known to us as Dr. Cooper. The succeeding two years 

 were spent in the City hospitals, when at the beginning 

 of the year 1853 we find him taking the initiatory step 

 that to him was the turning point of his life; a period in 

 which hope and ambition as regards certain directions be- 

 came ruling factors and decided his course. 



We may be pardoned for dwelling a moment on a 

 period that strengthened his tendencies, and decided the 

 course of his ambitious future. At this time the Govern- 

 ment had determined to take some action in regard to a 

 trans-continental railroad, and was making arrangements 

 for a preliminary survey for a route between St. Paul and 

 Puget Sound, and, on April 27, 1853, Dr. Cooper signed 

 a contract with Gov. I. I. Stevens, (who had lately been 

 appointed Governor of the Territory of Washington, and 

 placed in charge of the survey) as one of the physicians 

 to the survey. This appointment meant more to him 

 than the mere $70.00 a month that he received, as it 

 brought him into direct contact with those bright and 

 able minds whose after acts became a large portion of the 

 history of our country, and of science. What a galaxy 

 of bright names have been clustered around this survey. 

 These were the men with whom our friend lived, thought 

 and acted. 



To the Eastern division Dr. Suckley was assigned, 

 while Dr. Cooper was assigned to the Western under the 

 direct superintendence of Brevet Captain Geo. B. Mc- 

 Clellan of the Engineer Corps, to whom he reported June 



