The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-10-30

slowly out, the haIf-concealed contempt
Of the crowd was manifested by Ger.
tain remarks about "widOws" and "cof.
fins" being more numerous in q short
time. The engine went steadily along
and more steam was applied. and the
faster it went the steadier it moved.
A gardient of twenty feet to the mile
had to he overcome, and no one but
Cooper AMI the engine driver thought
it could climb it. More steam was
put on. and the eager faces of the ner-
vous passengers lookel doubtflliy as
the worst part was approached. They
naturally thought tn, ir lives and their
fortunes depended on this trip. If
Cooper WAS right, the future for each
of them was brighter, and the history
Of Baltimore was changed.
Twenty miles All hour was made. and
the great railroad Was saved from
bankruptcy and abandonment. The
new shares were clamored for, ami the
old shares sold al a premium.
1t was now feasible To do something
with the three thousand acres. Lar.e
iron works were built, and ironstone
was dus from the land. Wood was
cut off part of the land to make into
charcoal for manufacturing charcoal
iron. Lots Of money WAS invested in
this way. but it did not pay very we'll.
There are too much capital sunk into
land and buildings. Interest and
wages were SD high, ana prices We're
cut down by English competition. In
his efforts to make it pay MIR. Cooper
constructed some novel kilns for burn
ing charc ,aI that nearly cost him his
life They were circular in form
hoped around with iron at the top.
and arched over. the idea was to
make them nearly air tight, with single
bricks lett out that the fire might be
smothered when the wood was suffi-
GENTLY burned. On one occasion,
when the kiln was half emptied, the
wood took FIRE. and the wOrkmen at
tempted in vain to put it out with
water. They ut last gave it up in des-
pair. Then Mr.. Cooper went to the
door. and had hardly reached it when
the gas generated by the coal explod-
ing, enveloped him in flames, and
hurled him several feet in the air. His
eyebrows, hair and wiiiskers were
burned off. and he barely escaped with
his lite. His eyes were so injured that
he had TO remain in a darkened room
for FIVE months.
Mr. Cooper determined to sell his
Baltimore property to large Boston
company, and take most of the pay
men, in shares. He knew that If
there was capital enough to thorough
ly develop it, it would pay splendidly.
He sold out for about the same amount
as he paid, and took the hundred dol
lar shares at forty-five dollars a share.
This was the lucky" turn in the his
tory of the future millionaire. The
shares began Ia rise in value SION the
forty-fve dollar shares were worth
one hundred and fifty. They crept
up gradually until they reached two
hundred and thirty dollars. Then
Mr.. Cooper sold out and was counted
among the millionaires of The world.
When he returned to New York
with his wealth the honor of being an
alderman was offered him by his
old neighbors. A committee was sp-
pointed TO wait upon him with this
view.
He was elected and did more to re-
deem his native city than ANY other
man.
With his great wealth he started
some large iron works at Trenton. and
his success continued. His capital
increased beyond all expectation. He
to find some suitable way
of investing a part of his money so
that il would benefit mankind. A
friend Of his who visited Paris spoke
to him oftbe free education there afford
ed TO thousands of poor young men.
This was the germ that ripened iuto
the magnificent institute which cost
him a million dollars, that was pre-
sented to thu American nation. The
Cooper institute is for the board aud
education, free, of any suitable person
whose only claim is their willingness
to learn and their inability topay.
In the rapid whirlpool of English
and American life il is not to he won
iered at that toe ori.in of great en-
terprises should lie soon forgotten.
The peoples of the world have become
so familiar with the Use of telegraph
cables they are apt To forget the men