The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-09
NOW WITH THE REGENTS.
VIII They Accept the Selection
of the Affiliated Colleges
Committee
Sutro Writes a Strong Letter Con-
corning His Magnificent
Library.

The Board of Regents Will meet to-mor-
row for the purpose of determining
whether or not they will accept the choice
of the committee having in charge the Sc
lection of site for the Affiliated Colleges.
The committee, as has been previously
stated in The CALL, agreed by vote of
eleven to two to recommend Mayor Sutro's
gift as the most desirable, location and
trend of population being the main fea-
lures influencing this decision.
1t is not by any means certain, however
that the Regents will ratify this action,
hence their meeting tomorrow is attract
ing more than ordinary attention. Dr.
McNutt, who fought so valiantly, yet hope
iessly, for the selection of the Potrero site
by the committee, has not yet given up all
hope. He proposes not only to file mi
nority report with the Regents, but to ap-
pear before that body anG there champion
his cause as only he can.
In the meantime Mayor Sutro is not idle.
His able lieutenants, Colonel Little and A.
c. Unsworth are piling up all sorts of
evidence tending to show that Mr.. Sutros
gift is not only the most desirable, but Is IA
vored BIZ the colleges directly interested and
a majority of the people. At the meeting
tomorrow there will be read a letter from
Mr.. Sutro, in which the Sutro Library cuts
a very prominent figure. Among other
things he says:
''Now please permit me to say few
words as to the special value of the Sutro
Library and the general value OF libraries
to colleges.
"The Sutro Library consists at present
of about 100000 volumes. but counting all
titles is probably nearer 100000.
ITO give some idea Of its value will
quote what Andrew J. White, formerly
president of Cornell University, afterward
United States Minister to Berlin and st.
Petersburg, one of the foremost scholars in
the United States, said in letter to DR.. J.
NJ Buckley, editor of the Christian Advo-
cate in which paper 1t was printed, IN 1892:
must confess that of ali the amazing things
on the Pacific Coast-and l encountered sur
prise after surprise-the most unexpected was
the discovery OF the Sutro Library, and OF the
fact that so few people in California knew any
thing about it. About the year 1888
he began very quietly the founding OF
library. His fundamental theory is worthy of
notice He saw that OF libraries for popular
use there would be q suficiency-yery many
men can see the necessity OF these; he there
fore determined to develop library which,
while it should be useful to citizens generally,
should be especially attractive TO scholars
and valuable in developing the higher thought
and work OF the Pacific Coast. In this view he
bought outright several European libraries,
each of great Importance in some special de-
partment, and then supplemented these by
large purchases at important sales in Great
Britain and on the Continent
The library of the Duke OF Sunderland the
great collection of duplicates belonging to the
ROYAL Library at Munich, the Dahlberg and
Buxheim Libraries were among the principal
sources from which he drew. His agents abroad
have since been steadily purchasing under the
advice of experts, whom Mr.. Sutro has called to
take charge OF his books until he has now ac-
cUmulated in the City of San Francisco about
two hundred thousand volumes-and wonder
full collection it is. Every branch of science,
literature and art is well represented. x
With considerable acquaintance among the
libraries of the United States, 1 should rank
this one already among the first four in value,
and it is rapidly increasing.
Just what the Regents will do is all
matter of speculation at this time. There
are many who profess to believe that they
will not only fail to ratify the committees
selection, but will also refuse to accept the
Potrero tract, and should this course be
followed it means that the committee must
do its work all over again. The prevailing
impression, however, seems to be that he
Regents will accept the Surro site in spite
of the strong and forcibe arguments that
will be made by Drs. McNutt and Taylor
for the Potrero property.
Mr.. Hallidie of the Board of Regents and
also of the Affiliated Colleges committee,
has already outlined in an interview pub
lished in THE CALL several days ago the
course he will follow. If he carries out this
idea the Sutro site will certainly receive
his vote. Mr.. Marye and General Hough-
ton are known to favor the Potrero tract
the irst-named gentleman having stated
that under no consideration would he vote
for the acceptance of Mr.. Sutros Offer