Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-11-23
JAMES LlCk'S ESTATE.


The most reuarkave auction sale o., wplch
history gives W. any account was held ." 'ues-
day last 10 San Francisco. A portion of ,he
immense estate Of James Lick, given 10 'rus-
tees for public uses, was sold for two millions
of dollars. The residue was wibdrewu for dis
posal at a future day. Time would appear
hardly favorable for the sale OF real estate, aud
vet sufficient sum has already been realized to
accomplish all the specific purposes contaned
in rhe extraordinary deed by which this public
spirited citzeu reduced himself, few mouths
ago, from Vast opuieuce to position OF simple
case.
James Lick is q native Of Fredericksburg,
Pennsylvania, who learned the trade OF piano
making in Philadelphia in the early years OF tbs
century. Having taste for adventure, which
was with BIN not Incompatible with great iD-
dustry and thrift, he went TO South AUerlc2,
where he passed several years engaged In any
business which offered, sometimes making
piauos sometimes dealing iu lurs, but al
ways getting ahead When The Mexican
war threw California into our hands aud
the ruuored discoveries Of gold excited
such interest among Americans on the Pacific
Coast, Mr.. Lick resolved to seek bis fortune
in El Dorado His business iu Peru was re-
eotIessly ac1.6ced, and be started for San
Francisco Bsy with $50 900 10 cash. the ava'ls
of property worth twice that sun. There were
very few Of the earl ly emigrau's WHO had any
such sun OF Money, and still fewer woo had
such head piece as was carried ou the square
shoulders of the Pennsylvania piano-maker.
He bougot lot and large abode house oD
the pcrtb-e corner of Montgomery and Jack
sou-sts., to keep bis safe full Of douboons 10,
and then began to look about him. He saw
that great town was sure to grow up 90
those saUd bills, and he lost no time ln select
ing and buying the most eligible poslttnNs 10
the future city. This was 10 lS4S, when' There
was only a struggling village there, aud the
prices which Mr.. Lick paid were usually above
The market of the time. He wanted ooly
choice lots and secure titles. He kept his owo
couosel, and for years afterwards, wheo the
vigorous young cily was spreading out 90
every hand, there were many vacant lots apd
blocks occupying the best Situations whose
ownership was mystery to every one :xcepi
tue quiet speculator.
He is now IS years DID, auc does ro' choose
to wait until his death shall throw bis prop
erty into the hands # buugF"g corporations
and graspiug heirs. He therefore made deed
10 Jul, last giving his whole estate TO seven
trustees, Thnmss Fl. Selby, u. 0. Mills, Henry
W. NtWOdlf, Viiltau -afoiu. Oco. IL AAo"
ard, james O is, ard JuL,. O. Earl. for uses
ard purcoses ,hercia specified These pur
DOSES are Of = remarkable character. Seven
Hnndred Thousand Dollars are TO be devoted
,c the construction, on the borders OF Lake
Tahoe. or elsewhere 10 the Stale Of CaltoF.-
uia. OF powerful telescope, superior to and
more powerful than any telescope ever yet
made" This is to be constructed as rapidly
as circumstances shall permit. Three HUI.
lred Thousand Dollars are 10 be used to found
and eudow an institution 10 be called 'lae
California School of Mechanical Acts, the OBJ
ject and purpose of which shall be 10 educate
males and femalesan the practical arts of lie,
to be open to all youths born in California.
Two Hundred aud Fifty Thousand Dollars are
be speut 10 building monument designed to
commeoorate the history of California, and
One Hundred and Fifty Thousand are to be
devoted to Bronze Monument 10 Franc's
Scott Key, author of the "Star Spangled
Banner probably the largest proportion OF
monumental glory to the arouol ,f copy which
provoked it Of which we have any record.
One Hundred aud Fifty Thouss1u Dollars are
,o be spent in building tree baths for the Sau
Frar ciscsus. and One Hundred Thoussno III
establishing Home 70: Old Ladies who have
20 meaps of support. These are the principal
purposes of the trust, though there are rune
tous gi!,s of s25,O 900 and $4,000 10 various
charlties. The family Of MIR. Lick are scanli-
" remembered He gives $4,000 sp'ecc" for
gravestooes for those who are gooe, aud the
same sum or less to those who survlve-less
than Fifty Thousand Dollars 10 all. Alter these
purposes are accomplished the residue OF
ois estate goes in equal portlous TO the Cal'-
f9rDia Academy of Sciences aud the ooc'ely
of California Pioneers, tc be used 10 the erec-
:iou OF suitable buildings, and the pur-
chase of libraries, scientific collections, appa-
ratus, aud other things useful to The advance
meut of science
The trust eu braces every inch of ground and
every cent Of mouey owned by MIR. Lick. He
places himself on the lisr OF his own bene6clar-