Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-11-08
Cooper and Vanderbilt.


one man that death could not make
poor, for he had the discernment to
invest his money where it would make
him rich in fame and become a grow.
ing blessing to mankind forever. There
will be millions of people yet unborn
who will bless the name of Peter Coop
er. Amid the blessings of the living,
secure in the knowledge that words of
praise and gratitude would be taken
up and 60 sounding down forever, the
old man fell asleep. He burdened his
brain, not in devising means how to
make more money, but how to give
away what he had already accumula.
ted. Finally he fixed upon the thought
and carried it out, in establishing a
school which should be selfsuppOrting
and which would give to the poor youth
an education which would fit them for
u struggle with a pitiless world. So
he built the Cooper Institute at cost
of $3.50, 900 and endowed it with $780,
600 more. The plan includes free in.
struction at night, at which 1000 pu>
pills are steadily educated; a school of
design for females, now attended by
200 pupils; free reading.room and
library, gallaries of art, collections of
models Of inventions, and polytech>
mic school. There are, besides, for
women, free schools of telegraphy /;
while young men are instructedin en-
gineering, mining, metallurgy, chemiS-
try, architectural drawing and practi>
cal building. The institute was long
ago decided to New York City, in trust
for the poor. His aggregate charities
while living has been estimated at
100000. 1t was thought he had
disposed of his vast estate, but when
his will was probated it was discovered
he still had a million of dollars, much
of which was given to his faithful do
mestics. Altogether, he has bestowed
the grandest and most comprehensive
charities of any man of the age, which
makes the giver immortal, and secures
to him in the praise of mankind rich
interest on his money to all eternity.
And now it seems that William H.
Vanderbilt has taken up the work of
charity where it was left by the death
of Peter Cooper, and as his facilities
are greater his charities are likely to
exceed those of his examplar. The
impression obtained that Vanderbilt
was cold, heartless, selfish, mercenary,
and that the ambitions of his life were
fast horses and an ostentatious display
of vulgar wealth. But old age is
creeping upon him as noiselessly as the
, autumn leaves fall, and as The shades
of the evening twilight darken he con
templates the fame of Cooper and COM
; mences to make permanent invest
ment of 1.-THE of his money in way
i to make principle and interest secure
Like his shadow his thoughts have
: turned back upon the track over which
= he has journeyed, and he seeks nj
longer to increase his wealth, and it il
hoped the Indian summer of his life
? will be spent in placing his charities
where they will do the most good
Mr.. Vanderbilt has made handsom,
donations to the Vanderbilt University
> at Nashville, founded by his father
and the princely gift few days sine
of 100000 to the College Of Physi
clans and Surgeons, of New Yorl
City, is a munifcent one for even
!, man of Mr.. Vanderbilts great wealth
The college named above has been Sc
:. riously hampered for lack of room t
- carry on its work appropriately. Som
! time ago James 7. Swift gave $1,000
= for the purchase of philosophical appa
T. ratus, but the money has never bee
= expended, because there was no suits
- BILE place for the delicate instrument
= that would be secured. Other depart
7 ments of medical science have suffere
in like manner in the institution fc
=. want of proper accommodation
= Mr.. Vanderbilt'S plan contemplate
H. the erection of capacious and CONVEX
h lent buildings for the uses of the Co
lege, and twenty.nine lots on Tent