Buchanan County bulletin and guardian., 1868-01-24


The Iowa Agricultural College
buildings were finished, as we learn
from one Of the Trustees, on the LIST
Of January. and the institution will
be opened for students carly in the
spring. Three Professor. are en-
gagged. or will be in due time. 9th
ers viii be added as the needs Of the
cAiege demand. Governor Stone.
Lieutenant Governor Cue, and Hon.
Peter Mclendy were appointed by
the last General Assembly to select
the Professors, and the latter two
went East few weeks ago in search
Of professors, and, incidentally. to
become more familiar with the .ys-
TEN and ways Of the best saltwater
colleges" and especially Of Agricul.
tural Colleges.
The people of Iowa are to be con-
graduated upon the auspicious pros
poets bcfore this institution. The fin
ishing Of the buildings in process Of
completion was only laying the corner
stone of the college, and the present
condition OF lis affairs is 50 prosperous
that there can be no rational doubt Of
its marked success. The facts in the
ease will be of special interest, not
only to our Iowa readers, but to those
in our own State, where the ACricul-
tural College question is receiving
universal public attention.
The State received grant of two
hundred aud forty thousand acres Of
land. Instead Of selling tho scrip, as
most other States did, Iowa located
her "claims," and adopted wise sys-
tenn for disposiag of them. The land,
extending through thirty-two different
counties, was selected with great care
in the northwestern portion of the
State. The different sections we're at
the same time carefully appraised and
classified, the value attach to them
ranging from two to FIVE dollars per
acre. Farms large or small, to suit
the settler, were leased 10 actual. oc.
cupants at rental of ten per cent. dd
vdlorepa, with the privilege Of buying
the farm al its originally appraised
valne within ten years. These terms
are made still easier by the fact that
as long as the title remains vested in
the State the land is free from taxes.
Upon this plan some ninety thousand
acres Of college land have been occu-
pied. there being nearly thirty thou
sand settlers upon them. The State
now has from this scouree fund of
$4,000, which can only be used for,
aud in connection with, the college.
This is far wiser than the customary
plan of selling the land scrip to capi-
talists. who give, generally, only one
dollar per acre.
In connection with the college,
which is situated almost in the centre
OF the State, on the Chicago and
Northwestern Railroad, is a farm of
Gas acres, under high state of cul-
ture, and stocked with "blooded" cat
tie. 1t will not only be of value as
affordins opportunity for practical ex
perlments in agricultural: but it is,
and still more will be found, source
of revenue. 1t has been admirably
managed thus far in all respects. 1t
is also due to the architect Of the build
,ings just flushed to add that, Unlike
m. st State edifces. they have been
com ',rncted economics ally.
Il is 20 be hoped and expected that
the ne W faculty will prove TO be wise
rs we'll as learned men. and that the
csarse o. study adopted win be ap-
propris.e. The Science Of Asrical-
cure. to VII ich we referred at some
length last Saturday, should be made
a speciality Chicago Journal.