The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-23

pearing at the openings of our day. The
winter was severe and the roads almost
impossible. Governor Richard Dobbt
Spaight, whose energy and devotion to
duty has been shown when, as youth
of twenty, he left Trinity College, Dub
lin, and ran the hazard of being captur-
ed by British vessels, in order to throw
in his fortunes with his native State,
had hrayed the discomforts of the TWEEN
ty-eight miles of red mud and pipe-clay
and jagged rocks, stretching from Cha
pei Hill to Raleigh. 1t is recorded that
he had attendants and we can assuredly
guess that among them were State
Treasurer John Haywood, and John
Craven, the Comptroller, the first Uni
versity Treasurer. The gazette of the
Period, the North Carolina Journal,
merely states that there were present
several members of the corporation and
many other gentlemen, members of the
General Assembly," then in session. We
may almost certainly see in attendance
the members from Hilldboro and Orange,
Samuel Benton, uncle of the great Sena-
tor, "Old Bullion" Thomas Hart Ben
ton; Walter Alves, son of James Hogg,
the said Walter, according to tradition,
changing his name in order to marry the
belle of the county; and VIM. Lythe,
probably son of the colonel, Archibald
Iythe, who fought SO bravely under
Sumner at Eutaw; also VIM. Cain, the
Senator, ancestor of our professor of
mathematics; VIM. Person Little, Semi
tor from Granville, and Thomas Person,
Commoner, both nephews of the gallant
General Person, the University's benc-
factor, detained at home by the infirmi-
ties of age; John Baptist Ashe from
Halifax. afterwards elected Governor,
but dying before taking his seat, in place
of General Dayie, then employed on Off
cial duty elsewhere. OF course the ever
active Joel Lane, Senator from Wake.
who offered broad acres to secure the
University at Cary, was there. And
it is reasonably certain, judging from
the interest they took in the new insti-
tuition, that John Macon, Senator from
Warren. brother of the more eminent
Nathaniel Macon. and Daniel Gillespie,
Senator from Guilford, and the brilliant
young Commoner from Fayetteville, af-
forwards the first Chief Justice of our
Supreme court, John Louis Taylor, were
willing to add eclat TO the occasion by
their. presence; and of course in attend
ance were Alexander Mebane, the Con-
gresham, and James Hogg, the rich
merchant, both of Orange, Trustees, and
Commissioners to select the site AMI
members of the Building committee.
The morning Of the 10th of January
opened with cold drizzling rain. As
the signing of the watery wind whistlcd
through tie leafless branches of tall
oaks and hickorics and the Dayic pop
lar, then in vigorous youth, all that met
the eyes of the distinguished company,
were two-storied brick building, the
Old East, the implanted wooden house
of the presiding professor, opposite to-
the Gymnasium, the avenue between
them filed with stumps of recently fell
ed trees, pile of yellowish red-clay,
dug out for the foundation of the chapel,
or Person Hall, pile of lumber collect
ed for building Stewards Hall, al
Scotch-Irish Preacher-Professor I'M
whose mind were fermenting ideas of
infidelity, destined to cost him his place.
and not one student.
The proverbial optimism of the press
as to matters hoped for did not fail the
ancestor of our modern newspapers. The
editor of the Journal mildly comments:
1.-The Governor, with the trustees who
accompanied him, report to the board, by
which they are enabled to inform the
public that the buildings prepared for
the reception and accommodation of stu
dents are in part finished, and that
youth disposed to enter the University
may come forward with the assurance
of being received" The editor goes on
10 give the terms of tuition and board
in apparently naive Inconsistencies
that he was giving the University a
first-class advertisement. When | state
that this important item appears in the
issue of February 23rd, forty-nine days
after the event, we must give the palm
for furnishing news more promptly, if not
more reliably, to the modern reporter.
The learned presiding professor, DIR.
David Ker, reigned in his solitary great
ness for the greater part of the rey0lu-
ton of the wintry moon. 1t was not I'M
til the 18th OF February that the first
student arrived, with no companion, all
the way from the banks of the lower
Cane Fear, the worthy precursor of "A
long line of seekers after knowledge.
His residence was Wilmington, his name,
Hinton james.
IT was of good omen that this. the
first fruit of the University, was worthy
to head the list of her students. The
faculty records show that he performed
his duties faithfully and with ability. For
several years the students were required
to read original compositions on Satur-
DAYS and those deemed especially merit
orious were posted in a record book. The
name of Hinton James occurs often on
this roll of honor. His tastes took
scientific and practical direction. One
Of his subjects was 1.-THE Uses OF the
sun" another 1.-The Motions of the
Earth a fourth '"rhe Slave Trade,
a fifth 1.-The Pleasures of College Life,
aud sixth the effects of Climate on
the Minds and Bodies Of Men,
--fter leaving the University James
became a civil engineer of great psetul-
ness in his section of the State, as assis-
tant to Chief Engineer Fulton, who was
brought from Scotland at salary or
$4,000 year. payable in gold, to inn
prove the navigation of our rivers. In
passing from Wilmington down the beau
tiful Cape Fear. ! was shown by my
intelligent friend the tate Henry Mutt,
some of James works for deepening the
channel. which had withstood the foods
and tides of fifty years. He was like
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