The history of the first locomotives in America. From original ...

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HISTORY OF THE FIEST LOCOMOTIVES m AMERICA.
it belonged to some well-to-do farmer or retired tradesman, rather
than a million n aire.
"The key to Mr. Cooper's life and deeds is ' to be found in
those few words which we bave heard from his own lips :
' I resolved
that I would repay every benefit which I had received by
conferring an equal benefit on some of my fellow-men.'
" His success in business has been greatly due to a faculty for
taking up enterprises which had been abandoned by other people,
and by dint of perseverance and hard work making them succeed.
In the main, however, he has gained his ends by attending to his
affairs in person, and has always strictly followed Dr. Franklin's
principle—' The eye of the master is worth all of his servants.'
Even at his present advanced age he does not neglect this rule,
but keeps a strict eye upon the afiairs of the Cooper Union."
We cannot leave Mr. Cooper, even now, "witliotit devoting
a few pages of our work to record his last act
of generosity, benevolence, and philantliropy, toward
tlie meritorious poor and industrious classes of our community,
in his munificent Request of one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars to be used in the establishment
and endowment of a library, where the hard-working
and deserving classes, who desire repose and relaxation
after the toils of the day, can seek recreation and infor-
mation from the great store of useful books he has
placed within their reach, where all may participate
who feel a desire
welcome.
of so doing, and know that they are
On the day of this munificent bequest, Mr. Cooper
reached his eightieth birthday, February 12, 1871. On
that occasion a most interesting interview took place
between the graduating class of the Institute and their
venerable benefactor and friend. We trust that our
readers, many of whom no doubt will be found among
the mechanics and working-classes of the community,
will not deem it out of place here to record the doings
on that most interesting occasion.
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