The La Jara chronicle. (La Jara, Conejos County, Colo.) 1896-19??, 1906-06-01
STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
ALMOST COMPLETE DESTRUC-
TON OF THE PICTURESQUE
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE.
Built In Spanish Architecture and
Cost of Buildings Alone was Thirty
Million DoIIars-WiIi Probably be
Rebuilt.

Rebuilt.
One of the NOSE serious results OF
the Pacific coast earthquake disaster
is the destruction of Stanford Univer-
sity, near Palo Alto. More than $780,
900 900 had been expended on the
buildings alone, and the damage has
been so severe that it will mean prac.
tically an entire loss. This group OF
buildings was planned and built on
prearranged scheme and has been &C
counted the finest group Of structures
for educational purposes on this con-
tinent, if not in the entire world. The
buildings were all In the picturesque
Spanish mission style, with the arch as
t. . principal architectural feature. rms
fact, which was SO much a source OF
beauty, has probably been the largest
source of destruction, because, WINE
the arch undisturbed is one of the most
secure of building forms. when thrown
out of plumb it must fall.
IRREPARABLE ART LOSS.
The main buildings are built around
an inner quadrangle, which contains
the offices of administration and some
class rooms. These buildings are all
one story in height. The outer quad,
rangle, which comprises the principal
architectural features of the univer-
sity, has as main points of interest
the memorial arch, with its wonderful
frieze, by st. Gaudens, representing
the progress of civilization in America,
and directly opposite this, through the
inner quadrangle, the Stanford Memo
rial Church, with its mosaic front de-
plotting the Sermon on the Mount.
This building cost, in construction
alone, 100000. exclusive of the mo-
safes and carvings inside and out, and
| it's marble statues and art treasures
from Europe.
Perhaps 1t may be said that the loss
of the buildings and equipment, IN
spite of their great value, is the least
part of the disaster, because since the
university was started on Senator
Stanford's Palo Alto ranch it has been
a marvellous incentive toward higher
education on the Pacific coast. NOT
only has it gone ahead with great
strides on its own account, but 1t has
carried the State University at Berke-
Hey along with it in healthy rivalry,
until the two gave an equipment for
higher education in California that was
not rivaled by that Of any other State.
MRS. sTANFo4 DIS GENEROSITY.
| If it were not for the indomitable
spirit which seems to have enabled the
university to triumph over many diff
culties it might be said that its career
has been particularly ill-starred. For
in spite of its great endowment, said
to exceed that of any other institution
of learning in the country, 1t has been
unfortunate from the beginning. VeX-
atious litigation arose at the time of
Senator Stanfords death. in 1894. and
the claims put forward by those who
had received personal requests, to have
them settled first, seriously impaired
the finances of the university because
it was impossible to realize upon its
property. After that the Pacific rail-
road suits tied up the university money
for a couple of years, until the SUI
preme Court decided in favor of the
Stanford estate. But Mrs. Stanford,
with wonderful courage and singleness
of purpose, unselfishly turned all of her
property over to the university, saw
it through its crises until her recent
tragic death in Honolulu, when the
Leland Stanford University was again
thrown In despair. Its present de-
struction by the earthquake seems to
come as a eliminating disaster, yet it
is probable that it will rise again SUI
perior to the conditions which seem
in league against it, though it has
practically been set back to an abso-
lutely new beginning.
1t is already understood that plans
have been considered for the rebuild
ing of the university, as the statement
has been made by President David
Starr Jordan to the students of the
university, asking them to remain and