New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-07


years the gifts reached the enormous sum "t
s. O0oO0O II s now announced that President
Low has himself made a gift u a new library
building - the college. and that the building
VIII cost 81 900 900 His eiit ls made In honor of
hls father the late A \ Low
President Low Will have the satisfaction - VII
Messing some u the good results ~ his energy
and rnuninrcncc. He VIII sec the college. which
hr,au l,s carrer I'm College Place. and outgr"w
l,s noNt hnb!iatiIn at Madson-av". and Fiteih-
~ move 10 iis new and permanent nom" III
Riverside Heights where n VIII have ample room
and costly and c0inmod lus buildings. Ills plans
fir thc future = Columbia are hy no means
ronulctcd AMI friends 4 the institution may
soon hear of now ndyanrc9 IN 80 prosperity
AFR Lows father WAS for many years on
esr.l I'm the tea trade and lrft fortune "sti-
mated "a, ahou, $4,000 oo0. He lived In one "f
IN. finest MANSIONS on Columbia Heights IN
Rrooklyn ana wns one ~ the chief citizens or
that city Tho nrm ~ a. A. Low & Co. In TINS
city. had a wide reputation. Seth Low was
graduated at Columbia College In lsIo ana ne
was Mayor ot BroCKiy bcforr he was Called 70
the presidency OF Columbia.
Th. announcement ~ President Lows gift
Yesterday was coupled with the announcement
u IN, g!ft ~ another building 10 the col"g"
hv " G. Sch"rmerhorn chairman OF the Board
~ Trustees The building given by Mr. Scher-
mcrhorn VIII cost $500 900 Mr. Schermerhorn
ia a millionaire who inherited IN" principal
part of the vast Srhcrmerhorn estate In TINS
city. and he lives in the Schernerhorn mansion
IN r,vou,v-thiri-s, the only building In that
street between Fif'h and Sixth aves.. which
has no, been devoted TO business purposes. He
was graduated from Columbia Colleg" in 1870
and he is lawyer by profession. He Is In
torcs,el I'm the management Of the American
Museum Of Natural History and Of the Metro
polltnn Museum ~ Art. and he Is member
Of the Century. Knickcrbocker and Metropoh-
tan clubs.
4 MEMORABLE DAY INDEED.
Yesterday was certainly memorable one In the
history Of Columbia College. and rarely. II ever be
fore did the trustees come together In monthly
meeting and separate with 50 much cause for con-
rratulntion over the prospects ~ the institution
IN their care as they ala yesterday.
When President Low entered upon the duties
OF his office II IL known that he hestatel
for a cors ac-ahlr period before withdrlw wing him
self from tho activities OF public life with which he
had been Identified corspicuously ever since he
had reached the age OF maturity. There were
many who believed that with his brilliant record
behind him and the large possibilities before MIN
In The political field he was likely 10 make con-
siderable sacrifice by assuming the functions oi
colee. nrcsldent When he accepted the office he
was known young publc-spritcd man. and
,hc prospociive inhcritor Of n large fortune pos
sesscd bv his father II was predicted that Co
Iu,nbia College would In all probability be gamer
By securing Seth Low "a its president; but II Is
doubtful whether there was any one In New-York
n the time he entered upon his duties who would
have prophos!ed that within less than five years
from the date ~ his assumption ~ office he would
make SO muninccnt a gift as sl.OooOoO Though
his fortune WAS known to be large his activities
as a college president naturally forced his relin-
qulshmont of opportunities for adding to II by
business associations, Therefore. 1t has seemed
t. some all the more remarkable that almost AT
the beginning Of his presidency he should have
parted with SO massive a proportion Of his fort
unc
The regular monthly meeting yesterday was
presided over by william c. Schermerhorn
chairman OF the Board of Trustees Others
present were the Rev. DR. Talbot W. Chambers
Cornelius Vanderbilt, Charles a. Silliman
stephen =. Nash. f. Augustus Schcrmerhorn
the Rev Dr. Morgan DIX. Girard Beckman
Edward Mitchell. President Low. George l."
Rivcs. Icnox Smith. William II. Draper. the
Rev. Dr. Marvin Il. Vincent. John B. Pine
Girard T.. Whcelock Frederic Il. Coudert. H. H.
Cammann. william q. Lathrop and James Me
Lean Nash. treasurer
Shortly after the meeting had organized
President Low arose and announced that as
memorial Of his father. the late Abiel Abbott
Low who. as he said "a merchant who
taught his son to value the things for which
Columbia College stands" he desired To pre-
sent To the college IA new library building to
be erected the site Cathedral Heights
whore the new college buildings are now IN
course OF construction.
THE LIBRARY BUILDING.
The library will be situated In the centre or
a terrace occupying the highest point or land
OF the new site. About II will be grouped In
a rectangular court the minor buildings, pierced
by the southern, eastern and western APP
proaches all on the axia lines Of the building.
which faces south. Access to the southern. or