The New Student's Reference Work/Cooper, Peter
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| PETER COOPER |
Cooper, Peter, was born at New York, Feb, 12, 1791. His father, who had been a lieutenant in the Revolutionary War and was a hat-manufacturer, was not successful in business, and had a large family to provide for. So Peter's boyhood was one of hard labor. He went to school half of each day for a single year. When 17, he was apprenticed to a coachmaker, and pleased his employer so much that he offered to set him up in business, which he declined. After trying different branches of trade, he began the manufacture of glue and isinglass, which he carried on for 50 years. Seeing what profits could be made in iron, he built several mills. In 1845 he erected at Trenton, N. J., the largest rolling-mill at that time in the country for the manufacture of railroad-iron. He first succeeded in using anthracite coal in puddling iron; was the first to roll wrought-iron beams for buildings; and also designed and built the first locomotive made in America, which was used on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. In his own youth Cooper had greatly felt the lack of means of study in the line of his trade, and he determined that other artisans should have a better chance. So Cooper Union, to which Mr. Cooper gave $800,000 in all, was built. It covers a whole block in the center of New York city. Here young mechanics and others receive night-lessons in engineering, mining, metallurgy, chemistry, architectural drawing and building. There also are schools of design, telegraphy, wood engraving, photography, etc. The Union is free to all who choose to attend. Besides the school proper there are free lectures, a free library and reading-room, art-galleries, models of inventions and other facilities and equipments. Cooper died April 4, 1883.