The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-12
COGSWELL TALKS.
He Doesn't Know What
He Will Do.
BUT THE MAYOR WILL KNOW.
An Investigation of the College Trust
Finances to Be Held-The Pupils
Address the Doctor.

Dr. Cogswell, who threatens to close
his college and throw the pupils into the
reckless hands of chance, has at last been
heard from on the subject
So has the Mayor.
Dr. Cogswel and Mayor Ebert may now
! be likened to champions about to meet and
decide big stake-the welfare of many
children of California.
From DR.. Cogswel's remarks yesterday
1t does not seem that he understands the
| question thoroughly. He seems to believe
! that there Is purpose abroad to rob him,
! run him into debt and otherwise divert
! his generous gift. In the confusion en-
gendered by this idea lie appears to over
look the rights of the pupils altogether.
| To that extent he may be looked upon as
opposing their interests.
The Mayor, on the other hand, is per-
fectly unbiased, and is only interested in
| seeing that no injustice is done and that
! the terms Of the trust are maintained TO
the letter. Ii there are funds enough TO
! carry on the school 1t must be carried on.
The battle between the champions is
! likely to turn on this financial hinge and
| The people will be content to allow the
Mayor TO probe the doctors glittering
generalilies with his usual keen, business
|
Ex-Secretary Spears of the previous
| board Of trustees. member of the big
firm Of +. A. huntington IL Co., is prob
/ aD1y the one person most competent TO
| speak upon the finances of the trust.
There Is absolutely no financial reason
! for closing the school," he said yesterday.
There is monthly income of $1,000, be-
! sides 5000 In The treasury, making an
| available income Of SLIGO odd per month.
Against that there are salaries a little over
$500 and running expenses to bring the
amount up to $1,000 per month.
There are other expenses which DIR.
! Cogswell VIII make the most of. such as
! insurance, taxes and street assessments.
Insurance demands are now due and may
be paid. They amount to about $500 on
policy of $4,000.
THE question of taxes is in allegiance.
They amount TO some $500. but it is con-
tended and allowed by most authorities
that as the school is for the public benefit
| IL is exempt from taxation. Last year we
were not called upon To pay, under this
construction. and, II 1t applied then, it APP
/ plies now.
Lastly, the street assessments by
/ special arrangement are not due until after
January !, 1894, when the trust revenue is
increased TO Sl666 66 per month.
To sum up, there is no street assess
! ment due, no taxes absolutely due and
only $500 insurance due. which can be
! paid out Of the funds in hand. If there
be any repairs or other incidentals they
can easily be covered. In fact. with con-
fdence in the trustees any amount of
money required could be raised. The
school is Efficient and there are ample
/ fun DIS to carry II on, in spite OF all the rep
reservations to the contrary"
DR.. Cngswell WAS not so specific in mis-
! financial statement
DO you mean 10 close the college," was
asked.
No" he replied with some agitation;
| II have made no calculations that way
| whether l will or not. But | mean to pay
! the debts"
"They say there is plenty of money for
! running expenses" was suggested next
There is not; there are taxes and street
! assessments and repalrs-the old board
/ never did any repairs They got away
! WIKI $4,000 my money and used $500 Of
| 1t 10 pay lawyer for fighting me. How
much of that S13) 000 is left, do you sup
! pose? Oaly $1,000
And" continued the doctow, with grow
! ing excitement, They kept me out of my
| own school at the pistols point. 1 haven't
/ been there for eight months. The insults l
have been obliged to put up with at the
hands OF that man Gibbs, who Is lnstigat-
! Ing all these attacks against mel
The charge that two of the trustees
! Culver and Badger-are expecting to make
money out OF their position is without
! foundation.
L
! will do. | have the building aud | can't
/ make church of it, and nv attorney, Mr..
/ Bagsett is away. There is a sewer on
! Seventh street, and repairs ana q hundred
| other things, and mean to ray the de BITS"
SO said Dr. COgsweIl and then he turned
TO receive a bright delegation Of his own
| pupils who presented the following letter:
/ Dr. II. d. CogStreit-DEAR AND HoNoRED
SIR; We, the pupils attending the college
} girls OF fllis tfO a vat In
| slider this request TO keep the school open next
/ lem.
! II IS only during the past few weeks that we
/ have known OF your int niOn to close the
school We desire to impress upon you the
extent 10 which this would affect US. To us Ii
means the complete rupture I'm The superior
course OF education which we have been pur-
suing during the past Two years. II means an
/ entire change In our lives. is we have no other
school where we can pursue aud complete The
STUDIES winch we have commenced and which
we greatly prefer.
II may seem 10 you that we are dissatisfied
win the course winch we have been enjoying
du Ing the past terms. Bur in suite OF the lack
of funds we have not been seriously neon
yenieuced; on the contrary, we feel that our in
stluction has been all that we could desire.
Euueatlng you to consider our request, we
remain, as ever your o0edent servants, The
pupils of HE Coeswel Poiytechnical College.
Il have no time, / have no time now"
said the doctor, clu tching the letter ana
ascending the stairs.
do you intend closing the school, doc
tor?" asked one of the young delegates
respectfully.
- dou't know. don't know" returned
/ the doctor.
But. doctor. il is a great hardship to us
/ not to know positively; it is so near the
! end Of the term" urged one of the boys
/ bravely.
"Ill see about it; I do Mt know. The
| expenses must be paid. l don't know"
And the young delegates had TO be content
With this reply.
But they Jared better with the Mayor.
Mayor Ebert was in his Office at the new
! City Hall aud received the delegation of
four young men and one pretty maiden
them at their ease.
What can do for you?" he asked.
Ihey explained their errand and pre-
| sentrd their petition asking the Mayor to
| demand an accounting of the trustees and
/ investigate the finances of the trust in
order that it might be shown whether
there were not enough funds available or
Drocnrable to continue the scnoot in
accordance with the terms of the trust
deed.
They talked freely of the Importance to
them of continuing the school and found
an attentive and kindly listener in the
| Mayor
He replied that he would request DR..
! Cogswell to come down and see him and
would be glad to see his visitors again on
IIesudy' When ne couiu report progress.
1t Is not known how deeply the nve sti-
CATION will 60. There are rumors that
some OF the endowment property is leased
away below its proper value and that the
revenue of the trust might be also largely
Increased II the doctor would consent to
use other portions instead of allowing
them to lie idle.
But at any rate the boys and girls and
their parents were feeling much better last
night. The Mayor, they think, will not
allow any mi stice 10 be done. how ever
plausibly that injustice may be yelled.