Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-04-13
PETER COOPER.
sketch Of his Career.

on the l2th If February, l1Vl. Ills boy
hood was period of continuous anxiety and
hard work, for his father was not successful
in his business enterprises aud had large
family dependent upon him for. support.
Peter attended school only half o. each day
for single year, and aside from the knowl-
edge thus gained he was IN the highest scnc
Of the words a sclf.cducated, sclf-madc man.
At sevcnl.o en- lie was apprcnticcd to coach
maker, aud Peter followed his trade for
some years, and then engaged in the manu-
iactuc Of patent machines for shCaring
cloth, which were in great demand dur
iag the war of 1912, but lost all value
on the declaration of peace. After this
he turned cabinet maker, and then went
INTO the grocery business i'll his native
city. Finally, in 1928, he turned his
attention to the manufacture of glue
md isingluss, which business he carried on
for upwards of half century. lie had car
ly been interested in the vast resources of the
country for the manufacture Of iron, and in
1850 erected extensive works at Canton, near
Baltimore. Disposiugo of these he subsequent
" established a rolling and wire mill in the
city Of New York, where lie first successful
ly applied anthracite TO the pudding of iron.
III lotJ lbt IldtUlUtlN was ItliOHtt " lItll-
ton, y. j.. where Mr.. Cooper erected the
largest rolling mill for the manufacture Of
railroad iron at that time in the United States
and where the iIst wrought iron beams for
llrc-proOf buildings were made These
works have grown t. he very extensive, in
GLIDING mines, blast furnaces and water
power, aud ale now carried on by members
of Mr. Coopcr's family. While in Baltimore
he constructed the first locomotive engine
made on this continent, aud il was used sue.
ccssfGliy on the Baltimore IL Ohio railroad
Mr.. Cooper was greatly interested in the cx.
tension Of the electric Telegraph from the first
and nvcs cd II large amount OF capital in the
construction of lines.
The First Atlantic Cables.
lie was the first and only president Of The
New York, Newfoundland & London Tele
graph company, which was the first oceal
Telegraph company organized, and continued
in existence for nearly 10 years. He be
came also president of the American Tele
graph company, aud Of the North American
Telegraph association, which at one tim
represented and governed more than two
thirds Of all the lines in The United STATE S
lie was one Of the first expedition to lay
|
and, though this enterprise partially failed a
that tine, it was the pioneer of final success
Nr. Cooper also was early interested in TIN
canal navgalions of the State OF New \ ork
ana ma 'c experiments in substituting othc
Than horsepower in the propulsion OF boat,
The Cooper Institute.
Eccc successfully to both branches o
the New York common council, Mr.. Coope
became Il prominent advocate of the Crsto
anucdurt and WAS inc chief nromot,r of IA,
a., ,.,....;r ~. A.. -,
SOU i'"'' p"' "'' OooPc'
most vital service 10 the country was
| f,st,rinir the education and elevation of fiji
irdusi, cl,ss.sond in ,I,cin,, rlluc,tion,
facilities within the reach Of the masses gel
orally. lie cary became Il trustee Of til
Pubic school society and at the time whc
1t was merged INTO the board Of educallo
was rs Vicc-prc'idcni. Subsequently, he bt
came school Commissioner; but reallzlu
that no common school system could suppl
a techloloslcll training, he determined to e
ablsh in bis native city an institution
which the working classes could secure thu
education for which he, when young and an
bilious sought in vain. In furtherance t
tins object the Mon for the Advancement {
Science and Art, more commonly known {
the Cooper Institute, was erected in Ne
FORK at the junction OF Third and Fourt
avenues, between Seventh ana Eighth street
The building, which fills an entire block, co
$500 900, and TO this Mr.. Cooper added a
endowment fund Of 100000. By the dee
oi trust the Institute, with all its Icnts, issul
aud profits is dvvoled to the elevation III
instruction of the working classes If the cit
of New York, forever There are rcrul,