The San Francisco call., 1897-02-06
WHY A TRACT WAS GOT
AT POINT Iona.
One Edifce on the Corinthian
Style and One on the
Egyptian,
FOUNDATION STONES FROM IRE
LAND AND EGYPT.
E. B. Rambo'S Strange Account of the
Purchase AMI the Many Men Who
Are Behind the Enterprise.

Over month ago the announcement
was made from San Diego of the mys-
terious purchase of 132 acres of land there
by two men, one unknown and the other
being G. A. Gricom of New York. Va
rious reasons were assigned as probable
for the purchase.
According to one report the land was to
be used as technical grounds for the Union
Pacific system, which was to be COM
pleted there from Salt Lake. Another had
it that since the land lay so near to Mex
leo it was to De used for a trans-Pacific
cable station. And still another reason
assigned for the purchase was that the
land was TO be utilized for docks for fast
steamship line to Japan. Another am
bitious correspondent figured out that the
franchise was all owing to the determina-
tion to complete at once the Nicaragua
canal.
Finally another dispatch reached San
Francisco saying the secret was out. The
land had been bought for second Monte
Carlo.
All this was very interesting, but neces-
sarily much of it must be very unreliable.
The real reason, however is now known.
One of the men who caused so much con-
lecture was E. B. Rambo of this City,
and he yesterday gave the story of the
purchase with the real reason therefor.
Odd as it may seem it is as surprising and
strange as any OF the others that have
been assigned.
The land was bought for tie establish
ment of q school for the revival of the
Lost aria 3 NJ.
strange, even practicable, in this mat
ter-of-fact time. but Mr.. RamLo says that
not only Is that the object, put that the
progressive spirits which have cast their
lot together in the enterprise have incor-
porated in almost these words.
building is to be erected at once. In
ia the cornerstone is TO be laid between
the 18th and Goth inst, as Mr.. Ram bo
says. Already the plans are completed
and thereis to be no delay. Foundation
stones are to be used in the masonry
gathered from different parts of the world
There IS large wealth Represented in the
purchase. Mr.. Rambo gave list of the
prominent gentlemen identified with it,
and with the strange school that Is to be
established. Not only are q number of
these men very wealthy. but they are
widely known, and among them are some
OF the leading thinkers of the country.
"The exact amount of lard which we
have purchased" said Mr.. Rambo, "is
1921 acres. 1t is on Point Iona, and
borders the bay OF San Diego, and COM
mands a beautiful view of it, the ocean,
Coronado and San Diego. In one place
the ground rises 800 feet high, so that the
prospect all around is commanding. Mr.
Griscom and myself kept our mission
secret in San Diego, because If it had been
known what We were there for, we would
have had to pay probably SIS, 900 instead
hon fr,r la,
ten years ago we would have had to pay q
dozen times what we paid for it.
This land IS ioI a system of schools
anc colleges. Ii has been supposed by
some that the Masons were going to begin
some extraordinary educational work
there, and by others that the theosophists
were going to do so. Neither of these
suppositions is quite correct, though a
mum Der of those in the enterprise are
either one or the other, but not all.
''Our object in buying the land is in
brief TO establish a college for the revival
of the lost mysteries of antiquity. We
have thought that at this remote point on
the American continent, where the en-
vironment is so favorable, this would be
the best OF all places for it. 1t is lot to be
a school for youths, but for thinking
people all over the world. We expect to
have eminent men and women, too, as in
structors. but, perhaps, not Immediately.
They will come when we get the school
under way.
1--WE will at first erect a handsome
wooden building 120 feet long, two and
three stories high, with Corinthlan col
umns and broad piazZas. The building is
contracted for already. There are 10 be
extensive libraries, large hall, reading
rooms and other departments in the first
story, including a kitchen and dining
room, which occupy one wing.
The entire building will be classical
IN hnlsh. 1t will have large verandas
facing the ocean and San Diego, with large
columns surrounding them. This build
ing, though spoken OF as temporary, will
STAND and be used permanently. But the
permanent building, as it is now alluded
10, will be in another style OF architecture.
1he cornerstones OF this will be laid
between the 10Th and Goth of this month.
Ihis is to be school OF higher education,
so called, and in it will be taught phi
osophy, science and religions. This will
be very large building of stone. The
cornerstones have been collected from
different countries. There Is a stone from
Ireland already here, and stones from
Scotland and Egypt are on the wav
This building will be Egyptian in char
acter, like some Of the old temples 1t
Will be surrounded with smaller buildings.
1t IS the intention OF many of our people,
who are men OF wealth and living in the
East and abroad, to come here and spend
a part of each year there. They will build
their own residences there and with their
families enjoy the advantages OF study
and ASSOCIATION with those who are study
ing the mysteries OF antiquity. Other
buildings will follow as We can erect them.
"Among the officers of Our society are
men of wealth and distinction. Dr. ].
D. Buck. the president, is of Cincinnati
and the dean OF the Homeopathic Medi-
cal College there; T.. M. Pierce, the vice.
president, is an electrical engineer of New
York; E. a. Nercsheimcr. the treasurer
is a millionaire diamond merchant of New
York; G. A. Griscom, the secretary, who
was with me and assisted in making the
purchase, is manager OF the international
Steam ship Company, which owns the City
of Paris, City of New York and other
steamers; DR.. A. P. Buchanan, one of the
directors, is one of the foremost physicians
OF Fort Wayne; DR.. A. Keightiey is
wealthy gentleman of London, Eng
lar II har =