The times., 1899-10-20
BENJAMIN FRAEKLIN's GIFT.
How His Plan Eor Apprentices VIII
BE Carried out.

De tHTFi9u Out.
BOSTON, Oct 19.-The trustees Of the
fund left to the CITY Of. Boston by the will
of benjamin Franklin, of Philadelphia,
printer, late Minister Hlenipotentiary from
the United States Of America to the Court
of France" etc, have come to a decision
regarding the disposal Of the 1886. .421 which
came to the city under the Will. II will
go for public building, public baths. and
public gymnasiumsy 81
The story of this fund is Illustrative of
the public spirit Of Benjamin Franklin
In the codcil Of his WILL which was made
June %, 1889 Che died April II. 1890, be-
fore reaching the part where he gave the
money TO Boston, he lays down this urincI-
pie of his action: 1T having long been a
fixed political opinion Of mine. that in a
Democratical State there ought to be no
Offices Of Profit for the reason l had given
in an Article of my drawing in our Con-
stitution, il was my intention when | ac-
cepted the Office Of President Cof the State
of Pennsylvania) to devote the appointed
salary TO some public Uses, accordingly.
] had already, before l made nv VIII in
July last, given large Sums of it to Col
leges. Schools, Building of Churches. etc -
His gift was originally the sum of G1 600.
to be under the management of the select
men of the town and Of the ministers of the
Oldest Episcopalian, Congregational, and
Presbyterian Churches in the town. The
money was to be let at 8 per cent to such
young married artifcers, under the age of
twenty-five years, as have served an ap-
premiership in the said Town, and faith
fully fulfilled the Duties required in their
Indentures." The money not to be used
otherwise till the end Of the first one hun
dred years. How far he projected his plans
into the future, this passage shows:
If this Plan is executed and succeeds as
projected without interruption for one hun
dred years, the sum will then be one hun
dred and thirty-one thousand Pounds of
which l would have the Managers of the
Donation to the Town of Boston then lay
out at their discretion one hundred thou
sand Pounds in Public Works which NAV
be judged of most general utility to the In
habitants such as Fortifcations, Bridges,
Aqueducts, Public Buildings, Baths, Pave
ments or whatever may make living in the
Town more convenient to its People and
render 1t more agreeable to Strangers. re-
sorting thither for Health or a temporary
residence. The remaining thirty-one thou
sand Pounds l would have continued TO be
let out on Interest in the manner above
directed for another hundred years, as |
hope it will have been found that the In
stitution has had a good effect on the con-
duct of Youth, and been of Service TO many
worthy Character and useful Citizens At
the end of this second Term, If no unfor-
tunate accident has prevented the opera
ton the Sum will be Four Millions and
Sixty-one Thousand Pounds Sterling of
which l leave one Million sixty one
Thousand Pounds to the Disposition of the
Inhabitants of the Town of Boston and
Three Millions to the disposition OF the
Government of the State, not presuming to
carry my views farther
Since this money has been available for
Boston at the end of the first one hundred
years, there has been much discussion on
the part of the city government as to what
should be done with it. Mayor Quincy
has set forth his views, considering the
language used by Franklin, and all possi-
BILE legal advice has been taken The
fund has failed to accumulate as Frank
lin supposed it would because the condi-
tions Of industry have changed so that
there has not been any possibility of in
vesting it upon the terms designated to
the class Of men he had in mind The
consequence is that only 1896, 421 is now
available for the usea of the city One
proposition beforeisthe aldermen and min
isteriaI trustees last evening was for the
establishment of ambulance and relief
stations in different parts OF the city, but
this was voted down. fiye to eight.
Then, by eleven to one, they passed the
order providing for erecting building
to be known as the Benjamin Franklin
Building, upon the lot of land owned by
the city on Washington Street, near the
corner of Dover Street, now partially oc-
cupied by the old Franklin school build
ing and upon other lands of the city ad-
joining said lot, so far as the same may be
considered desirable therefor, said build
ing TO contain a branch Of the public IL
brary, with reading rooms, and also a
ward room, public hall. lecture rooms and
rooms for the use of the Grand Army posts
now quarteTed in the building also a pub
lie convenience station in the basement.
and TO lay out the remainder for erecting
buildings to contain baths for ail-the-year-
round use, combined with public gymnasia,
when deemed desirable, and for building
public convenience stations and for the
purchase of suitable lots for said build
ings."
The order provides for baths ali the year
around, and for public gymnasiums In
East Boston, Charlestown, the North and
West Ends, South Boston, RoXbury, and
Dorchester, and two convenience stations
in Park Square and Postoffice Square. 1t
is believed that these uses are close to the
original purpose of Franklin in consulting
the comfort of the people OF the town OF
Boston.