Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-12-27
WAITED SIXTY YEARS.
Oliver Smiths Notable Fund for Massa-
chusetts Agricultural School
Now Available.

SOUTHAMPTON, Mass. Dec. o.
After wait of sixty years the agricul-
tural school provided for in the will Of
Oliver Smith is to become an ac-
complished fact. Mr.. Smith died De-
cember %, 1916. His will provided that
the fund for the establishment of the
school was to accumulate for sixty
years. Hence it became available today.
In anticipation of this date the trustees
OF the school last month purchased a
site in Northampton in order to be ready
for establishing the school. The pur-
chase consists of ninety-three acres and
the track includes about all the varieties
of soil desirable for agricultural pur-
poses.
To Help Young People.
Oliver Smith belonged to the same
class of philanthropists as Peter Coop
er, Anthony Drexel and Charles Pratt.
his aim was to give practical assistance
to young men and women striving to get
foothold in life. He is perhaps entitled
to be called the pioneer philanthropist of
America, for it was early in the '30s
that plans for establishing a permanent
scource OF benefit for young men and
women took form in his mind. His bene-
factions as they now stand are well to-
ward S1,5O0,00O.
Oliver Smith was born in Hatfield, this
state, in January, 1866. He never mar
RED. Oliver received little education ex-
ceept that given by his mother. He took
his share of the paternal estate when he
arrived at the age of u, receiving land
valued at $500. In middle life he was
the proprietor of the village store in
Hatheld and in later years he accom-
pushed the rapid increase in his wealth
Dy stock transactions in New York. But
throughout his active life a part of his
attention was devoted to farming. Be
longing to his family were other cele-
DRAFTED phllanthropists, among them So
phla Smith, founder of Smith college,
and Mary Lyon, founder of Mount Hol-
yoke college,
Half Million for Charity.
Oliver Smith left almost 100000 for
charitable purposes. In sixty years this
amount has, of course, vastly increased.
Inc reports of the trustees show that
more than the total of the original
amount has been paid out to INDECENT boys
alone, and about half as much to indi-
gent young women. In addition about
9oO,OUO has been expended in annuities
to special beneficiaries, more than $780,
ooO TO INDECENT widows, besides expenses
900. 80 +000'
The provisions of the will were not
permitted to become established without
contest in the courts that was COM
mL1ensurate in strenuous endeavor and in
the emlnence of the counsel employed
with the issues involved. The will be-
came the subject of an encounter be-
tween the two men who were the giants
OF their time in legal controversy and
VINO remain commanding figures in his
Choate
The trial in the supreme court here
opened July 6, 1S47. Mr.. Choate APP
peared as leading counsel for the heirs
at law, and Mr.. Webster for the de-
tense. Mr.. Choate, in his argument,
spoke three hours and Mr.. Webster two
hours. The jury returned verdict for
the VIII, after being out one hour.
Fund Is Now Available.
The will set aside $4,000 for an agri-
cultural school. the money to be placed
at interest and to be allowed to accu-
mulate for sixty years. 1t is this fund,
amounting now to about $315, 1000, which
became available today