New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-11
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
COLUMBIAS DEBT To UNION.
DIR. En1rHAIEr MOTIFS SHARE IN SECURING


ITO the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: In recent number OF z" Lippincotts Maya
| zne' that usually precise and always denghtfui
writer. Julian hawthorne is betrayed into an inaecu-
racy by the enthusiasm OF his plea for an American
Kew" He IL when the present century
was hardly more than a scorc Of years old that one
| DR.. Hosack marked out garden on land now COM
prised between Forty sixth and Fifty-sixt1 ss' eA
and the East River. When at length he departed
b that par sdse where botany and botaniss nave ther
apotheosis he bequeathed his garden to Columbia Coi
lege on certain conditions They were to be allowed
to erect their projected college buildings IN cor
Of the garden and in return for this grant were I'd
see TO it that the plantations kept In good oruer
and augmented opportunity offered. oiusn 10 Bay
that the college, after taking the doctors land neglect
ed to carry out his stipulation they suffered the gSrueh
to fall to rack and ruin, until 1t became nothing ou'
| an unsghtly wilderness and then tho reai cS'aVo
cormorants CAME and We see the result
Not being a lawyer, Mr.. Hawthorne may be excused
for attempting to "bequeath" real estate, instead Of
"devislngo it, but the historical insccurscy OF the
passage is much mose serious The facts attending
the acquisition by Columbia College Of Dr. HosackS
| botanical garden form an interesting narrative.
| In 1901 Dr. David Rosacit was professor Of botany
| and matera medca In Columbia College, He was an
enthusiast in his devotion to the former branch OF his
instruction. and made unsuccessful enorts 70 secure
from the State and In establishing botanical garden
| on Manhattan Island. Finally he undertook the ta'A
|
an insignificant sum twenty acres OF land near the
Bloomlngdale Road distant over three miles nom the
city OF that day. and covering the territory now III
cuded between Fifth and sixth aves Forty -seventh
and Flfty-Hrst SITS. This tract the doctor pegan 10
improve liberal scale, clearing up the grouhu anu
lnclosng the whole by great stone wall OF masonry
| seven feet in height A fne conservatory ana TWO
spacious lighthouses built rare plants ana shrDS,
both native and excite were cultivated and belt OF
forest trees was planted around the outer limits AS
the Doctor probably anticipated, the botanical garden
soon became feature Of public interest ana PROBES
sional utility and in 1910 the NewYork Medical soci
ety. the Common Council, the New-foK Hospital INC
state Medical Society and many ndividuas united III
petition to the Legislature to purchase the garden
| for the state OF New York. AS result, there was
| passed March H. 1910, "An Act for the Promotion
OF Medical Science In the state OF Newferk Inc act
| directed the Commissioners OF the Lana omeo ~
purchase the Botanical Garden at fair value Oh the
land without estimating the worth OF the plants anu
trees and according to the usual custom OF that day
custom which under the present dispensatlon, Woulu
have lodged our godly grandfathers in the lookup
provided raising the necessary unds by lotery
The land was aerward appraised at 81 800 an acre,
or $50 900 The buildings and fixtures were esuHated
| to be worth 524 300 more, while the Sl2ooo Wortn
of trees plants, tools, etc, were not paid for mus
for consideration OF S74 800 the title passed from the
thrifty botanist to the state Of Newly York. and DR..
Hosack lived comfortably for quarter OF century
| therefore on the profits OF the TRANSACTION lie dlen
in 1885 at the age Of sixty years The property
was placed by the State under the care of the Regents
to be maintained without further public expense for
| the benefit of the medical schools and societies OF
the State.
In the legislative session of 1914 there were half
| dozen or more educational charitable institutions
which were vigorously urging their claims for state
| bounty The three colleges of the State Columbia,
Union and Hamilton, the latter then Just organized,
| 1ctr itC nn
| and Surgeons the New-York Historical Society and
other institutions had each before one house or the
other its separate bill for financial relief Union
College, which nine years before had been granted
lottery of $4,000, asking for another one OF
100000. Columbia College asked no lottery, but
simply asked the grant By the State OF the Hosach
| Botanical Garden in New-fork
Among the master minds Of that generation there
was not more skilful, adroit or effective political
manager the Rev. DR.. Elphalet Mott, president
OF Union College He understood men and the motives
| of human action. He was a character reader and
character mouder. His influence, not only upon his
pupils but upon every person with whom he came In
contact YVES universally acknowledged. No more
sklful lobbyist freQuented the Capitol ana no
more eloquent advocate confronted leglslauVe
committee than President Mott. lie never sought les-
| Iation in vain. He knew just what he wanted, and
inst how 10 get it. Recognizing the value OF Dr. MOTIFS
experienced leadership Hamilton College, the College
NJ Physicians and Surgeons the Asbury Church OF New
York and the Historical Society pooled their issues
| withdrew their several private bills and urged Dr.
Mott TO incorporate their claims In the Union Lottery
hill To this the president asseDted and he broadened
his lottery scheme to give Hamilton 100000
| the College OF Physicians 100000 the Historical
society 81 600 and the Asbury Church 1000. This
huge gambling device the reverend lobbyist pushed
forward so zealously that it was soon advanced to
the third reading the Assembly calendar and was
certain to go through.
All this time the Columbia College bill slumbered
peacefully in committee. 1t was treated With scant
courtesy by the members OF the Legislature, especially
those from the country districts They were willing
TO authorize the drawing OF lotteries, which conferred
benefits upon literary institutions without any draft
on the Treasury, and at the same time gave tne
constituents the pieasurabe excitement Of buying
chances in the gambling enterprise but to grant out
and out valuable property worth AT leasI SlooGoO
was drawing near its close In their extremity the
Columbia managers swallowed their pride, sought out
President Mott and besOugt him take up their des
pelate cause. lie hestated not a moment, but de-
cared that whatever for the good OF higher educa
ton would receive his hearty cooperation Although
measure, he consented to attach the absolute grant ~
ml 70 e.tabIIsR lottery The b had TO 20 back 10
the committee for amendment, and there with all te
generosity Of his nature and all the eoquence for which
he was so famed, the euogst Of Hamilton pleaded FOR
HamOn's alma mater In the same breath with the col
carried esT ID I his point The amended bill was pIoted
safely through both houses signed by the Governor
soa Dr. Mott vent back to resume his college duties
at Schenectady. 49,,
So general the conviction that to DR.. Mott alone
was due the passage OF the amended Lottery bill tha
at the close Of the printed act III the Session laws o.
1914 appears this remarkable note No Dill before
the LEGISLATURE excited greater Interest and attention
than this act Especial credit is due TO the unweared
exertions OF the able and eloquent president OF Union
College In promoting It's passage" IL Is the only In
stance In the history OF State legislation In which such
an annexation occurs in the Official volume oil inc
session laws. ,
AS TO suggest graceful recognition Of the services
OF Union College in securing for rival institution SO
magnificent endowment, the Legislature voluntarily
inserted In the bill another secuon which Pr0voed
mat within one year from the date OF the act, al
least one healthy exotic flower Shrub or plant OF each
kind In duplicate, with the jar containing the same
should be sent to Union College. The records OF
Union however, not show that Columbia ever made
even this simple acknowledgment. -,
Tbns tho 1Josack Garden became the property OF
Columbia College Inc proceeds OF Cnon tt