Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-04-12
Death of Peter Cooper.

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life
Mr.. Cooper was native Of New York
aud came from family distinguished for de-
NOTION to the cause of American indepen-
/ dence. Hi, maternal grandfather, John
Campbell, sacrificed a large fortune in the
cause Of his country'> freedom, and his
father was d Lieutenant in the American
army. Born Feb. II, 1871, Mr.. Cooper
began his busy career while very Young ; be-
ginning To learn the haiter's trade with his
father while mere child. He learned the
trade thoroughly, and then his father went
INTO the business of brick making also.
which business the Son learned something Of
IN addition To what he knew of the hatter's
trade. The elder Cooper having given up
both these lines Of business TO 90 into that
OF brewing N Newhurg. \. Y. the son
continued with him aud learned the trade
hen al the age of seventeen wears
he became apprentice to coach
builder. working four Years at SIS a
Year, and learning the business thoroughl,
lie spent his evenings doing extra work
whereby he added to his income. and during
hi> apprenticeship made for his EMPLOYER a
machine Tor moriisinc the hubs of carriage
wheels The close of his apprenticeship
brought hun 10 his majority, and he then
went 10 work in Hampstead, l.. l., making
machines for sheaung cloth. Buying the
right TO these machines for the State of New
York he accumulated the sum Of $500.
which he almost Immediately devoted TO the
relief Of his father, whom he found to be
heavily in debt. He also became surety for
such OF his fathers debts as he was not able
at once 10 pay. and started into business
again. Through his efforts his father was
saved from failing in business. and il was
LIS boast that in ali his own long business
career tie himself never failed He improved
the cloth-shearing machine aud was very
prosperous with il. but the war Of 1872
broke up his business. lie went into the
grocery trade, in which he continued three
Years. Subsequently be purchased glue
factory which he operated number Of
wears. In his various enterprises be was
invariably successful and accumulated
money with astonishing rapidity. Always
shrewd. but nevertheless liberal in his
expenditures. he obtained almost unlimited
credit, and was fast becoming recognized as
one o. the most extensive business men in
the country. In lS2> with cash and credit
SO obtained, he bought 1900 acres Of land
within the limits Of the city of Baltimore paw
ing for il Slo5.oO0 He was induced To en-
bark in this venture by two plausible gentle
men, who represented that they had large
means. but. after paving his share Of the
purchase money. he found that they had mis-
represented their capital and resources. and
that the whole purchase would have to be
paid for by himself. In this transaction he
secured tie whole Of the shore line Of Bal
timore. from Feil's Point Dock. for dis
tanoe Of thse miles. When be made the
purchase the people Of the Monument City
were IN the midst Of great excitement.
aroused by the promise Of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad. which some time before had
been originated By a subscription of - per
share During the first wear Of lis opera
tlon>. however. the expenditures had been
greater than the amount Of money sub
SCnbed, and i vas found that. because Of the
many sharp curves and heavy grades 10 be
overcome on the road bed a much larger
sum Of money would be nccessar, than va,
al first estimated On thi, discovery the
principal stockholders became so discouraged
that they declared they would rather lose
wha: funds they had air, adv subscribed than
throw more good money after bad. Mr. Coop
|
Prise. and VINO hoped BY the success of the
road largely 10 increase the value Of hIs prop
erty, demonstrated with them, but to no pur-
pose. They were ASSURED that it would never
be prac;icabe and profitable 10 run ,team-en-
gincs around the many abrupt turns which
were necessary and unavoidable On the road
Seeing that nothing else would satisfy them
Mr.. Cooper made up his mind 10 construct
Feasibility Of running trains around the
Objectionable curves. He ,et to work with
al the energy Of winch he VA, capable
and IN a short time had on track an engine
which he believed would serve his purposes
With much difficult, he next brought the
stockholders together, and embarked thirty
~ % them IN a small box car. Six Others were
given accommodations on the locomotive,
which carried IT. fuel and water Having
F TO overcome a grade Of eighteen feet 10 the
mile. and turn ali the short curves about the
! Point of Rocks the engine succeeded in
maxim. distance of thirteen mile, in one
! hour and twelve minutes. and made the re-
/ turn run from Elhcott's Mills 10 Baltimore
in fifty seven minutes. The Baltimore x
Ohio railroad was thus saved from bankrupt
q and Abandonment and from tina, day BE-
came one Of the great corporations OF the
country. Mr.. Cooper became interested in
various other business enterprises. and was
largely interested in the extension Of the
electric telegraph and in the establishment,
f Of oceanic telegraphy. His extensive man
/ ufacture OF and trade in iron was an impor-
tant factor in the making Of his great for
Z tune. He first built the Canton Iron Works
I in Baltimore, which proved q loss TO him
! lie afterwards built works in New York
/ which he continued only two or three years,
/ when he established works in Trenton. y.
/ j., which ne operated successfully for years.
( Mr.. Cooper was worker, an inventor, and
q man Of rare business ability His wealth
/ grew TO great proportions and he was proud
to say that 1t was all made in mechanical
business and not in speculation. Mr.. Coop
er began early in his career TO devote 10
( charity portion of his gains. His gifts
( were unostentatious. The noblest of them
/ Is the famous Cooper Institute in New York,
! which is really q Peoples University, where
/ the income Of more than million dollars
I goes every year to the training Of talents for
( practical uses. In political life Mr.. Cooper
/ was, a; times, very prominent, especially in
/ the latter portion of his life, when. in 1875,
+ he was the candidate Of the National indie
pendent or Greenback party for the Office Of
4 President Of the United States. He was, in
, bis earlier wears. member of the New York
city government, and served number Of
years as school trustee, and on the board of
education. Mr.. Cooper married, when a
young man, bis wife being Miss Sarah Bedel
Of Hampstead, l.. |. The marriage took
/ place in December, 1913. Six children we're
| born Of the union, four Of them dying in in
fancy. Mrs. Cooper died on the 56th ami
versary of her wedding day, in December
1869. in the 18th year Of her age. The sur
viving children are Hon. Edward Cooper.
I ex-Mayor Of New York, and Mrs Sarah
/ Amelia Hewitt, wife of Hon. A. S. Hewitt
member of Congress from New York.