Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-01-09
Remarkable Bcnefa : tons.

While there are mary rich who are
growing richer 1t is roass uring to note
that there is a growing disposition on the
part of our wealthy people to do good
with the resources Of which they are pos
sessod 1t is also significant that now
where in the world is benefactior con-
Quoted on the scale Prevailing in America.
From figures compiled ty a New York
bureau it appears that the enormous sum
of S3SsO00,o0O was given ay during the
raet nine years in the United States, AMI
that from S29Ol0,0C0 in the year 1873 the
annual benefactons of this character have
Increased to the magnificent total of SIS
00)Nl. When it is borne in mind that the
bureau in question makes no reference 10
donations Of less than $500 and that the
list of cash gifts thus enumerated does
not include requests OF valuable collec-
tons and other gifts of this character, it
becomes evident that a host Of people Of
wealth in this country are acting on the
principle that great riches are simply a
trust to be used for the benefit and eleva-
ton of the humGn race.
Colleges and schools and libraries and
charitable institutions seem to be the
favored recipients of the great majority
If benefactions, as a glance at the record
for 1901 will indicate. In the long list Of
dorors for the past year Mrs. Jane L.
Stanford stands first, her gifts to the uri-
versity that bears hel sens name having
reached the gigantic amount of $40, 400 900.
Andrew Carnegie, whose name is famil-
lar to burlington Just at the present time
III connection with the proposed new l-
brary, is only a trifle behind Mrs. stan
ford, however, his benefactions for the
year having aggregated $50 1850, lu5
largest gift was that Of $4,000 900 recently
rade for the purpose of establishing q
national university in Washington. H. al
so gave s. 10000 for public libraries in
New York city, s40cC, 900 for disabled ANA
suporaunuate employees of the earn g,a
Company 10000 for Il technical school
in Pittsburgh, 81 ,0o0,C0o to the CarncIe
Institute in the city named, $4,000 for
public libraries in Detroit and San Fran
cisco, beside innumerable smaller sums for
libra ries throughout the country, the num-
Der of towns profiting from his libcrality
numbering ll9. As regards the number e
people benefited Carnegies beneiaCtiOnS
are unqlesticrably without parallel,
The third in the list of the years bone-
factors is Jacob S. Rogers who gave ST.
100000 to the New York Metropolitan Nh
scum of Art Among the other numerous
phlanthropists whose names are proml-
nent, the late Christopher l.. Magee Of
Pittsburg gave s450o,000 for a hospital
Lewis tkin of Philadelphia founded a
new charity with a bequest of s2,0OQO0O'
John d. Rockefeller distributed 81 6i6 " y,
chiefly among colleges; j. Pierpont Nor
gan gave to various institutions Slis5,0O0;
Mrs. Philip D. Armour gave sl,2j0,O00 for
a school Of engineering; Mrs, Emn.ons
Blaine. daughter of Mccormick, the late
reaper king, distributed N03o,OOO; Thomas
Thompson of Poughkeepsie contributed
S,0oOOO0 for the support of needy seam
. stresses and shop girls; George w. Bow
man gave 100000 to the Peoples church
and J. Il, Dubois 100000 to "A medical
school.
one might continue the list of bencfac-
tons like that of Daniel X. Pearsons OF
, Chicago, who distributed $4,000 among g
:, number Of colleges, but it is signiilcan
that ii an attempt were made to enumei at
, gifts below the million dollar limit, th'
record would be extended to grea
length. Among the colleges that have re
ceived over million in benefactions dur
ing the past year, beside the Stanford in
stitution are Yale. Brown and Harvard
while other universities and colleges haN'
cone in for their share in lesser amounts
Turning to the lists Of gifts not value,
in money yet most valued by their recip
tents it is found that Alfred c. Barnes o
Brooklyn has given fully equipped as
Economical observatory to Cornell Univer
slty. Alexander w. Byers of Pittsburl
has given a new hall to Yale; Mrs. Cor
nelius Vanderbilt has given IA new build
ing to Newport hospital; Chauncey NJ
Depew, Edward Hartley of Mount Verno
and Walter Hubbard of Meriden have Civ
en- land for public parks; Auder h. Doug
lass and Osgood Field have given valuabl
collections to museums, and 80 on this lis
might be well nigh indefinitely extended.
All these benefactions go to show nc
only that the rich are more and more az
preciating the nature Of their responsible
ity but also that there Is "A cons family II
+. creasing recognition of the brotherhoo
d of man.