The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-27
LELAND STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
A Story That 1t Might Have Been Estab-
lIshed in Albany.

A Story That 1t Might Have Been Estab-
lIshed in Albany.
The Troy Press: Leland Stanford was
born in Watervliet, very near to the pres
emit western boundaries of the city of Al
bany, March s, 1924. He began to practice
law at Port Washington, Wis.,, in 1849. A
fire in 1852 destroyed his law library and
determined him to remove to California,
where three brothers had preceded him.
Il Success crowned his efforts there. In
deed, few men have had the degree of ma
terial prosperity that Inns crowned MIR.
Stanford. But his only son, Leland Stan
ford, Jr., died in Italy just after he had en-
tered his seventeenth year. This child of
SO many hopes was given regal post-mortem
honors. All that the millions of the desc
late parents could do to give outward men
ifestations to their grief was DONE. For
many months both father and mother were
heartbroken. Their wealth could do moth
ing toward softeninR the blow.
Leland Stanford's heart turned to tho
farm whereon he was born and to the re-
eion where his ancestors had lived. The
body of his son had been taken from Italy
to San Francisco. Mr.. Stanford deter
mined to have the body removed to the Al
bany Rural cemetery and to erect there in
memory of his dead boy and buried hopes a
magnificent mausoleum, says the Troy
Press. At the same time he had in mind a
disposition of his millions that should for
ever celebrate the name of his son n that
should be useful to the public.
Mr.. Stanford began negotiations with
the officers of the Rural Cemetery associa-
ton for the purchased of a site for the maui
solemn and almost simultaneously deter
mined to obtain $50 acres of land, including
the farm Of his nativity, just west of the
purpose of erecting there the institution
that has since, in another location, be-
come known to the world as the Leland
Stanford, Jr., university.
Neither arrangement was contaminated
Recently a gentleman intimately acquainted
with Senator Stanfosd has told the reason
why. The officers of the Cemetery associa-
ton, it. is said, knowing Mr.. Stanford's
great wealth and his greater grief, seemed
to be of the opinion that they could get
from him a little more for the mausoleum
site than a person of ordinary means would
be asked. The sum which it is said they
endeavored to extort was $76; that is, they
asked that amount above the fixed charge
for the plot.
Mr.. Stanford discovered the endeavor.
He shook the dust Of Albany from his feet
and went back to California, where he inn
mediately entered upon the development of
his university project.
In memory of his only son Mr.. Stanford
has given the state of California $50, 0OO. 900
to be used in founding at Pnlo Alto n uni
versity whose curriculum not only in
cludes the usual collegiate studies, but COM
prises instruction in ~telegraphy, typeset-
ting. typewriting, journalism, bookkeeping.
farming, civil engineering. and other
practical branches of education.
This, the most richly endowed institution
OF learning in the world, was lost to Albany
New Albany as some of its enterpris-
ing citizens call it-because. according to
this narration, it was thought to be good
business poliey to overcharge a millionaire
$75 for a burial plot.