New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-13
PETER COOPERS BIRTHDAY.
CELEBRATING IT'S CENTENNIAL.
THE INSTITUTE WHICH HE FOUNDED CROWDED
WITH PEOPLE WHO HONOR HIS NAME.

THE INSTITUTE WHICH HE FOUNDED CROWDED
WITH PEOPLE WHO HONOR HIS NAME.
The one hundredth anniversary Of the birth OF Peter
Cooper was fttingy celebrated in the large hall OF
Cooper Union last night. The platform was decorator
with palms and flags, while above the seat ol tno
chairman was hung large portrait OF the 'eleiao'o
phanthroplst. f. j. Kaltenberg president OF inc
Alumni Association Of Cooper Institute, 1ntroduceu
Abram :. Hewitt as the chairman OF the evening Mr..
Hewitt spoke briefly saying that the celebration was
not organized either by the family OF Peter Cooper OF
by the Trustees Of the Institute and that they were
only present 10y Invitation. Continuing he SAID All
the living members Of the family of Peter Cooper but
two, who in Europe. are present and all the III
stitute trustees present but one, MI Freeman
who I, ninety years old and IS unable to be present
To the end Of time the kindly spirit Of Peter cooper
Will preside over this institution
Mr. Hewitt then said that letters of regret had been
received from President Harrison, Nice-Pe'ident MOT
ton, Governor Hin, Governor Albeit, senator ENa1l'
George William Curtis, Bishop Potter, secretary Tracy
the Rev. Dr. Howard Crosby, Mayor Grant. MAYOR
Chaplin. Thomas \. Edison and General Webb
lie then the following letter from General sherman
written a week ago which he said was, nc was sorry 70
cay, likely to be recorded as the last letter ever
written hy That Old hero:
William r. smith, Esp. 49,,
Cooper centennial Committee my thanks for the m
cit,fiop f., Tho ono huudredth anniversary OF that
| made 80 many cnragefncnts for TINS month that l
cannot possibly attend sincerely your . frIepd
The Rev Theodore C. Williams, OF All souls
| Unitarian Church, then delivered the opening prayer
and Mr. Hewitt alterwar introduced Orlando B.
Potter chairman Of the Peter Cooper Monument Com
mlttee who said that the fund amounted to 93495 49,
Of which $4,000 had already been paid to the artist
Augustus IT. Gaudcns, who would have he clay model
| ready for inspection IN three months seth Low,
! president of Columbia College, was th"n introduced
and he made the address OF the evening which was IN
| part a. follows
when one remento-s tina. It Is barely eight years
ioeo p,,,- Coor.r di.d Il is startling hear him say
| n, ono of his later addr ,-es when | born New
Yo-o contained - ahablsnts The upper limits OF
the city were at Chamter'st Not single tree school
either by day nlgnt. eristed General washington
had lust entered upon President Of the
| United States,
Ira these brief sentences Introduced a. once
70 one Of The influences which moulded Peter Cooper hto
the IAN he was. singular degree he was we emu
. tho time. In which lived, ia some OF th'G mo''
sh.ractcrstc aspe,- II had To- w. who have Sno"h
40 other times 20 appreciate df'rrnt Is ne today
IN - most familiar features from what y hai h'"h JOY
many centuries b,'ose Pst"r CooFer' urn Inc o''
men among Us can tell f. the change since ueiF
| o,-, ,hudload But those 81 who ar younger are
epara,,d from past OF Peter Coopc' you'" by an
| interval o. change which even To Imagination can
car.ely comprehend ..
! loro True child ~ me times hc spirit 81 n'HuNv
nee. va. al, psyuatc Through all hS busy years she
,,ruoed with him D, with friend His successes we're
achieved 10 several aids. but pr'-rnin'nty h' = ''l.
veth the advance, made the at Of .onoton rave
tv ,.d travel by water. travel through the ar AZ
| claimed his attention. The sphlara -aF Oh MARI" '
minded man man y confined and r. tr.cted Vie"7 On
| "a. 10. never been seasck one might almost l"hs""
nat Peter Cooper constrained Ia MS Inventions "
| similar belief ia the lr !of'ance u travel.
