[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 48 (Wednesday, April 4, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E535]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           THE MONUMENT TO FRIENDSHIP, CARTERSVILLE, GEORGIA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. BOB BARR

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 4, 2001

  Mr. BARR of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the value of true friendship is too 
easy to lose sight of in today's society. We work so hard to provide 
for ourselves and our families, that we too often take for granted the 
selfless and generous deeds done by our closest friends.
  I am proud to say Cartersville, Georgia, is home to an eternal 
reminder of the invaluable gift of unconditional friendship: The 
Monument to Friendship.
  The monument's distinction as the world's only known memorial 
dedicated to friendship, is just part of its unique story. Mark A. 
Cooper, who created the monument in 1860, deserves a special place in 
the annals of Georgia history in his own right. A pioneer of one of 
Georgia's first railroad and ironworks ventures, Cooper laid the 
groundwork for the industrial and agricultural development of the 
Etowah River area of northwest Georgia, in the mid-19th century,
  Ironically, Mark Cooper's Etowah Iron Works only survived the 
region's pre-Civil War economic slowdown because of a loan from 38 of 
his friends. After repaying the generous loan in full, Cooper honored 
his creditors with this timeless marble monument.
  As if his business and community development endeavors were not 
enough, Cooper shone as a celebrated volunteer soldier, a longtime 
state legislator, and a U.S. Congressman. He served on the Board of 
Trustees of the University of Georgia for 40 years until his death in 
1885.
  The Monument to Friendship embodies noble Georgia values, just as 
Mark A. Cooper's memory personifies the ideal Georgia citizen. I join 
in recognizing the importance of a monument to all of our truest 
friends.

                          ____________________