The New York herald., 1921-08-27
A Great Heir of Great Names.


in Paris on Thursday Of pneumonia
following an operation for appendi
citis an American scientist and
scholar who had attained interna
tional fame by his achievements
passed away. The reputation he won
IL his lifetime did not do justice ia
his ccomplishments; the full fruit
age of his genius is yet to be reaped
Years may pass before the world
/ generally understands how profound
and fundamental were his contribu
tons to the conquest of nature by
man, and to the subjugation tc
beneficent uses of the forces ppon
control OF which modern civilization
is dependent.
That the peoples OF the earth We're
his debtors had long been acknowl
edged; how deep their debt is nc
man can now say. On the founda
tions laid by his patient industry
untiring research and the genius OF
splendid mind other men in days
TO come will build with confidence
and success for the enduring good OF
the human race.
For New York the untimely death
OF Mr.. HEWITT means much more
than the loss of citizen of notable
usefulness. In his veins coursed the
flood Of two OF New York's greatest
citizens. Seventy-seven years have
elapsed since the incident described
below occurred:
'PETER CoopER's con, EDWARD,
was in Columbia in the class OF
1896, but was in delicate health and
did not graduate The elder COOPER
engaged HEWITT as tutor to take
tho boy abroad.
"on the return trip they were
shIpwreczed and drlfted in an open
boat twelve hours one December
day before they were picked up.
Mr.. HEWITT used to say that he
never had warm feet after that ex-
perience. Mr.. COOPER says the other
future Mayor saved his life.
However that may be, when the
COOPER told young HEWITT that he
wanted his son to go into business
and that the son wanted HEWITT
for a partner"
Thus began the association oil
ABRAM s. HEWITT with the Cooper
family, which ultimately brought to
him as his bride SARAH AMELIA, the
daughter OF PETER and sister Of ED.
WARD COOPER. OF this union PETEr
COOPER HEwITT was the issue, and
worthily he upheld the honor of two
great names. PETER CooPER's life
story is romance OF moral and men.
tai success under what seemed to be
crushing handicaps. His command
ing position as philanthropist has
caused some OF his many accomplish
ments to be forgotten. His transi
tion from hatmaker to flnancier was
marked by numerous employments
and experiments. lie built the first
locomotive engine constructed on the
American continent and rescued the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad project
from ruin. He stood behind the At
lsntic cable with his fortune wher
faith in that enterprise fell TO zero
except with a faithful few. There
was not process he touched he did
not improve, not proposal he
investigated his intelligence and
disciplined native shrewdness did moi
illuminate. A very great man, his
chief material monument is Cooper
Union, whose record in education IL
the best testimony to its founders
J perspicacity and sterling sense.
OF ABRAM $. HEwITT as much Ii
praise may be said as OF PErEl
COOPER. Impaired eyesight balkec
, his ambition to practise law aftei
: his admission to the bar. The ship
wreck which cemented his relation
with EDWARD COOPER gave to grea
constructive industry and 10 siatea
manship a mind Of rare attainments