The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-09
GARFIELD
University Building On West
Side Is Sold.
SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS
Paid for the Structure--TO Be
Used for Friends COLLEGE.

The Garfield University building has
been sold to J. NJ Davis, wealthy mem
Der of the Friends church and a resident
of Cincinnati, Ohio. The price paid is as
nearly as can be Appropriated $4,000.
Mr.. Davis puts in on the trade a big bust
ness block in Topeka and pays $4,000 N
money. The Garfield will now be finished,
given magnificent endowment fund of
something like $500, 600 and turned over to
the Friends church for the purpose Of d
first class educational institution.
Thus by heavy and certain movements
Wichita pulls herslf together and takes
another iunge forward. Garfield Universe
ity building is said to be the largest in
America under a singlet roof. 1t stands
In one of the prettiest places for a college
and campus there is in the state. Only
about a dozen of the rooms were fitted
up while the institution was under the
control of the Christian church The
management being unfortunate in hand
ling ONE of the propositions coming up
in the matter of founding and maintain
ing great university upon the plane and
plan indicated for the West Side School.
Mr.. Davis has been at work on the trade
for nearly seven months. Mr.. James Al
lison has made two or three trips to the
east in bringing the matter to a success
full finish and Mr.. Davis as well as Mr..
Harding, the Boston agent, has made
two or three trips to Wichita Mr.. Davis
says he will now proceed to finish up the
great building in every story and room. He
has the money. After it is finished he viii
place a. big endowment fund and the
whole matter will he turned over to the
Friends church. No one could be found
last night who could give any detail of
plan for finishing the structure and what
will be attempted in the line Of college
or university work. Mr.. Davis and Mr..
Allison have both been very quiet in
the matter. So modest has Mr.. Davis
been in the deal that not half dozen
members of the Friends church in this
city knew his name or business, though
he made two or three trips here and at
tended the churchon one or two occasions.
When the building IS equipped and en-
dowed and is turned over to the church
it will be given memorial christening.
but It may he that Mr. Davis will dis
allow the connection of his name in any,
way.
This will ankle Wichita the center of
the Great Friends church in Kansas and
IN the whole west for that matter. The
Wichita school will IN time be probably
as large as any school of that church or
any other west of the Mississippi river
Last spring the yearly conference of the
Friends church of Kansas held a weeks
session in Wichita and steps We're taken
at that time to secure the meeting per-
manently. The school will almost insure
the yearly conference here which means
1000 visitors and more annually
Rev. Mr.. Hampton, the pastor at this
point. for the Frineds was seen last night
but he said he could say very little about
the matter He knew Mr.. Davis. knew
he was after the building and that he
meant If he bought 1t to endow it for
school and turn it over to the church
He did not know that the sale had been
completed.
Last winter Mr.. Harding offered to sell
the structure TO the state for a branch
of the state normal school and everybody
was anxious for the deal a great many
we're disappointed that it fell through
Tho new Friends University Will not he
whit behind any state institution Kan
sas would have put here. The Friends
are n thorough Coin and substantial class
Of people. They paw as they go and al
ways get there. The immediate future
holds cvraaf fI,iYoe for Wichita