The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-19
CAME rs A SURPRISE
JAMES j. HILLS CONDITIONAL GIFT
OF $4,000 TO RAMLINE
UNIVERSITY.
PROF. BRIDGMAN HAD CALLED
TO ASK THE GREAT NORTHERN
PRESIDENT TO HEAD A SUE
SCRIPTION LIST.
SUCH GENEROSITY UNEXPECTED.
The Head of the Institution Now
Appeals to Its Friends-Whence
Came the Debt.

The announcement of the generous
offer of President James J. Hill, to con-
tribute $4,000 in cash to go towards
lifting the floating and bonded debt Of
the Hamline university. on the conGi-
ton that the faculty will take care Of
the remainder of the Indebtedness
amounting to SIS, 900. was received with
joy by the members of the faculty and
the friends of the institution Presi-
dent Bridgman is POW devoting his
time with added zeal to raise the nee
essary $4,000, and hopes to have the
amount paid up by the next COM
mencement, which will be a proud day
for Ham, university, as the debt
of $4,000 has for several years been a
great impeachment to the progress Of
the institution, as the interest has
drained the comparatively small in
come of the college to such an extent
that it has run behind in current
expenses.
The liberality of Mr.. Hill is the talk
of the school, and the friends of the
institution are expected to come for
ward and assist Dr. Bridgman in his
efforts to take advantage of Mr.. Hil's
offer. Mr.. Hill is thoroughly acquaint-
ed with the usefulness of the institu-
ton, and has contributed largely in the
past towards it's maintenance. d..
Bridgman has been aroused to the ne
cessity of raising the debt since the
first of the year, and after consulting
with the faculty he decided to make a
concentrated effort with the assistance
of the many friends and patrons of the
college, to lift the mortgage of $50 900
and the floating Indebtedness of 81, O0y.
Knowing Mr.. Hills kindly feeling to-
wards the institution, and the fact
that he had literally contributed in the
past, President Bridgman called upon
Mr.. Hill Saturday morning and asked
him II he would start the paper Dr.
Bridgman did not ask for anv speci-
fled amount. but requested that Mr..
Hill head the paper, and he would
try to raise the balance Mr.. Hill
thought the matter over for a short
time and then told DR. Bridgman TO
go ahead with his movement to raise
the debt, and if they could raise SIS, OOo
he would contribute $40, 900 in cash as
soon as this was accomplished. Mr..
Hills offer came as a surprise to DR..
Bridgman. 1t gave him new impetus.
and he went to work yesterday to raise
the necessary $4,000. He announced
at chapel yesterday that he would be
out of the city the rest of the week.
and it was understood among the
students and faculty that DR.. Bride-
mans mission out Of the city was con-
nppta6 10
The $4,000 is the only Indebtedness
the college has acquired, and this was
at the beginning of the depression of
1893, just after the Science hall had
been completed. A portion was for
construction of this hall, and the re-
mainder for additions put on the ladies'
hall and the accruing interest during
the past four years, which the college
has not always been able to meet.
This debt is practically a lien on all
the holdings of the college, which
amount to several hundred thousand
dollars, including real estate property
and endowmentS. Besides the build
ings and grounds in Hamline. the in
stitution owns property in Minneapolis
and many parts of the state, and also
property in Chicago. The property in
Chicago, however. is the only holding
Of the college which is productive of
any revenue.
The college has paid per cent
interest upon the mortgage, which has
weighed heavily upon the faculty and
those interested in the welfare of the
institution, to say nothing of the en-
barrassment Of being in debt, which
has greatly hampered it's usefulness
as an educational institution
The muniicent gift of President Hill
will practically put the college on it's
feet again, with the assistance of the
faculty and friends. They feel that
they will be able to raise the SIS, 900
when they know there is $4,000 more
coming as soon as it has been done.
This is not the first evidence of Mr..
Hills liberality in the matter of help
ing deserving institutions.