The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-11-23
Condition of Clemson.

COLUMBIA, S. c., November W.-Ine
annual report of the board Of trustees OF
Clemson College makes an interesting
chapter in the educational history Of the
year. It shows that the Farmers College
is in serious need of money, both to pay
off contracted Indebtedness and to con-
tinue the work. Tho trustees say that
they need SIS, ,457 with which to continue
the work and have the College ready for
the opening next Spring. After deducting
the estimated income of the College they
ask for an appropriation of $50, 600.
President Simpson, of the board Of
trustees, says:
There was in our hands at the time Of
making tho last report balance Of 81
707.40 only-an amount by no means
sufficient 10 keep the work going on un-
til January l following, when the appro-
priation which we confidently believed
the Legislature would make would be-
come available, or until the stated in
come from the privilege tax would be-
gin to be paid in. Under these circum-
stances we were compelled to either stop
work or borrow money and keepit going
on. To stop work would effectually pre-
vent the opening Of the College at the
time specified, and as we earnestly de-
sired to see the College opened we Dor.
rowed upon our individual notes the
sum of $27 ,94.9l. But the Legislature
ton asked for left the financial affairs Of
the College in q precarious condition,
and required the immediate attention Of
the board, which met early in January,
1892, to consider tho condition Of the
College and to give such shape to the
work as would accord with the unoxpect-
ed conditions occasioned by this refusal
to grant US an appropriation.
TIE balance on hand at last report, to-
gether with the S27, 9444.91 borrowed upon
the individual. notes of the trustees, had
been about expended ut the time of this
meeting in January. Wo found there
fore that we were indebted for this sum
borrowed on the notes of trustees 227,-
944. 81, and also indebted for bills for ma
terial outstanding $4,000; total $39, ,944.-
81.
President Simpson goes on to show
that it was estimated that the revenue
for the year was SIS, ,2lo.I1, s28 900 coming
from the privilege tax. He then goos on
in brief way to say:
It was readily seen, therefore, that the
entire amount we could hope to realize
from these several sources would hardly
be sufficient to meet the debts outstand-
ing, and that it would be necessary to
stop work on the buildings, except such
as could be done by the oonvicts, and
cut down all expenses consistent with
the preservation ofthe property on hand.
It was also determined to sell the larger
portion of the mules and wagons and to
return at least seventy-fYe convicts 10
the Penitentiary. We regretted to have
to pursue this course, but there was no
other alternative. From the amount de-
rived from the stated income we paid of
the notes Of the trustees for 81, ,944.91
and the bills for material, $4,000, which
left small balance, which, with the pro-
ceeds from the sale Of mules, etc., fur
nished small sum with which we have
kept three or four carpenters at work,
and to direct the conviots, and to feed the
mules and convicts retained. This force
Of carpenters and convicts were directed
to proceed at once to put the buildings in
a state Of preservation.
The board intended to renew the work
on the buildings If the amount derived
from the privilege tax should prove to be
greater than the amount they had esti.
Hall in Columbia could be sold. But in
both Of thheese tthhese particulars they were dis.
appointed. Only S36, 6,221.4S was received
lEOu LILO PiASAloSo koAI q uoASioAOy Al
round mum bers Of $19,779. And from the
sale of the Agricultural Hall in Colum-
bia we received nothing, making a total
deficiency of S40, 900 in the Legislatures
estimate of our assets. The Legislature
evidently included this amount of $780,
| 600 in their estimate of the amount ap-
propriated for the purposes of the Col
| lege, and our failure to secure it left us in
the condition existing at the beginning
of the year, aud prevented Us from doing
any more than to keep the little force at
work and to preserve the College proper
Early in the year 1891 the board, in ad-
dition to the debts above mentioned, had
| contracted for heating, laundry and
kitchen plants, amounting to $4,000, to
| be paid tor when erected in the buildings
and operated to the satisfaction of the
board. It was necessary to make these
contracts early in the year, not only to
secure their delivery in time, but to en-
| able us to build the kitchen and house for
laundry to auit the requirements of the
plants; and the heating apparatus had
| to be put into the buildings in the course
of their erection. The loss from the sale
of the Agricultural Hall and amount re-
ceived from the privilege tax prevented
US from complying with our agreement
as to these contracts. We could not COM
erected and tested, and thus the
matter rests to-day.
The report goes on to show the work
| that has been done by the few carpenters
| and convicts, and sums up by stating
| that the buildings on the grounds now
are as follows: Dormitory, kitchen,
chapel, main college building, expert.
| ment station house, lsbratory, mechanical
hall, laundry, infrmary, three brick pro-
| fessors' houses completed, two brick
professors houses covered in, seven
| framed six-room cottages, canning facto-
ry, stables, cow houses and silos, and q
number of servants houses.
An itemized statement of the indebted
ness of the trustees Is given and is shown
| to be $18,54332. The board estimates the
s'stated income" for the next fiscal year
at 5000, which, after deducting the
debt will leave o balance for building
purposes Of SI9, ,457.
The trustees say that the amounts
needed for this present fiscal year are as
followss
Necessary for building .u.,,.,. .,.,,,..$4O, 600
To pay contract debtS for heating
laundry and kitchen plants".... 10000
For water supply ly.......................... 5000
Equipping dormitory and dining
room. 5000
Equipping mechanical hall. in part 1000
Equipping scientific departments,
In part..................... 5000
Equipping agriculture department
in part...........-...... .,.,,.,..r,.:.:. 5000
Equipping main building and in
hrmary.............................. 1857
........ ............" l,500
Making total required of......".$79,4 ,457
The probable amount that will be
received during the present fiscal
uan, frarra rarf1rilAno foY inkaroaf