National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-12-11
OBITUARY.
EZRA CORNELL.

A dispatch from Ithaca yesterday conveyed the
intelligence that Ezra Cornell, the founder Of
Cornell University, died in that city early in the
afternoon. Mr.. Cornell was born at Westchester
Landing, Westchester county, N. Y, on January
IL, 1907, his parents being of the Quaker faith.
The elder Cornell followed the potter's trade at
TarrytOwn and aGterward in Madison county,
where he moved in 1879 his son Ezra assisting
him. Opportunities for acquiring an education
were few in those days in the neIghbOrhOOd where
young Cornell resided, but all that were afforded
he assiduOusly improved. Leaving the paternal
homestead in 1925 he found employment in the
town of Homer, whence he moved to Ithaca after
the lapse Of two years. In the latter place he al
ternated between laborng in the machine shop
of a cotton factory and upon the farm until lS42,
when he embarked in certain telegraphic enter
prises with Prof. Morse and F. q. J. Smith.
In this new field of labor he was appointed
siStaRt superintendent OF a line Of telegraph, eX-
tending from Baltimore to Washington, and was
hrst TO conceive the plan OF substituting poles for
the pipes which were originally used for sustain
ing the wires When the line was extended to
New crk, in IS45, Mr.. Cornell was appointed to
supeTintend it, and also to supervise the cOnstruc
tiCn Of lines from New York TO Philadelphia. In
1916 he constructed a line to Albany, and another
in the year following from Troy to Montreal.
Being confident Of the success Of these projects he
invested extensively in telegrRphic stocks and
realized large profits from them. His good for
tune did not END with his business successes, for
in 1863 he was elected member of the Assembly
f ON his district and the year following to the
State Senate. But in 1855 Mr.. Cornell performed
an act which won him a place in history among
the great public beneiactOrs of the age. On July
2. 1862, Congress passed an act granting lands to
the several States and Territories for the purpose
OF providing colleges Of agriculture and mechanic
arts. The act granted 5000 acres to each OF the
senators and Representatives. OF each State, New
Works portion being $4,000 acres. The legisla-
tors Of the State determined not to divide this
LuuitcCnt grant in small parcels, but to devote
it al to one institution, which should be perma-
nent and efficient in Ill respects.
citing upon this plan, the Legislature first
COndtiOnalIy appropriated the whole amount Of
land scrip 10 another institution. The stipula-
tiUns OF the contract not having been fulfilled,
the two Houses, in 1906 following the same
policy Of concentration. transferred the entire
proceeds Of the land grant TO the institution,
which thereafter took the name of Cornell Uni
veTsity, upon its compliance with certain cOudi-
lions, of which the most important were that
OJO, and that provision should be made for the
education, free Of all charge for tuition, Of one
student from each Assembly district of the
State. At the tlTst meeting OF the trustees, Mr..
Cornell fulfilled the requirements of the charter.
He then made the additional gift OF over 800
acres of land, with buildings, as q farm to be at
tached TO the College CT Agriculture, and Of the
JeWett collection in geology and paleOntOlOgy-
a collection which had cost him Sl0,O He after
ward conferred gifts on the institution amount
ing to $4,000 and expended about 100000 in the
purchase Of land scrip and locating the lands for
the university. MIR. COrnelps generosity not
Ieges Of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts,
but to add eight other departments. Mr.. Cor
nell, frsm the very inception of this enterprise,
devoted his entire energies to its advancement.
His personal labOrs in the undertaking were as
unstinted as his pecuniary gifts, and the institu
tion in all its completeness now stands as a mOnu-
ment that shall Perpetuate the memory Of its
benefcent founder.