Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-27

Denver. The geological garden In City
Park was provided by popular subscription
at a cost of 10000: monument to Robert
Burns has been erected by the Caledonian
Society. and natural history museum has
been built on the outskirts of City Park to
shelter a collection purchased from a ven
cradle mountaineer named Carter. who
lived up near Breckenridge like a hermit
and made an almost complete collection of
the animals. birds and plants of the state.
When Carter died the people of Denver
raised purse, bought his treasures and
are now erecting beautiful and appropri-
ate building In which they may be dis
played.
City Park Gateway.
Occasionally however, you hear a story
that reflects upon the public spirit and gen
erosity of the millionaires. One of the en-
frances to City Park has an imposing por-
tai, which was erected at the expense Of a
poor mechanic ito shame the millionaires."
Shortly after the park was opened to the
public a prominent citizen went around
with paper asking contributions to pay
for the erection of appropriate gateways.
Nobody seemed to take any interest in the
matter. and 81 SEQ was all the money he
could raise. His failure was sarcastically
commented upon for a few weeks and soon
forgotten. The public Indifference was so
great that when workmen began to erect
monumental gateway at the principal en-
trance nobody asked questions. Nor did
people know that the entire cost OF the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS like S15.000-was
paid by William Mcclellan. a blacksmith in
the employ of the Denver and Rio Grande
railroad. until that announcement was
made on the day that the portal was dedi-
Gated. Mr.. Mcclellan is a modest, unas-
Stunning citizen of small means. and he in
vested the savings of a lifetime in this gift
to city boasting 10S millionaires
Proposed Industrial College.
An eccentric character named George w.
Clayton. relative of Gen. Powell Clayton.
recently ambassador to Mexico. died six
or seven years ago, leaving between $1,000
900 and 100000 in trust to Judge Hal
lett of the United States circuit court for
the erection of industrial college for
boys on the plan of Girard College at Phil
adelphia. Clayton was pioneer. He came
here from Delaware in 1866 with his brother
tom" and prospered. He engaged In all
kinds of business-he managed mines had
a hat store and at one trne kept res
taurant but he saved his earnings and in
vested them wisely in real estate. He was
a widower and his only heir was his
brother Tom" who was married and had
a family. but kept getting poorer and poor
er as Wash became richer and richer.
Some years ago the brothers quarreled and
were never reconciled. 1t was expected,
however. that Wash Clayton would re-
member his only brother handsomely in his
WILL and the public surprised when
that document was read and it was dis
nuity of $50 a month which is scarcely
enough to keep him in refreshments. He
brought suit to break the will and tied up
the estate for several years; but the courts
decided against him. He is walking
the streets of Denver with nothing but $50
month and public sympathy. while the es-
ia has almost doubled in value and one
of these days will furnish a foundation
much larger than that of Girard College at
the time ii was built
Judge Hallett. who has absolute control
of the funds, has taken no steps toward
the organization of the proposed institution,
but is getting the estate into shape so that
the funds may be safely and permanently
invested. Then he will wait until the in
come accumulates to an amount sufficient
to pay for suitable building in which a
hundred or more boys may be taught the i
useful trades and the duties of citizenship
Colleges That Were Never Opened.
There are two universities in Denver and
an imaginary Baptist college for women |
The latter has fine building a few miles
east of the town which has never been in
habited 1t was erected about fifteen years
ago by some real estate spectators to in |
duce people to buy lots in that section but |
the promoters fell down In the panic of 1893 |
and have never been able to rise again The |
institution has existed in name only. 1t |
has no assets except a defective title to the |
building.
There is a similar institution beyond the |
western limits of the town, with a similar |
history, belonging to the Presbyterians. 1t
is built of beautiful red sandstone, after an |
artistic deSign.an the name-"W Westminster |
Unfversity"-is carved over the door. 1t /
has never been occupied. The spectators |!
who built 1t and presented 1t to the Pres |
byterians of Colorado failed like their Bap |
fist brethren in the panic of 1893, and no |
body has ever taken interest enough in the |
building to start a school,
On the outskirts of the city is another |
monument. known Richthoven castle, |
and it represents an unusual story. 1t has |
been common In the history of Colorado for |
people to make fortunes here and lose |
them elsewhere. But this was the |
reverse. Baron Richthoven, a wealthy Ger |
man nObleman, came here some years ago |
with large fortune. which he dropped in |
Denver and died. He built this castle for I,
his home and for several years lived in it |
after the most approved baronial style. 1t |
is now the residence of one of the leading |
merchants of the city.