Il would have been strange. indeed II 'n'h "A'
had lived through the ETA of the ih'i'l''.o" ,s 49,
locomotives without being heard Of In connection Win th7
| movement, HoS ~ por,ant was his service III '"" ~
lion au,-s from the language Of the invitation extended
to him In $780, to attend he Semi-cent'un oil te nNls'.
! more and ONO road. in this lhVlt@uo' ~ 'NI Lac
word m Is desired 10 sgnfy not only me respect that Is
,pt a.oed for yo.r personal worth and de'eNedy hsh
character hut the deep Of obligation Tor the service
YOU rendered when. IN the summer oil I7"O, v0u U'''
srlt.d on the Baltimore and ONO hahr'au ua1 l'' ".
crv,ur,, 70 use the words Of the chief englneer-"oua
not trev.nt the successful application OF the Iooho'.'
and although present lights we "ohHeE
that such a demonstration was then deemed hs,s'i'
yon A.. not ,c less cu,l.lcd the credit Of icing mo
ione-r In ha aDfllcat on Of steam to American rl"h9S
pro.tdent Low then gave a short history OF Pet"r
Cconer life and early struggles, his apprenticeship 10
q coach builder the starting Of his guefacory anu
his many useful inventions. lie continued a. lo'o"
This Coon.r Union dedicated TO science and art aims
., ,e ,ot,uction In the branches knowledge which
are practically applied in the daily occupations Of %
working classes hy which they support themselves anu
their families instruction IN the laws toy which he'''n :
condition OF fanlles H"''"-
In other ords personal hygiene; instruction IN pocuI
science nv virtue OF which communities preserve ue"'
solves and nation, progress wealth and power ln'tfuc.
lion addressed 10 the eye the aud the Imagination"
,,tth , l. In finnish a reasonable and healthy rctauon
10 the working classes after the labor, Of the day
No on- can listen THIS summary OF ltS purpose
without appccistng Cooper Union is The worthy
,ou,,.nt 81 wise and good But the Cooper mon
is mora than monument II Is more even, thhh an
dc,tonal institution highest value to those VINO are
fortunate enough 10 be numbered among IL students IL
f. m. oouu.nt and enduring expression OF one ot inc
ofouudcst TEACHINGS Peter Coopers long ana u'eu
no IL is a. though he still saying, through thls
Union IN the rich men York, that the "bgauohS
~ ,,,h are not fully met unless wealth. Is haue I" Hh
It,, o. the good Of the community with no "'S serious
and te,dfast purpo,e than Il II made TO MINISTER !" "o
oWp sd>,nt,ge Wealth IL power. kno"l'use II po"'l'
Hut IT, ii, the man behind the power th'' ~ !,
usefulness IL is the glory OF Peter 'o'pe' ~ " ~
his power well. , an addr,ss
Judg. lanes Fitzgerald also Mide an d'"''
lg.n,s .trippcd orchestra furnished the Hsuu'o",'''
music and Miss blanche TAYLOR. Miss llcuhg hoSc"c'
Clinton Elder and ". h. Harper slus seNsi1 s Y
,',r III. nre,rnt besides the trustees VI ,iio @
mo nd The family of Peter Cooper " r' T, e
Su i a,n "a me Edwad King W. be 1aylor' 4, -
Tait.,Lacb William X. Starrctt, thdi.cS IL, ~
EIvard Hartmann. Anthony j. n,i''' " " cbeI
nnIIer Edwin r. storm william Il; mn, Lou'' ia,
e. ioin Nilaire Dr. Louis H. Lail, anu irr'i n o.
Hedenis The large hail was 'Fo"uoN ' '
| of standing room was taken up
ro,ra and rooms household ana 9tner ncp. "a d tH
- n,,r dcsirabe things ar advertiser Oh tAc hi''
narr of The Tribune this morning