The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-24
CORNERSTONE LAID
BY PRESBYTER|ANS
administration Building Will
Now Be Pushed to Com
pletiOn.
INTERESTING ADDRESS
BY REV. DIR. M'NIECE
he Tells in Graphic Style
of Struggle of
College.

In the presence Of some 500 friends
and patrons of Westminster college,
the cornerstone of the administration
building was laid yesterday afternoon.
The services were short and simple. but
unusually impressive. If not single
word had been spoken or a prayer
breathed, it would havo been so from
the very nature of the scene presented.
There was the college site, still wild
with its sage brush and willow trees.
and then in artificial contrast the foun"
dation of the new structure which pre-
sages the future college.
Seated on the temporary floor, tho
people present gazed on the wlldness of
the spot, the rugged mountains to the
east and north, the stretch OF valley
TO the south, and far in the west and
northwest mountain and lake lntermit-
tently.
singing of Chow Firm q Foundation, -
After Scripture reading by Rev. John
f. Carver came brief history of the
various events which have led up TO
the establishment of Westminster col
lege by DR., r. G. McNiece, His ad-
dress. which is Of interest and value
because of its reminiscent nature, fol-
lows:
DR.. McNiece's Address.
and Neighbors Sitting here under the
open sky and In the shadow OF the grand
mountains east of US. with this wonder
full picture OF the beautiful city, valley.
lake and great mountains to the west, l
congratulate you on this bright ,auspiclous
day for Westminster college.
So far l know, the first movement
toward the establishment of this college
was made by that strong man. Prof
John M. Coyner, and myself in the spring
of 1882, tweRty-four years ago last spring.
He was graduate OF Harvard college.
Indiana, class OF 1S52 and devoted his
life to the cause OF Christian education.
He had established the Collegiate Insti-
tute seven years before and IL was now
q prosperous school OF about 800 pupils,
Mission schools were springing up all
over the Territory and In our home mis-
sion board. There were then about
eighteen, and TWO academies. Since
Prof. Coyner and lived next-door neigh
bors. and had many conferences about
the future Of Christian education in Utah.
With these mission schools and acade-
mics. We agreed on the Importance OF
taking steps TO provide for the culmina-
tion OF this work in Christian college.
We laid the matter before the spring
meeting of The Presbytery in 1882,
was made chairman OF a committee OF
six TO take the subject in hand All
the old-timers Will be interested In the
ma ames OF the other members OF the COM
mttee- They were Rev. d. ]. Mcmillan !
Of Mt Pleasant, Rev. c. NJ Parks of Lo- !
gan. Rev. George w Leonard of Spring
vile and Eldors John NJ Coyner and
j. c. Royle OF Salt Lake City,
We began the study of college charters |
and TO look about for a suitable site /
Prof. Coyner took up his residence in |
California in May, 1855. after ten years |
OF most successful educational work. be-
ino ai
Collegiate Institute by that able educa-
tor, DR.. j. T. Millspaugh. Nothing posi-
tive was done in college matters until |
the spring meeting of tie Presbytery in |
1892. / then introduced a resolution pro-
viding for the election by the Presbytery |
OF a board OF twelve college trustees.
For nine years. until 1901. / was presi- |
dent of the board. We organized under
the name Of Salt Lake College," and |
continued TO look about for a suitable |
site,
Delegates Visited City.
In May. 1899. the general assembly met
At Portland, and six hundred of the dole
gates stopped over Sunday in Salt Lake
City. You would suppose these dele
gates would be too wise 10 be caught |
In the trap Of 4 real estate speculator
but they were not. After they reached
Portland prominent mar among the
New Jersey delegates received a most
beautifully written letter from a real |
estate speculatcr here. who formerly
lived in New Jersey. stating that he had |
been brought up In the Presbyterian
church and now desired TO do something
generous In helping the denominatio |
establish q college In Salt Lake City. He
proposed to give the &C nomination ninety
Two acres OF ground, beautifully located |
west Of Jordan river. he said He would |
set aside twenty acres for campus He |
would plot the remaining seyenty-two
acres into 720 lots BY selling these lots
for $500 lot the college would receive |
$3.50. 900. OF this sum s16O 900 would be
used for a handsome college building
and 100000 would be used for a perma- |
nent endowment
The New Jersey delegate was complete