Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-04-20
The School Building Of the Uni
versity of New Mexico on
the South Side to Be Sold
Monday Under Mortgage.
FIRST CLASS
FOR A HOTEL
Interesting History Of the Structure
and the Good Educational Work
Done Within Its Walls for
Fifteen Years.

me university building as 1t Is
generally called, although it's true
name is Whiten Hall, is one of the
most important landmarks in Santa
Fe, and its sale next MoRfy, under
foreclosure of mortgage, calls for
more than passing notice. 1t is the
first conspicuous object that meets the
eye of the newcomer, and his first in
quiry usually is as to it's character.
The University of New Mexico was
incorporated May II, 1881, little
more than year after the arrival OF
the railroad and when Santa Fe was
experiencing it's liveliest days. The
need of an educational institution was
manifest, and the response took the
form of this organization. Among the
incorporators were Surveyor General
H. NJ. Atkinson, E. A. Fiske, C. H. Gill
dersleeve, W. H. McBroom, William
M. Berger and Charles w. Green, with
a few non residents interested in edu-
cational work. Rev. H. o. Ladd was
chief of the faculty and in after years
the active agent in procuring the con-
tributions from benevolent men in the
east, which built, equipped and main
tanned not only the University proper,
but the Ramona school with it's Indian
work. Since 1882 Hon L. B. Prince
has been president of the trustees.
The academic department was op-
ened September II, 1881, in temporary
quarters, and active efforts were made
to procure funds to erect a suitable,
permanent building. The largest con-
tributor to this was John c. Whiten of
Massachusetts, who donated $4,000 in
1882, and other members of his family
added 800 to this sum and ultimate
1y donated another $4,000. The lots
on which the building stands were do
mated by W. M. Berger, and large con-
tributions came from J. S. Taylor, w.
H. McBrOOm and others in Santa Fe,
while those in the east, who aided in
the. work, can be counted by the hun
dreds, The Marquand estate gave ST.
500 in one sum in 1888.
The corner stone of Whiten Hall
was laid October 21, 1882. with elabor-
ate ceremonies and the building was
planned on generous scale. 1t is
three stories in height, with high base
ment and tower, and constructed mas
strength regardless of cost. The foun-
dations and brick walls are of almost
double the thickness usual in similar
structures. 1t was estimated to cost
with land and equipment, something
over $4,000. A subscription of $4,000
from Senator S. w. Dorsey was expect
ed to complete the edifice; but unfor-
tunately this was in the form OF notes,
on which but $3.50 were ever paid, and
this failure caused great embarrass-
ment to the institution. To meet the
contract payments, $4,000 were bor-
rowed from General c. H. Howard OF
Chicago, the mortgage which is the
basis of the present foreclosure.
For number of years the Universi-
ty did large and important education
al work. At that time the public
school system was very defective and
did not at all meet the requirements OF
the rising generation The New West
Educational Commission had charge
of the educational work at the Univer-
sity, or supplied the trustees with
funds to carry it on, for several years.
The catalogues of the University from
1882 to 1898 contain the names OF
nearly all the young men and women
who have since been prominent in
Santa Fe affairs, or who have made
reputation in other fields. When the
public school system assumed proper
shape, the New West Commission
withdrew from the field when it SEEM
ed to be no longer necessary, and
then for several years the American
Missionary Association of New York
supplied the necessary funds. During
all this time large personal contribu-
tions we're received every year and de-
voted to the work of education; and
the University fulfilled its mission
nobly. Finally the American Mission
ary Association withdrew to more ne
cessitous fields, and the public schools
having achieved good position in ed
ucation, the University school was
closed.
The mortgage had never been paid,
as all receipts had been used in the
current educational work, and of late
years the interest has run behind, and
there were no funds with which to
meet it. Finally General Howard COM
menced a foreclosure and the sale of
the property will be had next Monday,
as advertised in the Daily New Mexi-
can.