Evening star., 1902-01-10
CARNEGIE INSTITUTE
Director Walcott Talks About Its
Objects.
INDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE AID
Not a University in the Accepted
Sense.
THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT

| DR.. Chas. D. Walsott when seen today by
| an Evening Star reporter at his office in the
t geological survey and questioned In regard
| to the aims and purposes of the Carnegie
| Institute said IT DON'T think need say
t more than to refer you to the articles of in
corporation. filed in this city last Saturday
| and the statement given out by the incerpo-
+ rators yesterday, following Mr.. Carnegtes
! wishes. They point out succinctly the OBJ
| ject of the institute aud what it hopes and
| proposes to do. 1t IS not to be university
| In any sense. although the popular impress
| sion seems to be prevalent throughout the
| country that such is the case. Mr.. Car
negie's purpose is to establish an institution
where the exceptional man and those
| Whe want to follow up some particular
branch Of scientific research may find am
pie opportunity and provision for following
up such research
The institute will undoubtedly be
equipped with competent instructors and
laboratories In order to further such an end.
Inc plan Is to have administration
building, but that matter must be left to
the board Of trustees. Just what they will
| dD In the matter, however, Is conjecture,
pure and simple. They are all able men,
selected on account of their special fitness
| to hold the keeping of such an important
institution and trust in their hands. Many
| OF them are prominent educators and the
others hold high official positions both In
national and state councils / have sent
out notifications of their selection as trus-
| tees to all of the gentlemen named, and
ought to receive their supplies in a few
days. I do not anticipate, however. that
| there will be any refusals to serve upon the
| board.
I Applications for Positions.
ALREADY I have commenced to receive
| letters from all parts Of the world asking
| for positions and seeking the Institutions
aid along the various lines they suggest"
'"Then it is the purpose Of the Carnegie
| Institute to aid certain individuals in per-
| fecting inventfons?" said the reporter
Yes" continued the director, that is ex-
actly what clause of the purposes of the
| institution means. 1t is as follows:
To discover the exceptional man in
| every department of study, whenever and
wherever found. and enable him, by finan-
seems specially designed his life work
"To illustrate" continued the director.
Take the case of a man like Marconf.
| whose wireless telegraphy achievements
have astounded the civilized world.
IF such man wanted to carry on fnves-
| LEGATIONS and experiments along a certain
line of invention or scientific research, and
did not have the means financially or 9TH
erwise to do so. and applied to the Car
negie Institute for help, he would undoubt-
edly get it. OF course, there will of neces-
sfty have to be a committee appointed of
men acknowledged to be thorough, practi-
cal scientists to examine into each partic-
ular case: otherwise the institution might
find itself embarrassed by having a lot of
cranks with freak inventions applying to
| it for assistance Only few years ago l
had many communications from a man
who lived in the rural districts Of North
Carolina, who claimed to have discovered
| an effective means Of putting out the fires
Of volcanoes.
II knew by his letters that the fellow
was crank, and paid no attention to him.
He was persistent. however, and finally
came to see me to urge financial aid for
what he considered would be boon to the
human race. His method of volcano ex-
tinction was absurd. as the only means he
expected to employ was by boring holes in
| the ground near the burning subterranean
| furnaces, and introducing water from near
| by streams therein to extinguish the fires.
| OF course, many cases like this would un-
doubtedty have to considered by the COM
| mittee I have referred to before financial
aid could be rendered"
| Permanent OMcers to Be Elected.
| Director Wa!cott said that it would be
| the duty Of the board of trustees at their
! meeting in this city on January %. or at
some future meeting. to elect permanent
| officers Of the institute and outline the
work that it is to accomplish and the meth
I ods to be employed in it's conduct He said
| that the officers of the institution would
undoubtedly receive salaries, the amount ef
| which, however, Will have to be fixed by
| the board Of trustees. 1T is only proposed
| to use the interest Of $10.OO0.0O0," he said,
''in running the institution
| . This money is available now, and the
completion of the institute depends upon
/ the manner In which the board Of trustees
I facilitates It's organization and future
t work. The director would not discuss the
| suggestion that has been made to place
| the institute on a site near Rosslyn, in
| Alexandria county. but stated that all
| such matters would have to be left to the
| board of trustees.
He said, in conclusion that those who
| had Incorporated the institute would have
nothing further to do with its conduct. as
| their existence ceased with the appoint
! ment of the board of trustees.
| Commissioner Of Labor Carroll D. Wright
| who was also one Of the incorporators,
was out of the city today.
The 0mciaI Statement.
DR.. Charles p. Walcott, secretary of the
| incorrorators of the Carnegie Institute,
made public last night the plans. purposes
and trustees Of the proposed institution.
| in accordance with the expressed wishes
| of Mr.. Carnegie.
| The trustees elected by the fncorporators
| are as follows:
| The President Of the United States.
The president Of the United States Sen
| ate.
The speaker of the House Of Representa-
| tfves.
| The secretary of the Smithsonian Insti-
| lotion.
The president of the National Academy
Grover Cleveland, New Jersey.
John 8. Billings. New York.
William N. Frew, Pennsylvania.
Lyman J.. Gage, Illinois
Daniel c. Gilman. Maryland.
John Hay. District Of Columbia.
Abram 8. Hewitt, New Jersey.
Henry L. Higginson. Massachusetts,.
Henry Hitchcock. Missouri.
Charles L. Hutchinson. Illinois,
William Lindsay Kentucky