The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-22
LEHIGH IN DIFFICULTIES.
THE UNIVERSITY CRIPPLED BF THE
LEHIGR ROADS TROUBLES.

The MANAGEMENT OF Both Hns Been In rractI-
caily the Same HAnds-The UnlycrsitJ's Ia
come last Year Only $40. OOO-IIttlc or uts
Financial Anhirs Has Recn Made Pnbiie.
The news which camo from South Bethlehem,
Pa, yesterday, that IL Gov. Hastings does not
sign the bill appropriatlnR 5000. 900 for the sup
port Of Lehigh University 1t must close its
doors, has created CONSERVATION among
the alumni in this city. While it was
known that the failure OF the Lehigh
Valley Railroad to pay dividends on its stock
had crippled the Lehigh University, it was not
known to the alumni that the effects werc so
disastrous. Tho closing of the Lucy Packer
Linderman Library and the dismissal OF the at
PENDANTS seems to confirm the fears for the
university.
Although there are In this city and Brooklyn a
number of men who have been alumni trustees
OF the university, none could be found yester-
day who knew much OF the finances Of the
university or how 1t has managed to
exist since Lehigh Valley stock stopped paying
dividends three years ago. These men
declare that they have never known
of q financial statement being made public by
tho Board OF Permanent Trustees. Until tn Q
Lehigh Valley Railroad ceased to pay divid ends
Lehigh University was considered very rich and
strong. A few years ago, it is said. a gift of
$780, 900 was refused by the trustees. The man
agement Of the university seems to have been
the same as the management Of the railroad.
and these to have been identical. or almost SO,
with the management of the Asa Packer estate.
Judge Asa Packer. who was the President and
largest stockholder in the Lchigh Valley Rail-
road. laid the foundation for Lehigh University
In hsS5 by giving rs acres es Of land il south
ton of the original buildings. His expressed
purpose was to found q school where the in
ceive q technical education of a, high order
free, Of charge. The courses which il was in
tended should be taught were civil engineering,
mining and mechanical engineering, physics.
chemistry, metallarEy. French; and German:
y, When her MT; p .Siis sn on May T. ~ ls So, ;6 he Lee Lee
and $500 900 for a library. His daughter, Lucy
Packer Linderman; gave a library building. An
built a memorial church in 1887. Robert Sayre
presented an observatory to the university and
The university ranks among the best in the
county Tor its work in enEiineerins: physics;
s the sssst works Snd m OF the Bc,h asS Raofk from Go9 Dt
pany has been OF great advantage to its techni.
cal students. 1t has graduated 7s2 students and
last year the number of students in attendance
was AIS. The library contains 100000 volumes.
According to the college year book. thirty seven
income Of the university was but $4,000. Such
a sum was barely enough to maintain the eight
buildings of the university.
The original endowment, which Judge Packer
provided was almost entirely in Lehign Valley
Railroa; stocks. and a large portion OF his great
years ago, When the lease Of the L.ehisih Valley
road to the Philadelphia and Reading expired.
the income from these stocks was from ) to
z per cent. Since this income. stopped.
and the stock dropped off, 1t has been
supposed that the expenses OF the college were
betrayed largely by advances from the trustees
Of the Asa Packer estate. This estate was be-
lieved to be worth at least S15. ZOO. 900, and it is
provided that in case Mrs. Mary Packer Cum
mings dies without issue one-third OF it snail 20
to the university. Other provisions made By
Judge Packers sons before their deaths will
eventually add about one-half OF the entire es-
tate to the endowment.
The displacing of Mr.. Wilbur from the Presi-
dency of the Lehigh Valley Railroad at the last
annual election is believed to be OF as much
moment to the university and the Packer
estate as to the railroad. The control OF the
university is In the hands OF a board OF eight
permanent trustees. named in Mr.. Packers
will, six honorary trustees. and four alum
nj trustees. The men who are said to
have exercised absolute control are a few of the
permanent trustees, and OF these Mr.. Wilbur
was one of the most prominent Two years ago
it was decided to depart from Judge Packers
original design and TO charge 800 n year for
tuition. This Is probably the source from which
the 500 900 income OF last year was derived.