The San Francisco call., 1896-06-04
SCIENCE WITHOUT MONEY
Capable Trustees in Charge Will
Pilot the Academy of
Sciences.
Taxes Play Havoc With the Small
Income, but All Current Bills
Are Paid.

Income, but All Current Bills
Are Paid.
The announcement in THE CALL of yes
terday that the California Academy of
Sciences was in a rather constrained posi-
ton financially was received with mixed
feelings of astonishment and regret.
Men who have long admired the acad-
emy and its work in the field of science
were sorry to learn that the institution
was hard pressed for money.
Those who knew what the academy has
accomplished were in fact panied at the
prospect of a possible discontinuance OF the
scientific research which kept California
before the world. They foresaw sudden
end, for some time at least, of the splen-
did efforts of such men as Dr.
Eisen, Professor Loomis and others, and
in more than one instance it was
stated: Now is time when men of
wealth ought to come to the aid of the
academy, as old Charles Crocker did long
ago, and help it on in the interest of sci
ence."
OF course it must not be understood that
he academy is not able to meet its debts,
or that the credit of its board of trustees is
impaired in any way.
The situation. as outlined in THE CALL,
is this: The academy has not sufficient
income, now that it is wholly clear of the
Lick trust, TO carry on its work as hereto
fore, and the strictest economy must be
employed to keep its head above water.
Indeed, the trustees have accepted the sit
uation and instituted q regime of strict
economy.
Salaries have been cut down and all ex-
penses reduced, and this means that the
scientific work has been curtailed; that
this paper or that may not be published as
part of the proceedings of the institution
that expeditions may not be sent out for
original work in the field, which is all i'm
portant to the advancement of science !;
that, in short, the unlimited and endless
work of the curators is retarded for the
want of money.
With the money at its disposal the
academy cannot pursue its scientific work
in keeping with its facilities and its staff
OF curators.
w. S. KEYS of the board of trustees had
a plan to sell the building on Market
street or rent it all for a good income.
General nucius H. Foote, treasurer of the
trustees, stated yesterday that such plan
was not possible under the law or condi-
tions of the trust.
General Foote declared that the institu-
tion was not bankrupt. But" he ad-
mitted, "we are compelled to be very
economical in everything to keep within
our means"
| He made a statement of the financial
condition of the academy, which was
really favorable.
"1he academy property is assessed for
| $3.50, ,000,' he said, "and there is not q
| dollar owing on it. We have loaned out
sos, ,54S 46 at per cent, and in what is
! known as the Crocker fund-a donation
from Charles Crocker-we have $4,000 in
Southern Pacific bonds bearing interest o1
per cent.
about $4,000. Within the last year we
received about 500, 900 from the settlement
of the Lick trust. The academy is worth
about $500, 900 to-day. Our gross income
| is about 5000.
Last year we took about $4,000 out ol
bank and loaned it out at per mt. Thai
| left us short of ready money. We had tc
paw taxes for the first time, as the property
was given over by the Lick trust to the
academy trustees during the year. Now
that is an expenditure of 2.25 per centum
on $360,O00, heavy draft on our treasury
] that should not be made at ALL 1t j.
wrong to tax scienti institution
"The academy should not be taxed. We
| hope the taxes will be much less this year
or that we may be able to have them re
| duced.
Then last year the academy did great
deal OF work, very high-class work, and
published papers that were expensive
| Probably these publications exceeded
those of any other similar institution in
the country. 1t is said they actually were
double as large as the publications O.
other academies.
s'We have had to cut down expenses
Curators are working for $40 month
Imagine these scientific men giving ur
their time, devoting themselves wholly tc
their work for $40 month! 1t is only
| their love for science that makes it posi-
bie Expenses for each department. fol
alcohol, chemicals and little things do moi
exceed $50 year on an average.
"The great point now being made by the
| trustees is to keep within our income
Still we hope to publish quite mum Der oi
articles apd illustrations this year. such
papers as those of DR.. Jordan, Professor
Ritter of the University of California, and
Others, likely DR.. Esen's on his wonderful
discovery, and some other articles.
"All current bills are paid up to date.
| At the regular monthly meeting of the
| trustees to-day they were passed upon,
and the question of publishing was a SO
discussed. AS Tor selling the building, we