Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-04-24
A REMARKABLE AMERICAN.
A Busy Doctor, Who Raised Millions for
Public Works.


Public Works.
The late DR.. William Pepper of Phil.
adelphia is the subject of biographi-
cal sketch contributed to the Century
by Francis Newton Thorpe, which re-
veals character and career too little
known throughout America.
In Philadelphia a bronze statue was
unveiled, December 20. 1899, to the
memory Of William Pepper. 1t stands
amid the creations of his genius, and
marks the elimination of his life
work. Thirty years ago the site was
a plowed field. part of the Blockley
farm; today it overlooks the buildings
some 25 in number, of the University
of Pennsylvania the academic home
of about 5000 students annually. Ad-
joining is the University hospital. the
Free Museum of Science and Art, and
the permanent buildings of the Phila-
delphia Commercial museums.
Dr.. Pepper was the son of a physi-
clan, the celebrated "elder Pepper" as
he is called. to distinguish father and
son. The father pursued advanced
medical studies together with Oliver
Wendell Holmes in Paris. when
American students rarely went abroad.
On his return to Philadelphia, he be-
came professor of the theory and
practice of medicine in the university,
acquired an extensive practice, and
died in 1864. at the early age of Sc. A
few months before the fathers death,
the son was graduated in medicine at
the University of Pennsylvania.
Great physicians are rare, and rarer
is the man who also is at the same
time equally great as man of affairs.
as educator. and as public benefactor.
Such man the son became. In 1870,
at the age OF 27, he projected the
University hospital, and boldly set
out to raise an endowment fund of
$750,000. In less than four years he
secured more than half a million. in
Guiding two appropriations of 100000
each from the legislature. The hospi-
tai was formally opened in 1874. It's
creation was necessitated by the re-
hONdi vi tuC lis Olu
site, where the postoffice now stands.
No such task had before been done
by citizen of Philadelphia, and it's
performance gave DR.. Pepper rank
among the first men of the city. After
some 80 years of action his public ac-
count stood something like this:
Institutions founded: the University
hospital, the Commercial museums,
and the Philadelphia free library.
Institutions re-organized and recreat-
ed: the improvement of the city's
water supply, and an entire change
in the attitude Of the public mind to-
ward education and the ideals of life.
To carry out these plans, DR.. Pepper
raised above $10,000.00O and secured
about 100 acres of land from
the municipality, lying near the heart
of Philadelphia. To the execution of
this task he gave the service of one
of the most acute and at the same
time most practical minds ever vouch-
safed to man. To this service of his
genius he added the personal gift of
nearly HAIL ullllOu uOlldTS, WHICH ne
earned in the practice of an exacting
profession. 1t may be doubted whether
any other American has run a like
career.
His sudden death, of angina pectoris,
at Pleasantown, Cal, August 26, 1898,
occurred Just as he had completed the
first week of his seth year. He had
sought rest and health too late. His
physicians said of him that at death
he had the heart of man of 80. He
had literally worked himself out. A
brave man. endowed with genius; a
unique man, delicately aggressive, in
capable of wronging his fellows, in
spired with lofty ideals for the health,
welfare, and happiness of his fellow
men; and treating little minds as low
ing parents treat mischievous chill
dren-this man had gone and left be-
hind him, as Disraeli said of the
Craot Dplya utbo oontar, 10 tio,, of hi,