The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-29
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S GIFT.
How His Plan for the Apprentices OF
Boston VIII BE Carried Out.
Correspondence New York Post.

Correspondence New York Post
The trustees Of the fund left to the city
Of Boston by the will Of Benjamin Frank
lin, of Philadelphia, printer. late minister
plenipotentiary to the court Of France"
etc., came to a decision last evening regard
ing the disposal of the 1856, 421 which came
to the city under the will. 1t will go for a
public building, public baths and public
gymnasiums. The story of this fund is Illus
trative Of the public spirit of Benjamin
Franklin. In the codocn of his WILL which
was made June %, 1859, Che died April
IL, 1880, before reaching the part where
he gave the money to Boston, he lays down
this principle of his action "It having long
been fixed political opinion of mine that
In democratical State there ought to be
no Offices of Profit, for the reasons / had
given in an Article of my drawing in our
Constitution, 1t was my intention when l
accepted the Office Of President (of the
State Of Pennsylvania to devote the ap-
pointed Salary to some public uses ac-
cordingly I had already before 1 made my
Will in July last, given large Sims of it to
Colleges, Schools, Building of Churches.
&C. His gift was originally the sum Of
e., 900, to be under the management of the
selectmen 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 per cent to
"such young married artificers. under the
age Of twenty-five years, as have served
an apprenticeship in the said Town, and
faithfully fulfilled the Duties required in
their Indentures.' The money not to be
used otherwise till the end of the. first
one hundred years. How far he projected
his plans into the future this passage
shows:
'If this Plan is executed and succeeds as
dred years the sum will then be one hun.
dred and thirty-one thousand Pounds, OF
which / 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 may
be judged of most general utility to the In
Adueducts, Public Buildings, Baths. Pave
ments or whatever may make living In the
Town more convenient to its people ana
render 1t more agreeable TO Strangers re-
sorting thither for Health or a temporary
residence. The remaining thirty-one thou
sand Pounds / would have continued TO be
a dir cn Of for another hundred years, as
hope il will have been found that the IN
stitution has had q good effect on the con-
a worthy Character and useful Citizens. At
the end of this second Term, II no unfor-
tunate accident has prevented the opera,
Sixty-one Thousand Pounds Sterling, OF
which / leave one Million sixty one
Thousand Pounds to the Disposition of the
of the Town OF Bosto Of the
Government of the State, not presumins 10
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 il. Mayor Quincy has
set forth his views. considering the Ian
guage used by Franklin; and all possible le-
gal advice has been taken. The fund has
failed to the as of
have changed so that there mas not Deen
any possibility of investing 1t on the terms
mind. The consequence is that only $36o, Al
Is now available for the use OF the city:
One proposition before the aldermen and
ministerial trustees last evening was Tor
the establishment of ambulance and relief
stations in different parts OF the city, but
this was voted down, to s. Then, py II 70
!. they passed the vote providing for erect
ing building to be known as the benjamin
Franklin building, upon the lot or land
owned by the city on washington street
near the corner OF Dover street, now par
TALLY occupied by the old Franklin school
building. and upon other lands OF the city
adjoining said lot, SO far as the same may
ing to contain a branch of the public IL
brary. with reading :, rooms and also
wardroom, public hall. lecture rooms, and
rooms for the use of the Grand Army posts
now CHARTERED in the building, also pub
lie convenience station in the basement, and
TO lay out the remainder for erecting build
ings to contain baths for all-the-year-round
use, combined with public gymnasia, when
desirable. and for building public convent
ence stations and for the purchase of suit
able lots for said buildings" The order
provides for baths all the year round, 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 Fostoffice 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.