fui.
tons steamboat, tho Uermont, then the
wonder OF the age.' He had previously
had business relations with Fulton, both
b ing lnleI ested ina scheme Of Mr.. Coopers
devitlng TO propel terryboGts between New
\ 0rk ana Brooklyn by means Of compressed
air.
Mr., Cooper seemed much alfc cted by the
death of Mr.. Dodge, and said le had Known
NM for about slxty-hye years. He pur.
chased from the original firm of Phelps,
Dodge d Co. the wire used in the expert
mentS mode by him on the Eat river to
propel boats with IN endless cham, worked
by the overshot water wheels, and in which
DoWitt Clinton was greatly interested,
purposing to apply il to the boats on the
Erie canal, To celebrate his birthday aud
as n nemcnto to hi, friends Mr. Cooper YES.
terday issued a volume Just published. eu-
titled Ideas for Science of Good Govern
ment," which contains his speeches and
ideas on the tariff, finance, the civil service
and other subjects, and in the preparation
OF which he has been engaged for some
months past. It's dedicated 10 his children,
grandchildren, and the pupils of Cooper
Institute. He presented copy to each of
his visitors Yesterday, and seut copies also
10 all his intimate friends. He Is preparing
another volume for publication, which will
containa sketch of his lie, his "reminiscences
ofthe great men whom he has known. aud
the great events he has taken part in dnring
his life-time His wife. who was Miss Sarah
Bedell, of Hampstead, l.. l., and whom he
married in 1913, died in 1869, but two of his
children, ex.Mayor Edward Cooper and
Mrs. Abram s. Hewitt, are living.
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"Prickly Ash bitters" is purely yegeta-