Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1872-11-14

t. a. FsS
aud the endowment and tuiion funds would
be free and unincnnibcrel. 1st 1
Ii was the policy Of Mr. Bowman tofound
the proposed University on the ruins OF Ra-.
Icnls College,; an Institution which, after foal-
rfsliing for Il few years under t,'scs of tile
ahlcst Faculties in the West, failed ut last for
want Of snftislent aeualnwme,it. Gathering
up the wreck of this College. his own Alha,
Mater, Mr.. Bowman, seconded by q few
liberal-lleartcd citizens cf Mercer III tlIe in.
augnfation of the enterprise. abandoned al
.he comforts Of 4 pleasant home. and IN the
winter Of l356, with y lin reliance on Divine
| Providence began his labors.
Without the usual heraldry of the pulpit
and the press. and without the prestige Of a
/ name known to fame. and in the face of a
strong and decided prejudice against Colleges
doubts and discoura genienfs Of friends, he
ftd Dc his appeal to the people. They reg
pended with degree of libcrality unexpec-
ted. and indeed unprecedented in the State.
In oila hundred aud fifty days Of actual labor
he obtained subscriptions TO the amount Of
| $l50, 900, which sum he Soon increased to
$200,000 4 large proportion of which was Sc
cured III notes of $500 and $i 900, mainly
frou; Tie SUBSTANTIAL farmers Of Central Ken
| lucky.
Thus t te Institution was fotAdcd, not by
large donatiors and requests OF a few veal
thy Individuals, bur but by the active co-ol-
ersriye benevoleiIee uf the many donars wlse
pledged their means and extended their
sympathics to Mr.. Bowman in carrying out
the great work of his life. AS ssool. as the
sum of $l50,0O0 had been secured by MIR.
Bowman. he called q meeting Of the donors
and other friends Of tho enterprise at Har-
rodsburg, i'm May, 1857, for the purpose of
counsel and cooperation in regard to the
early organization of the University. Ibis
4 meeting was fully attended, was harmonious
in action and most favorable in ieslats. Ii
was important as having recognized the con-
tempiafed University as the property Of the
people at large, who had subscr bed the mo-
ney. They divested it OF all local character.
and suggested such provisions: IN the pro-
perfect repre- sentatien in the board o Cura-
tors. In accordance with .heir suggestions,
and his own plans and purposes, Mr.. Bow
man drafted a liberal charter, which was
granted by the Legislature in February 1858.
incorporating kentucky University.
Il During the year. 1858 a.lta 1859 the work Of
endowment was earnestly prosecuted. The
actual Investment having reached about
i Sl0O.000. il was deemed expedient to org IL
izr one Of tile Colleges Of the University.
accordingly, the College of Arts was Of ened
in September, 1888, under the presidency OF
4 r. Miiiigan, assisted by an able corps Of
Professors. Nearly two hundred students
We're in attendance the first session. This
Department of the University having thus
been successfully organized, MIR. Bowman
next addressed himself with renewed energy
to the work of supplying the Institution
with necessary Apparatus, Buildings, etc.
He soon raised sufficient sum to purchase a
fine suit Of Chemical ard Philosophical Ap-
paratts, which ne secured ior the Institution
ON most favorable terms. He also made an
earnest effort to secure grounds and build
ings adapted to the demands OF great Uni-
. versity. f q
II One al tlc most bcaut iful aud healtlful
sites for an Institution in the State of Ken
) tucky was the famous Harrodsburg springs,
for many years one of the most popular re-
Il sorts in the West. These grounds, with their
7 elegant and extensive buildings, had, been
! ! purcl,.. .seel by the United States Government
as the site OF the Western Military Asylum
bnt thcy were now abandoned, for the fire
had consumed the main editice. This place,
containing about two hundred acres OF land
Mr.. Bowman determined to secure. After
repeated visits to Washington, he finally OBJ
tained the passags of a bill ordering it to be
sold. In anticipation of the day Of sale, he
went to work and raised the stinr Of fifty
thousand dollars for the specific purpose Of
tbuying 1t. But through the Interference o.
parties who desired to secure the property Al
fashionable summer rusoft, his efforts &c
, purchase it were defeated. and the notes o
1.-The subscribers were surrendered. He thu.
lhad the modification to see the spacious eli
gible grounds ard buildings, OH which ht
had long get his heart as the site of a great
University, pass. by means OF an opposing
and inferior interest, for ever from hi
hands.
ii TO increase his embarrassments as tit
9 founder and tihancier of the University. th,
E war. with all its social and commercial dis
{ ractions, came on. The work Of increasin.
Il the eHdown.eHt was necessarily suspended
!, but his labors as Treasurer were more deli
! cate and oncrons. He continued to collec
, and invest the funds subscribed; he received
and disbursed the interest thereon. and kel,
all the accounts of the Institution. HI
eli with vigilant eye every. pecun;ar.
: interest through all the crushing storm 9
!, war. Not d dollar was lost, and not week
Z suspension of College exercises occurred du
: riag this period. although opposing armie
: were encamped around, and the building
I were subsequently taken as hospitals fer Ii
!. sick and the wounded. It Is proper to ad
that all tliis labor was performed by him, 9
: indeed all other labor from the beginning
,fl not enly without charge. but re tl1e sacrific
Z I of iis own pecuniary interests
. But the necessity for buildings grew dali
. more and more urgent. Tho failure 70 ot
q 1Aill th0ss III Harrolsburg crested liyel
A.