The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-04-19
Grsen1,iM Me1cs .

t<3ub ldCt5s.
Mr.. Clemson's will was drawn several
years ago by the late Col. Jas. a. Rion,
but several amendments and additions
more recently made were drawn by Mr..
Simpson. He bequeaths to his grand
daughter, Miss Lee, $4,000 in money
and securities and $50 acres of the Fort
Hill place, with the provision that that
tract may be bought in and added to the
remainder of the estate at fixed price:
Other legacies amount to $4,000, OF
which 81, 600 was paid before his death.
All the remainder of the Fort Hill .es.
tate, with the buildings and the magnif.
cent collection of rare pictures, except
the family pictures, which 60 to Miss
Lee, Mr.. Calhoun's furniture and books
remaining in the house and the stocks,
bonds, money and other securities OF Mr..
Clemson, go to the State for the estab-
lishment and maintenance of an agricul-
tural college.
The Fort Hill place contains 1,150
acres. OF this $50 acres, as already
stated, 20 to Miss Lee, but can be pur..
chased to keep the estate intact, at a fixed
reasonable price. Those intimate with
Mr.. Clemson's affairs estimate that the
securities and cash remaining after the
payment of all encumbrances aud expen-
ses will be between $50, 900 and $50, 900,
available for developing and endowing
the college.
The magnifcence of the bequest can
not we'll be appreciated without an un.
derstanding of what and where Fort Hill
is.
It is in Oconee county just at the point
where Oconee, Pickens and Anderson
unite. It truns for some distance along
the Seneca river and thence back into
rolling uplands and heavily timbered
woodland. The house stands on the
crest of gently rising hill in the midst
of wide park, an avenue of old and
beautiful cedars leading to it. From .he
front there is q glorious view directly to
the mountains until their purple lines
mipgle with the horizon on another side
the view overlooks the Seneca, vending
it's way among the hills, and the old Brit.
ish fort, from which the place takes its
name and which is on the Fort Hill plan.
tation.
The residence is in sight of the Rich
mond & Danville railroad track, at a dis
tance of half mile, and is four miles
from Pendleton, on the Blue Ridge rail-
road, four miles from Central, on the
Richmond, & DanVille road, and seven
miles from Seneca City, the meeting
point of the two railroads mentioned.
It is hard to imagine requisite for an
agricultural college which Fort Hill does
not possess. It has nearly 200 acres of
the finest bottom land, creek and river
bottom, cleared upland, pasture land in
wide stretches aud great belt of first
growth timber, and it's upland soil is
partly gray and partly red land. 1t is
abundantly watered with springs, wells
and creeks and has all possible natural
convenience for dairy, bathing houses
and laundry purposes. Where q creek
on it empties into the Seneca river there
| is a good water power which has been
used for mill which did the neighbor.
hood grinding.
A fair estimate of the value of the real
and personal property included in the
bequest makes it exceed 100000, with:
out, of course, including the pictures and
furniture, which are priceless. Contrary
to general expectation, the library is a
very ordinary one, most of the more val
liable books having been borrowed, stolen
or otherwise lost during Mr.. Clemson's
long period of retirement and partial
| illness.
The property is given to the State to
| be used as an institution for instruction
| in agriculture, but the will directs that
the college shall not be exclusively .agri.
cultural, ..and that proper attention be
given to other studies and to general
collegiate course for students. If the
State accepts the gift, the college is to be
under the management of seven trustees,
named in the will: Messrs. r. W. Simp.
son, D. K. Norris, B. r. Tllman, M. T..
Donaldson, r. E. Bowen, J. E. Bradley
and j. E. Wannamaker. In case the
State refuses to accept the gift these
trustees are authorized and directed to
proceed with the, establishment of the
college, using an amount specified in the
will for buildings and making tuition as
nearly free as they may find it possible
or advisable.
1t was no sudden freak that inspired
Mr.. Clsmson's action. As long ago as
1866 he was interested in the establish
ment of such an institution as his will
provides for, and he was then active in
forwarding scheme to procure private
gifts and subscriptions for the purpose.
After the tragic death of his only son,
killed by q railroad accident in 1871, he
became more than ever before interested
and evolved and publicly announced his
purpose of promoting practical agricul-
tural education. Since then he has
thought and talked much of the subject
and his will was no surprise to those who
knew him best or to Mr.. Lee, his lin
law, who knew long ago the destination
intended for the property.
On returning from Fort Hill, the Green.
ville News representative met at Central,
d. K. Norris, now the foremost leader of
| the Farmers movement" and since Mr..
Tillman's formal retirement, the most
prominent and persistent advocate for q
separate farmers college. Mr.. Norris
'7as quiet on the subject of the Clemson
bequest, but evidently deeply enthused
and very much in earnest.
He said the gift put the whole matter
of the college in the hands of the farm.
ers, and they could secure magnificent
institution for agricultural education if
they will use the opportunity. With the
amour ,m the land scrip now given
the Sop Carolina College and the mon.
ey from lue fertilizer tax now diverted to
the college annex and other purposes
every cent of which, he said, was legally
and morally for the use Of the farmers
for educating farmers-an income OF
$4,000 year would be secured for the
new college, with its grounds and build.
ings all provided and some income from
the surplus endowment. That was more
than the State Military Academy and the
State College have together, be said, and
would give splendid, thoroughly eff
cient agricultural college, capable of &C.
commodating hundreds of students,
without the addition of one cent to the
taxes. He did not believe, he said, in
free tuition. That question had been
settled in the case of the State college.
But he thought it probable system
would be adopted by which students
would be enabled to pay the whole or 9
large part of their expenses by extra work
and aervice in the institution,